Apple TV Gen 3 Activation Failed, No Airplay

Not-yet-activated and Activation-failed Apple TV boxes may not support AirPlay, until activation is completed.

Activation-failed units will show this status in Settings﹥General﹥About﹥.

Activated units will have an on|off setting for AirPlay in Settings﹥AirPlay﹥.

Activation of the Apple TV box (3rd generation) is normally a result of registering the unit with a valid Apple ID account, as initially configured during setup. Also see Settings﹥iTunes Store﹥Sign in﹥. Try a reset and set up again, if needed. Try an external system software restore, if needed.

In some instances, where the above doesn’t work (failed), users may have to resort to alternative methods:

- register through the Configurator app on macOS,

- register through the 3utools app on Windows.

Some streaming services may require a later model anyway for AirPlay support (AirPlay 2). See their respective sites for AirPlay requirements.

3utools is now available for macOS. Download and install 3utools and connect your Mac to the AppleTV box via microUSB cable. Select the highlighted "Activate Now" option in the 3utools app, once completed and now displaying Activated, disconnect AppleTV box and reconnect to TV and use as normally. I had to do it twice, as when I reconnected to the TV the first time I had the result of all apps were gone and not connecting to my wifi properly. So I repeated the process and it worked.

I have two AppleTV boxes and both have just recently stopped functioning on Airplay.

As described, I have activated one, the other is still to do. Why did both become inactivated? Both are about 12 years old, did they reach the end of their Apple lifetime?

apps can choose to block airplay if they soo chooses, it strip the content of it's drm hdcp which enable piracy copying so some choose to block it