Apple TV is a popular media streaming device that allows users to enjoy their favorite movies, TV shows, and music on their television sets. While Apple TV comes preloaded with various media streaming apps, some users prefer to use third-party media players such as VLC Media Player for a more customized media experience.
VideoLAN Client, commonly referred to as VLC, is one of the most popular multimedia players worldwide due to its extensive support for a variety of devices, video formats, and audio formats. It now supports Apple TV as well. You can install VLC Media Player from the App Store if you have a streaming device like Apple TV.
How to Install VLC Media Player on Apple TV
You need a 4K or HD Apple TV streaming device that supports tvOS 11.0 or later to use VLC Media Player on Apple TV, as VLC does not run on earlier versions of the operating system. Here are the steps to download and install VLC Media Player on your Apple TV:
1. Turn on your Apple TV and connect it to a stable internet connection.
2. Open the App Store from the home screen.
3. After that, select the Search icon and search for VLC.
4. Select VLC from the search results and click the Get button to download and install the VLC app on your Apple TV.
5. Once the app is installed, open it by clicking its icon on your Apple TV’s home screen.
Once installed, you are ready to use it on your Apple TV. You can now play media that is already on your computer using VLC Media Player. You can watch videos from sources including local networks, remote playback, and network streaming when you connect the application to your Apple TV.
Additionally, it allows you to locate UPnP media services like Plex and access computers on your network via SMB.
How to Use VLC Media Player on Apple TV
Now let’s discuss how you can play video files using VLC Media Player on Apple TV. You can play videos from many sources, including local networks, remote playback, network streaming, and more.
Let’s discuss them one by one.
1. Local Networks
If you have any video files on your local network, you can play them using VLC Media Player. It also allows you to access video files stored on Windows network shares or UPnP servers.
To access your local network files, click on the Local Network tab. If the files are password-protected, you will need to enter your login credentials.
2. Remote Playback
Now, let us discuss how you can play videos using the Remote Playback feature. Follow the steps mentioned below:
1. Open the VLC Media Player app on your Apple TV.
2. Select the Remote Playback tab and click the Enable Remote Playback option. This activates the VLC remote playback server, which creates and displays a local network IP address for the Apple TV.
3. Now turn on your Mac and connect it to the same Wi-Fi network as your Apple TV.
4. Then open a browser and enter the IP address displayed on the Apple TV screen.
5. This will open the VLC Remote Playback window. Now drag and drop the video file stored on your Mac and watch it on the TV screen.
6. If you want to disable it, select the Remote Playback tab and click the Disable Remote Playback option.
Note: The video file is temporarily stored on your Apple TV until the system needs the space for other content.
3. Network Stream
VLC can also be used to stream online videos from various websites. You need to know the video URL to stream it using VLC Media Player. Just make sure that the site is legal and does not violate copyright laws.
1. Open the VLC Media Player app on your Apple TV.
2. Select the Network Stream tab.
3. Here, you will find a list of all the previous URLs you have accessed. If you want to stream videos from previously used URLs, you can select them.
4. Otherwise, enter the video URL that you want to stream in VLC.
How to AirPlay VLC on Apple TV
If you do not want to install VLC Media Player on your Apple TV, you can AirPlay VLC to your Apple TV. You can AirPlay VLC from Apple devices such as iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
Before starting, make sure AirPlay is enabled on your Apple TV. After that, follow the steps below:
1. Connect your Apple TV and your other device to the same Wi-Fi network.
2. On your iPhone, iPad, or Mac, install VLC Media Player from the App Store. Once the installation is complete, you are ready to AirPlay VLC to Apple TV.
3. After that, play the desired video or movie in the VLC Media Player app that you want to AirPlay.
4. Then select the Screen Mirroring option and choose your Apple TV.
Once connected, the video will begin playing on your Apple TV. That’s it! You have successfully installed and started using VLC Media Player on your Apple TV.
