If you’re watching videos, playing games, or using other apps on your Apple TV, you might notice that it feels a little laggy. That’s because the device is running in its own environment called a “sanctuary.” If your sanctuary gets bogged down with tasks and activities, your Apple TV will run slower than it should.
The time it takes for your Apple TV to complete tasks will vary based on the number of devices using the same network connection. For instance, if everyone in your household has an Apple TV and they are all connected to the same Wi-Fi network, then they’ll get slower as more people stream content at once.
The more people who use the same network simultaneously will result in slower performance for everyone. Let’s take a look at some of the reasons your Apple TV might be running slowly and what you can do about it:
Your Apple TV is Too Busy
Your Apple TV is probably running slowly because it’s too busy. The device is constantly doing a lot of things, so if you have too many devices connected to the same network connection then you might be having issues. For instance, all your family members streaming Netflix at the same time on their new Apple TVs is causing slower performance for everyone.
One thing you can do to help prevent this issue is to make sure that your Apple TV and other devices have enough storage space available. If they don’t, they’ll become bogged down with tasks and slow down.
Another way that you can reduce the number of tasks your device needs to complete is by using AirPlay or iTunes as opposed to connecting directly to your Apple TV over Wi-Fi.
This will let your device work more quickly without having a bunch of other devices on the network slowing it down.
You Have Too Many Devices Connecting to One Wi-Fi Network
If you have devices connecting to the same Wi-Fi network, your Apple TV will run slower than it should. This includes PCs, smartphones, and other Apple TVs.
If your family has more than one device connected to the same Wi-Fi network, you should change it to a different network or just disconnect one device entirely if it’s not needed at the moment.
You’re Streaming or Gaming on Multiple Devices
If you are streaming or gaming on multiple devices, then your Apple TV might be slower than usual. This is because it has to share the same network connection with other devices. If there are multiple people streaming and/or gaming, then it will likely lag.
You’re Using a VPN or Router That Is Blocking your Apple TV
The most likely reason why your Apple TV is running slowly is because you’re using a VPN or router that is blocking the device.
If you have a VPN connection, make sure it’s not blocking the Apple TV by disabling “Block Virtual Private Networks (VPN)” from the network settings. This can be done by navigating to Settings > Wi-Fi and turning off “Block all incoming connections.” If you use a router, make sure it doesn’t block the Apple TV by changing its firewall settings to allow certain ports like 80 and 443 on the device.
You can also try connecting your Apple TV directly to your internet service provider’s modem as opposed to connecting through a router/modem combo so it doesn’t have to go through an intermediary piece of hardware in order for it to work correctly.
It’s Time for a Cleanup of Bad Connections and Customs in the Network
If you’re experiencing slow performance on your Apple TV and it’s not clear what’s causing the lag, it might be time to do a little spring cleaning on your network.
To make sure that everything is running smoothly, go through your Apple TV settings and perform a clean-up of bad connections and customs. This will ensure that there aren’t any unnecessary apps or devices using resources on your Wi-Fi network.
If you have four devices connected for some reason, then it’s time to get rid of one.
Use Apple’s AirPort Extreme or Base Station to Reset Your Network Connection
One way to fix the lag you are experiencing is by resetting your network connection. This will help speed up your device and put it into a better state. For this, you’ll need the Apple’s AirPort Extreme or Base Station. This device will be able to help reset your network connection and allow for faster streaming performance.
How can you improve the speed of an Apple TV?
There are a number of things you can do to improve the speed of your Apple TV:
1. Keep your sanctuary free of tasks and active connections. A Sanctuary is a protected, dedicated space on your Apple TV where it is only doing one thing at a time. This lets the device focus on processing video faster and avoiding network lag.
2. Use AirPlay mirroring to stream to many devices from just one. Mirroring allows you to display images from your Mac or iPhone on your TV screen, freeing up space on your Apple TV for more data-intensive activities like playing games.
3. Turn off Wi-Fi whenever you’re not using it, or use a powerline adapter for faster connections. Wi-Fi uses more battery and data than other network types and you should disable it when not in use if possible. For fast connections, use a powerline adapter that offers plug-and-play setup and automatic network discovery so it always connects to the best available network connection.
4. Use AirPlay audio instead of Bluetooth to get better sound quality and avoid dropouts when playing media through speakers or headphones connected directly to the device.
Conclusion
One of the first things to look into when your Apple TV is acting up is the Wi-Fi. If you’re streaming or playing games on multiple devices and have a lot of devices connected to one, the Wi-Fi might be causing the issue. There are a few other things to look into, like using a VPN or router that is blocking your Apple TV, but it’s time to clean up bad connections and customs in your network.
FAQs
What is the difference between a sanctuary and a home screen?
The difference is that sanctuary kills off background tasks and background cellular data connections to ensure that the TV is always running at its peak performance. Whereas home screen will keep any and all background tasks alive, but in suspended state. So to answer your question, different home screens (home screen, sanctuary and home screen modes) will lead to different performance levels.
How does the number of devices using a network affect the speed of an Apple TV?
The number of devices using a network connection will have a slight but noticeable impact on the speed of an Apple TV. The sanctuary feature in homeOS automatically assigns tasks to your Apple TV so that it can prioritize the most important activities.
If you’re watching video, for instance, your Apple TV will only download or check for new content when it really needs to. This helps keep your experience smooth and uninterrupted. If there are too many devices on the network, however, your Apple TV will have to work harder to maintain a speedy connection. This can slow down what you’re watching or doing on your TV.
