Amazon’s Alexa is arguably the most popular virtual assistant in smart homes. It’s used mainly on various Amazon smart devices, like the Echo Dot smart speaker and other wearables. However, some users are curious about “Can Alexa control Apple TV?”.
Alexa Apple TV is definitely possible; however, it’s limited to the most basic commands. This guide will show you if Amazon control Apple TV is possible and how to connect Alexa to Apple TV. Read this guide to learn more.
Note: Once you have video sorted, we also have a guide on how to play apple music on Alexa.
Table of Contents
Can You Control Apple TV With Alexa?
Yes. As mentioned earlier, it’s possible to control your Apple TV streaming device using Alexa. Specifically, you can use it for basic playback commands, like pause, play (and other playback options), controlling its volume, and a few more. However, this feature isn’t excellent with more complicated commands, such as turning your Apple TV on and off, opening apps, finding content, etc.
Overall, while Alexa won’t control all features of your Apple TV, it’s still worth setting up—especially since it enables you to control your device in a wireless manner.
How to Connect Alexa to Apple TV
Controlling your Apple TV using Alexa will require you to have an Alexa-enabled device, like the Amazon Echo Dot. Once you have one that’s already set up and connected to the same wireless network as your Apple TV, follow the steps below:
- Turn on your Apple TV using its remote. Navigate to Settings > Remote and Devices.
- Choose Bluetooth. Next, on your phone, open the Alexa app.
- Tap Devices and choose All Devices.
- Select your Amazon Echo Dot and choose Bluetooth Devices.
- Choose Pair New Device and select your Apple TV streaming device to pair it with your Echo Dot.
Once both devices are successfully paired, you can use Alexa for playback control on your Apple TV.
Control Apple TV via a Harmony Hub Remote
If you want more controls with your Alexa device and use it for your Apple TV, you can pair your Alexa-enabled device to a Harmony Hub Remote. It’s a universal remote that can control various smart devices and easily integrate with popular virtual assistants like Alexa and Google Home.
There are two main types of Harmony remotes: the IR remote and the hub-based remote. To pair a hub-based remote to your Apple TV streaming device, follow the steps below:
- Download and install the Harmony app on your smartphone. It’s free on the Google Play Store and the App Store.
- Open the app and navigate to Menu > Harmony Setup.
- Choose Add / Edit Devices and tap Devices.
- Select Add Device and choose Scan for Wi-Fi Devices.
- Once prompted to create a new Activity, select Yes and follow the on-screen steps to make a Watch Apple TV Activity.
- Once completed, you can use Harmony to control your Apple TV and integrate Alexa to use voice commands.
To pair an IR Harmony remote, proceed to these steps:
- Download the MyHarmony software on your computer through this link and install it.
- Go to the Remote Gallery screen and choose your IR remote.
- Navigate to Devices > Add Device and input the device information of your Apple TV streaming device.
- Once added, go to Activities > Add Activity and choose Watch Apple TV.
- Follow the on-screen steps to set it up and sync your IR remote afterward.
Once set up successfully, you can use your Harmony remote for various controls over your Apple TV, including voice controls via Alexa.
Final Thoughts
If you’ve been actively using Alexa to control various smart devices in your home, you can also integrate it into Apple TV through another Alexa-enabled device. This allows you to have wireless control over your Apple TV via Alexa and do simple playback commands.
However, you’ll need to use a Harmony Hub Remote as a third device to do even more complicated commands. Hopefully, this guide helps you know if you can use Alexa to control your Apple TV streaming device.