I bought a second hand Apple TV, generation 3, no remote. But I can’t set it up because i can’t pair the remote app without a code showing on the Apple TV… I don’t have a Mac so cannot use previous suggestions…how do I set up Apple TV???
Buy a remote. I don't think that Apple sells the older ones anymore, so you'd need to find a second-hand source.
Or, try to return the ATV you bought because it's unusable.
The only other way with those older ATVs was to factory reset and then pair with a Bluetooth keyboard upon setup.
However, you should be aware that the 3rd gen was released back in 2012 and is more likely to have issues due to its age. Also, it only had preset 'channels' that were received via server (used basic templates for navigation) and most providers have now dropped support for those channels. Lastly, there are no further updates to the system.
Can’t set up Apple TV without remote
