AppleTV pairs with Watch but doesn’t subsequently show in the Watch app.

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Level 3

599 points

AppleTV pairs with Watch but doesn’t subsequently show in the Watch app.

I have 2 AppleTVs, one connected by wifi, one on the household LAN by ethernet. The one on ethernet didn’t show as a selection on the Remote watch app, so I ‘added device’ on the Remote app, the Apple Watch appeared in the Remote pairing section of the AppleTV and was easily paired.

But even though the AppleTV can see the watch for pairing it still doesn’t offer it as one of the selections, just the wifi connected AppleTV and my iTunes home sharing.

Rebooted everything, deleted and re-paired the watch with the ethernet connected AppleTV, and still it isn’t offered as an option in the Remote app.

How could it be seeing the Watch for pairing and not for actual usage?

Apple Watch, watchOS 2.2

Posted on Apr 28, 2016 9:26 AM

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Answer 1

Jonathan UK

Level 10

163,775 points

Apr 28, 2016 9:35 AM in response to BobVB

Hi Bob

Apple's guidelines for using Apple Watch as a remote for Apple TV advise that this is possible when the devices are connected to the same Wi-Fi network:

"You can use Apple Watch as a remote control for your Apple TV when you’re connected to the same Wi-Fi network."

More information:

Use Apple Watch as a remote control for iTunes or Apple TV - Apple Support

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Answer 2

Apr 28, 2016 9:47 AM in response to Jonathan UK

Exactly. It uses bluetooth for discovery, but connects over WiFi. That explains why it is able to pair with ATV, but cannot connect.

I hope you've given the ATVs different names, to avoid conflicts.

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Answer 3

BobVB Author

Level 3

599 points

Apr 28, 2016 1:58 PM in response to Jonathan UK

Actually, No, that wasn’t it. Turns out all I had to do was sign out my Apple ID and re-sign in and the ethernet connected AppleTV showed up on the Watch.

They are all on the same LAN connected to the same wifi as the Watch, that the AppleTV had to be specifically connected via wifi just seemed intuitively ‘wrong’ and turns out it was.

But thanks for the advice.

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