I have a first generation Apple TV 4K, which is about ten years old at this point. It is clear that his clock is ticking, but for now he continues to work. That’s because I know a few tricks that can keep it running smoothly, and some might argue that it almost becomes brand new again – at least until it’s time to use some of those tricks again.
All streaming devices experience lag from time to time, and Apple TV is no exception. Many of these tips will work across all your devices, but some are exclusive to the Apple TV 4K. What’s even better is that many of these tricks only take a few seconds to perform, so you can be back watching your favorite shows and movies before you know it. Of course, if none of these things help speed up your Apple TV, it might be time to buy a new one. I know my time is getting closer, but these four things work for me.
Brand
Apple
Bluetooth codecs
5.0
WiFi
6
Ethernet
Gigabit (128 GB model only)
Memory and RAM
64 GB, 128 GB
Force close apps that have been open for a while
Get your speed back
You might think that quitting an app and opening another one might close the old one, but that’s not the case. For that matter, your Apple TV 4K and other streaming devices keep it running in the background to provide a smooth transition back to other apps. While this is true, it actually slows down your devices if you keep going with it all. That’s why I like to force close some of these apps periodically.
To do this, you need to press the Home button on your remote control twice. This will display all the apps you have open, and from there you can scroll through them all and swipe up to get rid of them. This means Netflix will take a few extra seconds to start up again, but I think it’s worth it if you value keeping your device running smoothly. This is especially true for apps that you don’t use very often and that simply run in the background, eating up your memory.
A good restart works wonders
Most visible option
When my Apple TV 4K is slow, rebooting usually solves the problem. This essentially reboots all apps and gives the Apple TV a fresh start. You can do this through Settings, but I find it easier to unplug the Apple TV from the extender. If you leave it unplugged for about 10 seconds, you should be able to plug it back in and turn it on. You’ll know a reboot is happening if your Apple TV takes a little longer to go through the startup phase.
This works for all types of devices, so if you’re having trouble with your TV or Xbox, try there too. My TV especially benefited from this before getting a streaming box. For some reason, my TV seemed to get sluggish very quickly, and that’s what ultimately pushed me toward streaming devices. As it turns out, the same trick will work for your Apple TV 4K, so don’t be afraid of rebooting.
Remove old apps you don’t need
Clean it up a little
I’ve had my Apple TV 4K for several years now, and during that time I’ve downloaded quite a few apps. I don’t use many of these apps anymore. For example, I use Hulu + Live TV, so I have no reason to install the Fubo TV or YouTube TV apps anymore, so I got rid of them. Full storage isn’t good for anything, and apps take up most of that space on the Apple TV 4K. What works in the Apple TV 4K’s favor is the huge 64GB (or 128) of storage space, so it can take a long time to fill up.
I still think it’s a good practice to get rid of things you don’t need, even if it’s just a way to speed up scrolling on your home screen. If you have to scroll for a while, it just prevents you from enjoying your favorite shows. I’m a big proponent of reducing downtime whenever possible, and having to sift through countless apps isn’t the best use of your time. This brings me to my last point.
Organize applications into folders
Cleaner and simpler look
Apple
Folders are a great way to organize your Apple TV 4K home screen. I already think the Apple TV has the best home screen thanks to its lack of ads, but you can organize things even more by putting apps into folders. This doesn’t actually improve performance, but it does reduce unnecessary scrolling, which may seem like a productivity boost.
If your device is slow, I like to spend as little time as possible on the home screen, and folders help with that. You can also organize everything by deleting unused apps. You see, I told you that these two points are related to each other. This is something you should do no matter the age of your Apple TV 4K because it’s one of the great things Apple TV can do. I love that I have a variety of settings on the home screen.