A friend of mine had an issue with Apple TV not working on Roku. The Apple TV app displayed a “video not available” warning on the screen, and the error just happened randomly.
I have done my research on the issue based on reports from Apple and Roku forum threads of other users who’ve had this issue and how they were able to resolve it.
If Apple TV video is not available on your Roku, first, change the video settings in the Roku from “Auto detect” to a manual selection.
Other solutions are to also change the audio settings on the Roku, and if that doesn’t fix the issue, you can check your internet connection.
In the coming sections, I’ll provide more detailed troubleshooting steps for the solutions mentioned above with picture and video guides.
How to Fix Apple TV Video Not Available Roku
Follow the troubleshooting steps below to fix the Apple TV video not available on Roku error.
1. Change Roku Video Settings
The first step to getting Apple TV video working again is to change the video settings on your Roku. The video (display) settings on Roku are set to “Auto detect,” and it might not be able to detect the right version to display.
Here’s how to change video settings on your Roku device:
- First, press the Home button on your Roku remote.
- Next, scroll up or down and select Settings.
- From the settings tab, select Display Type.
- Now, change the resolution from “Auto Detect” to a different option from the list.
That’s all. If your TV supports 4K, you can set it to 4K 30 hz. Your Apple TV should be working fine now, if not try the next step.
Video Guide
2. Turn off Auto Adjust Display Refresh
The auto-adjust display refresh rate settings option allows your Roku player to switch to 24 fps, 25 fps, or 30 fps during the playback of content.
Most of the time, disabling this option can resolve display issues on your Roku device. Here’s how:
- First, press the Home button on your Roku remote and select Settings.
- Next, scroll down and select System, then Advanced System Settings.
- From here, select Advanced display settings, and then change “Auto-adjust display refresh rate” to off.
3. Change your Audio Settings
If you’re still getting the “Apple TV video not available” error on Roku after following the previous steps, then you need to continue the process by changing your audio settings.
Roku players are set to automatically detect the best audio settings for your TV, but this might lead to issues when streaming content.
Here’s how to change the audio settings on your Roku player.
- First, go to Settings on your Roku.
- Next, select Audio, and then HDMI.
- Now, switch the HDMI from “Auto detect” to “PCM-Stereo”.
Apple TV should now work just fine on your Roku; if not, you’ll need to check your network.
4. Check your Internet Connection
If you’re having internet connection issues, streaming apps like Apple TV might not be working properly.
Make sure the router is working properly by connecting it to a different device in your home. If the WiFi works with other devices but not with Roku, then there is an issue with the router.
A quick fix for a router having connection issues is to perform a power cycle by unplugging the router from the outlet for 60 seconds and then plugging it back in.
Also, make sure your network download speed is up to 3.0 Mbps for SD content and up to 9.0 Mbps for HD, as recommended by Roku.
You can run an internet connection test and see how fast your network is.
5. Perform a Power Cycle on Roku
If Apple TV video is still not available on your Roku after confirming that your internet connection is working fine, then a power cycle might help.
A power cycle will drain any residual power left in the TV, and this process is known as a “soft reset.”
Here’s how to perform a power cycle on your Roku device:
- First, unplug your TV and Roku device from the wall outlet.
- Leave both devices unplugged for 60 seconds.
- Once the 60 seconds are up, plug the TV and Roku back in.
That’s all. Once you have power on both devices, Apple TV should be working again.
6. Use Apple TV on another device and then switch to Roku.
This must sound weird, but most Roku users got the issue resolved after streaming Apple TV from a different device and then switching back to Roku after some seconds.
To do this, you can log into your Apple TV+ account online or use the Apple TV app on an iPhone.
Then, play a video for 2-5 seconds before switching back to your Roku player.
This simple step should fix the issue, but if it’s not fixed, move to the next step.
7. Reinstall the Apple TV app on Roku
It’s time to uninstall the Apple TV app from Roku and then reinstall it again. This has been known to fix issues with streaming content on devices like Roku. Here’s how:
- First, locate the Apple TV app on the Roku Home screen.
- Once the app is highlighted, press the asterisk “*” button on your remote. This will open the channel menu.
- From here, click on “Remove Channel” and follow the prompts to complete the process.
- Once the app is uninstalled, restart your Roku player. Then, go to the Apps section and install Apple TV again.
8. Perform a Factory Reset on Roku
If you have followed all the steps above and the Apple TV video is still not available on Roku, the last option to try before contacting customer support is a factory reset.
Before performing a full factory reset on your Roku, first, clear the cache to see if the issue is resolved. Here’s how to clear the cache on your Roku device.
Go to the Home screen on your Roku device.
Using your Roku remote, press the following button combinations one after the other:
- Home button 5 times.
- Up button 1 time.
- Rewind button 2 times.
- Fast Forward button 2 times.
That’s all. Your Roku device should reboot and previous issues should now be fixed. If not, then perform a full factory reset. Here’s how:
- First, press the Home button on your remote.
- Next, go to Settings, and then scroll to System.
- From here, select Advanced System Settings, and then Factory Reset.
- Finally, enter the four-digit code that appears on the screen and click OK on your remote.
Note: Your settings and apps will be reset to factory defaults, so you’ll have to set up your apps and connect to your network again.
9. Contact Support
If you’re still having trouble connecting to the Apple TV app on your Roku player, then you should contact both Apple TV and Roku customer support for further assistance.
Final Thoughts
With the troubleshooting steps above, you should be able to fix the issue of Apple TV videos not being available on Roku.
Key points
If Apple TV Video is not available on Roku:
- Change the video settings on Roku.
- Turn off “Auto Adjust Display Refresh Rate.”
- Update your audio settings.
- Check your network connection.
- Power cycle your Roku player.
- Log in to Apple TV with another device and switch.
- Uninstall and reinstall the Apple TV app.
- Factory reset your Roku player.
I’ll like to know which method worked for you.
Hey! I’m Louis, a Java Developer and Mobile App Developer who has an interest in smart home automation.
