Apple TV App Not Working on Vizio Smart TV: 10 Simple Fixes

Your Apple TV app on a Vizio smart TV just hit a snag. Fear not; we’re here to guide you through the simplest solutions to get you back to your favorite shows in no time.

1. Make Sure Your Vizio TV Is Compatible With Apple TV

The Apple TV app pairs with select Vizio SmartCast TVs. Here’s the lineup of compatible models:

• OLED Series
• D-Series
• E-Series
• M-Series
• M‑Series Quantum
• P‑Series
• P‑Series Quantum
• P‑Series Quantum X
• V-Series

If your TV isn’t listed or is aging, consider upgrading or getting a streaming stick. The latter is a budget-friendly and simple solution to enhance your viewing experience.

Transforming any TV, smart or not, into an Apple TV powerhouse is as simple as plugging in a Fire TV Stick or a Roku streaming stick. Both gadgets are user-friendly and come loaded with popular streaming apps. If you’re undecided, I recommend the Fire TV Stick for its Alexa voice controls, offering an edge in convenience.

2. Power Cycle Your Vizio TV

Frequently, app issues stem from unexpected TV software hiccups. The top fix? Simply reboot your TV.

Pressing the power button doesn’t really restart your TV; it just puts it in standby mode. This makes turning it back on quicker, but it also means software glitches can accumulate, potentially affecting performance.

Learn how to fully reboot your Vizio TV with these simple steps.

1. Unplug your TV from the wall.
2. Wait two minutes.
3. Plug your TV back in and turn it on.

3. Check Your Internet Speed

Experiencing buffering on Apple TV or similar streaming apps? Often, slow internet is the culprit. In severe situations, the connection might be too weak to reach Apple TV servers at all.

Easily check your internet speed from your computer or phone. Just ensure the device and your TV are on the same Wi-Fi network. For phones, switch off mobile data and stick to Wi-Fi only.

For smooth standard streaming, you need speeds of 3–4 Mbps, and for HD, aim for 5–8 Mbps. If you’re below these speeds, it’s time to:

• Check for sources of interferences (e.g., too many walls between your router and your TV).
• Restart your router (see the next section).
• Contact your internet provider to see whether there are network problems or whether you need an upgrade.

4. Restart Your Router

Sometimes, it’s your Wi-Fi, not your TV or Apple TV app, causing issues.

Instead of tackling every network issue head-on, often a simple reboot of your entire network can fix the problems. Aim to do this monthly to maintain optimal network performance.

Ensure no one at home is currently online. This reboot will temporarily cut off all network and internet access for about five minutes.

Okay, let’s get started.

1. Unplug the power cable from your router and modem.
2. Wait 30 seconds.
3. Plug the power cables back in.
4. Wait a few minutes for the modem and router to boot up.

After reconnecting your TV to the network, give the Apple TV Plus app another go. Were your network speeds dragging? Now’s a perfect moment for a retest. A quick router restart can temporarily pep up your speeds, though it’s not a cure-all for deeper issues.

5. Update Your Vizio TV Firmware

Firmware updates often solve TV app issues, much like app updates do.

Older Vizio TVs update on their own; simply keep them online, and they’ll handle updates automatically.

Vizio Smartcast TVs update on their own, yet they offer a manual update feature too. Handy if the auto-update misses a beat without alerting you, ensuring you’re not left behind on the latest features or fixes.

1. Press the V button or the home button on your remote.
2. Select System from the menu.
3. Press Check for Updates.
4. Wait for your TV to check for updates.
5. Confirm the update installation if one is available.

Once the firmware is updated, try the Apple TV+ app again.

6. Clear Your Apple TV App Cache

Newer Vizio TVs might not allow app upgrades or removals, but they offer a simple fix for app issues: clearing the app’s cache. Think of it as wiping your internet browser’s history to fix random app glitches. It’s a quick and easy solution.

1. Press the V button or the home button on your remote.
2. Select System from the menu.
3. Go to Apps.
4. Click System Apps.
5. Select the Apple TV app.
6. Click Clear Cache.
7. Press OK.

7. Turn Off Your VPN

If you’re not familiar with a VPN (virtual private network), chances are you don’t have it set up. This step isn’t for you if that’s the case.

Many video apps and streaming platforms work hard to stop VPN usage. If your VPN is blocked by Apple TV, you might lose access to your shows and movies. A quick fix? Turn off the VPN and see if your streaming works again.

8. Try Apple TV Plus on Another Device

We’ve explored almost all options available on your TV. Before we consider the last resort, let’s check if the issue extends beyond it. Open Apple TV on your computer or another device connected to your network.

Having trouble with Apple TV on your TV but not other devices? Reach out to Vizio support for help.

If Apple TV fails on all devices, the issue could stem from your Apple TV Plus account or Apple TV’s servers.

9. Check Apple TV Server Status

Check if others nearby are also facing issues with Apple TV by using Downdetector. Usually, these outages are local and resolved fast.

If Downdetector shows no issues, your next step is to reach out to Apple TV support. They offer the latest details beyond what’s in this article.

10. Factory Reset Your TV

After exhausting simple solutions, we’re left with one move: a factory reset. This wipes your TV’s settings and data, including the Apple TV app. While it erases everything, this step could resolve your streaming issues.

1. Press the V button or the home button on your remote.
2. Select System from the menu.
3. Go to Reset & Admin.
4. Click Reset TV to Factory Defaults.
5. Enter the parental code password. This will be 0000 if you never set it elsewhere.
6. Press Reset.
7. Wait a few minutes for the TV to fully reset and come back on.

Give the Apple TV app another shot now. This step likely resolved most software or firmware glitches stopping it from working on your Vizio TV.

What’s Next?

Choosing a non-Android smart TV, such as Vizio models, brings benefits. They’re user-friendly and generally reliable, though occasionally, a Vizio TV might not power on.

Encountering app issues can be frustrating, and your options for fixing them vary by device. For instance, Samsung TVs offer several methods to restart apps, providing a bit more flexibility. However, Vizio TVs lack this detailed control. Should you face problems with Apple TV or Disney Plus on Vizio TVs, the usual advice is to reach out to their customer support.