How To Take Screenshot On Apple TV – Simple Methods

All Apple Tv users have some common questions about Apple TV. For instance, how to take screenshot on Apple TV.

You are often eager to show friends about your games or discuss fun apps or even show some weird images. Sometimes, you may need to get troubleshooting support from an expert miles away from you. 

In such cases, sharing your screenshot gives a clear idea to the other person of what you are trying to convey. While it is pretty easy to take screenshots on your phone or Apple iPad, few know how to do the same on Apple TV. 

In the initial versions of Apple TV, in tvOS11 and macOS High Sierra, taking screenshots was quite complicated. But now, it is pretty simple to capture the screen of your Apple TV using your Mac. 

There are several methods to take screenshots on Apple TV. Here are the techniques explained in detail…

How to Take Screenshot on Apple Tv?

The old and new versions of Apple TV vary a lot from each other. If your Apple TV operates on tvOS 11 or higher, taking screenshots using a Mac is relatively easy. You need to ensure that the Apple TV and Mac are connected to Wifi. 

But, if you have an older version, the process can be quite complicated. We shall explain both the methods below.

Method #1 Taking Screenshots on Apple TV with tvOS 11 or higher

You need to first ensure that both the Mac and the Apple TV are on the same Wi-Fi network. If they are the same, you can take the screenshot easily.

• First, check the network on the Apple TV. Go to Settings > Network. Then, compare the network on your Mac by going to System Preferences > Network > Wi-Fi.

• After ensuring both are the same, launch the QuickTime Player app on your Mac. You will find it in the Applications folder.
• Next, go to the top of the QuickTime Player screen, select File and then select New Movie Recording. You will find a window opening on the Mac showing live video from Mac’s camera.
• Now hover the mouse over the window until you find a red recording button. Click on the small arrow provided at the right of the red button, select Apple TV in the camera section of the pop-up menu.

• Enter the code that appears on the Apple TV in the corresponding field on the Mac to make the connection. You will find the Apple TV screen appearing on the Mac screen.

• To take the screenshot, press Shift + Command +4.

Method #2 Taking Screenshots on Apple TV with Older Operating Systems

You can also take screenshots with a Mac running in older versions. This process is a bit more complicated.

• Connect your Apple TV to your Mac using a USB-C cable.
• Plug the Apple TV into a power source and connect it to the television using the HDMI cable.
• Download Xcode from the Mac App Store. This app is Apple’s development software that professionals use to create applications for iOS, watchOS, tvOS and macOS. 
• Launch the Xcode app with the Apple TV on ‘on’ mode and connect to the Mac.
• Next, click Windows > Devices in the menu bar in Xcode. 
• Select Apple TV and click Take Screenshot.

These screenshots are stored in your download folder in Mac or wherever your Mac regularly stores screenshots, usually on the desktop.

Final Words

It is thus pretty simple to take screenshots on Apple Tv using Mac. You might be wondering about the screenshots message that occurs on your Apple TV by using a Siri Remote. These screenshots are not accessible to you for copyright purposes. 

These are called ‘Stack shots’ and are used by the Apple Support team for diagnostic purposes. These stack shots are captured by pressing the Volume Down and Play buttons at the same time on your Siri Remote.

So, try the above-mentioned steps next time you want to take screenshots on Apple TV.