Why do my iTunes playlists not show up on Apple TV?

I am having the same issue. I got the latest iTunes, 12.something, and just got an Apple TV box thing. I have a custom playlist I have made over the years, adding songs to it. Has like 6 hours of my favorite songs on it now. I want to listen to it via the Apple TV, and it does have access to my iTunes library, but not that playlist. Just Classical, 90s, and Purchased. I got the home sharing thing on, and this said to find a computer icon, but I can't find it. It's at this point I remember something a teacher said. "I don't compute with fruit." Apple is weird sometimes. Right now I have to use AirPlay with my iPad, but I often like to skip songs, sometimes skipping like 3 or so at a time, and it doesn't like that. I just wanna turn on my tunes without dealing with my iPad and such, please help.

Here's a life lesson, before you go to the help boards for something, PUSH ALL THE BUTTONS! 😝 I thought the COMPUTER thing everyone was talking about was on the ACTUAL COMPUTER, not THROUGH the Apple TV thingy. I got my Mix Tape playing now, thanks all!

I've had a similar issue with home sharing ( my main computer is an iMac running OS 10.11.6 and iTunes 12.6.) What I've discovered with my system is I have to turn Home Sharing off, REBOOT the computer, re-launch iTunes and turn Home Sharing ON again, then REBOOT the computer again. Only then does home sharing kick in for my Apple TV.

It's cumbersome, but I've discovered that it works. Try it and see if it helps.

Chip594, I'm having the exact same issue with ONE of my two Apple TV 4's. The other one shows all of my playlists ALTHOUGH I can't play them without an iTunes Match subscription (if I try to play one of those playlists I get into an interminable loop and have to literally UNPLUG my Apple TV to get out of it.)

I haven't figured out why ONE of the two Apple TV 4's shows the playlists, but the other one doesn't.

You have to use home-sharing and then access your iTunes library via the computers icon

If using iTunes 11 you will access via File - Home sharing.

http://support.apple.com/kb/ht4620

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4352

The Music icon is for streaming music directly, which will be any iTunes purchases in the Cloud (or your full library if you have iTunes Match)

Thanks! Solved my issue too!!

you are a genius . thanks

I was getting very frustrated... Thank you!!!

Must admit I'm a bit confused with this. I have Home Sharing etc enabled and run the ATV remote on an iPhone and an iPad. Now, when I have the MacBook on I can access the full iTunes library on that device along with ALL the playlists etc.

However, when that source is not available I can still access music (presumably the library on my phone because a lot of the stuff I can play from it is locally ripped CDs, not cloud material) BUT it only shows the Smart Playlists on my phone, not any that I have created. same with the iPad.

This brings me to another query. Obviously I can access my playlists through the regular iPhone Music app and then use AirPlay to listen through the Apple TV. So it's likely a quicker solution. What I wonder though is whether the sound quality is any different. Being somewhat naive with regard to how this stuff works (bit like beer really, I like it, but don't know how it works) I'm assuming the sound quality would be no different given that it would presumably use the same protocols etc. to stream the data.

Odd that I can't see device playlists when using the devices only??

I'm having the original problem shown in the post here (op). I have iTunes 12 and use an Apple TV (current version). I am trying to stream my library to my home stereo and can see "purchased" music in the music folder on Apple TV. However, none of my playlists show up there. Yes, I have home sharing turned on, have the computer set to stay on (no sleep mode), have the Apple TV connected via ethernet to my network, etc. I cannot find any reason why this shouldn't be working properly. Help?

As stated in the original response. You need to access the Computers icon (not music)

Already did that. It tells me I need to turn on home sharing on my computer and it's already on. Verified 10 times. To amplify, the computer does not show up under the computer icon though it has in the past. I'm baffled.

Is home sharing also enabled on Apple TV?

Check any security software installed on the system

Make sure router has appropriate ports open (refer to manual if unsure)

TCP and UDP ports and protocols used by Apple TV - Apple Support