Apple TV 4K Screensaver causes media to start

Fixed!!

After updating to iOS 18.1, I opened the App Store, which triggered a YouTube update and this problem is resolved.

For some reason YouTube was not updating until the “What’s New” screen was cleared in the App Store.

Happening for me on TV OS 18.0. Like others the way to fix it is to turn off features in tvOS settings.

Turning off Dolby Vision and using SDR resolves it.

Turning off QMS solves it.

Turning off Match Frame Rate solves is.

The thing is, I use those features. I shouldn't have to turn off OS level features for an app to work.

There are other issues in the youtube app as well. They all seem to stem from trying to switch from the OS default picture settings, like Dolby Vision, to something else when actually loading a video. But they manifest in colorful ways like unpausing videos, or when loading a new video the timestamp from the last video you watch is inherited to the new video, or just a black screen with no video and no metadata.

Make sure you have updated to tvOS 18.1. Then go to settings > Video and Audio > Match Content and set both to Off.

This has resolved the issue for me on two devices.

This is what I figured. It’s an issue with Quick Media Switching. Disabling Match Framerate disables QMS, since matching framerate and matching dynamic range must be enabled for QMS.

I bet this broke when Apple made changes to the screensaver features in tvOS 18. Seems like a “play” command is sent to the screensaver (maybe to play nice with QMS), which triggers background video, too (YouTube).

RESOLUTION TO THIS ISSUE:

go to the App Store and check that app is up to date. If it is not update it and the issue disappears.

The issue seems to be with the YouTube app. Go to the App Store on your AppleTV, find the YouTube app and you should see an ‘Update’ button. Click that and it should fix the issue.

This worked for me. Confirmed I just updated the YouTube app and then changed the Screen saver timer from 30 mins to 2mins. It didn't play media when the screen saver started so this bug has been fixed. The other bugs where YouTube just acts weird I'll keep looking into but everything is working properly.

I have been experiencing the same issue with my Apple TV. I was hoping updating to 18.1 would fix it. (It didn’t)

Try this: On the remote- Double tap the home button. Then- Swipe up to close out the YouTube App. This resolved the issue for me, hope it helps!

an issue with YouTube

Is this with the free ‘YouTube’ app, or the TV provider ‘YouTube TV’? The latter had been known to cause issues with its own screen saver. Not sure if or when that was solved, as I am not a customer with them (and not in their service area).

I can’t replicate the described issue with the regular free YouTube app on my Apple TV 4K (1st gen) on tvOS 18.

_______________________

Try this for any misbehaving app:

1. Force-quit the app, then relaunch and try again.
2. If the issue persists, force-quit the app, restart the device, then relaunch and try again.
3. If the issue still persists, delete the app, re-download and try again.
4. If the issue still persists after that, then contact the app developer for further assistance.

So far, what has “fixed” this for me is disabling the Match Dynamic Range, setting in Settings>Video and Audio>Match Content.

I'd probably rather switch off the screensaver instead to be honest.

Anyway, I have another problem that seems to be related to the screensaver. When I turn on my equipment using the HDMI-CEC function I noticed that the TV does not always flip back to the "Last Used Input" that I have selected in the options menu for the TV.

What I discovered is that if I allow the Apple TV screensaver to run before the system shuts down after 15 minutes of inactivity the TV will lose the signal from the Apple TV box when the Apple TV box switches from one screensaver to the next one. When that happens my TV will switch to the next available signal which is the signal from my attached receiver (would only basically be used for navigating the receivers menus, but it's still a "signal") Upon turning the system back on the TV then goes to the last used input which is the receiver. If I force off the system before the screensaver runs, none of that happens and everything works as expected.

So for now I have disabled the screensaver.

Having the same issue. Seems to auto play whenever the media is switched to a new format, ie. the Apple TV screensaver is Dolby Vision, and once that is loaded the media is played. Maybe quick media switching and the new screensaver features aren’t playing nice.

Having the same issue when paused on YouTube Premium(Ad Free) subscription. Also get a black screen when selecting a vid, then it switches back to the thumbnail screen(sometimes multiple times) OR finally starts playing the vid(that I have yet to view)& starts playing it about 3/4 of the way in OR kicks me out completely to the account screen, where I then have to reselect my account, which at that point puts said vid in my history as already completely viewed!!! The issue with the black screen seems to be switching back & forth form Dolby Vision? Running an AppleTV A2843 on an 86" LG Mini-LED model 86QNED85UQA & yes television software has been updated as well!

Different issue that article title.

I too am having problems with AppleTV and watching YouTube videos, (paid subscription) after the update. Selecting a new video hardly works now. I select a video and most times it never comes up. I've deleted the YT app twice and re-installed to no avail. Restarting AppleTV doesn't seem to make a difference. Not sure what Apple did but I'd like to revert to an earlier version. Is there a desired video rate that is preferred? I've reduced my video quality down to 1080P in order to save bandwidth usage. Maybe internet access in the US is widely available but not as much in the Middle East where I'm currently working. The team that last put their hands on the software need to know that this is broken. Thanks.

Ok, I just went into settings and cranked up the feed quality to 1080P but selected Dolby Vision. Went back to select a video and it came up. Maybe Dolby Vision is required to make it work. If it still hangs up I'll be back to repost. If it works fine then I may not make a comment and consider it fixed.