iTunes Home Sharing lets you share your iTunes library (music, movies, TV shows, apps etc.) wirelessly over your home network with another computer, Apple TV, or any iOS device such as an iPad or iPhone. In some cases, users have experienced issues with Home Sharing (e.g. Home Sharing not showing up in iTunes). This guide explains how to troubleshoot some of the most common Home Sharing problems:
Firstly, make sure that you have the latest version of iTunes installed on each Mac or PC using Home Sharing. If that doesn’t resolve the issue go over the following checklist:
- Use iOS 4.3 or later if you want to use Home Sharing on iPhone/iPad or iPod Touch
- Use Apple TV 3rd generation, or Apple TV 2nd generation with 4.2.1 or later
- You need to use the same Apple ID on all devices that you want to use with Home Sharing
- Home Sharing requires an active Internet connection and all devices need to be connected to the same connection
- If you have a firewall enabled, make sure that Home Sharing is not blocked
- Ensure that Home Sharing is correctly enabled on each machine. Home sharing will not work properly if all devices are not configured correctly
After verifying your network adheres to all requirements listed above, if you are still having problems with Home Sharing try the following tips until you find a resolution:
- Turn off Home Sharing on all devices, wait about one minute and turn them back on
- Restart your network router
- Quit and restart iTunes and then close and open all apps on your iOS devices
- Reset your network router
- Update your router’s firmware
- If you are using a PC, try disabling IPv6 on your PC. See this article for more info: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929852
Hi, We’re constantly getting the spinning wheel of death with Home Sharing.
It happens on each of our 3 Apple TV’s (2 2nd gen, 1 3rd gen).
The iTunes host computer is a 2009 iMac 24″ running Mountain Lion. The network is wired from iMac to Airport Extreme and out to the main Apple TV, other 2 are on wifi. Everything has the latest firmware/version.
The iMac and iTunes are always left on.
When the issue presets itself, it’s like iTunes or Home Sharing isn’t turned on.
The guaranteed fix is to quit iTunes and relaunch it.
Simple as that and we’re up and running.
Ever experience this? Suggestions for a true fix?
thanks!
‘Fish
Steve Jobs is dragging apple into the grave after him. Since his demise, the demise of apple itself is plan to see. The ONLY reason people buy Apple stuff is as unlike 99% of hardware launched it worked reliably. With that myth now truly busted there is NO point paying twice the money for Apple stuff that doesn’t work reliably, you may as well buy android stuff that fails to work reliably, equally well!
Androids are awesome, you just need better luck with technology
3 years later what you have said rings true. The “Never fixed bugs” mount.
After battling this problem for weeks your suggestion to try disabling IPv6 on your PC worked. A big THANK YOU!
Apple TV2 doesn’t see my library when it connects. Home sharing is turned on yet I have to turn it off and then turn it back on to establish a connection. Sometimes I have to do this two or three times. I too get the spinning wheel, sometimes for up to twenty minutes. I am running Mountain Lion on a 2007 iMac 24″ and the network is wired. Can anyone help?
Had been troubleshooting this for a while and almost lost hope (always had the latest and greatest iTunes running). Disabled IPv6 and BOOM! started working on all devices (iPad, iPhone and AppleTV). Thank you!
After battling for months to get this working your suggestion to disable IPv6 worked like a charm. the easiest way is just to disable it for your NIC card (WiFi card in my case). click the checkbox and click Save. Restart iTunes – WORKS!!!
Thanks a lot!!!
Turned off IPV6 on my pc and iTunes home sharing started to work. Big thank you for the post on IPV6.
iTune Version is 11
IOS 6.1 for my iphone 4s
D-Link DIR-655 router with multicast on
I’ve disable IP6 on my NIC, but I’m still not getting anything when it comes to my home sharing. Any other ideas?
Wondering if you ever got it to work and how? I’ve tired everything and still nothing. The IPV6 didn’t work for me either.
Disabling IPV6 seemed to work for me… for now.
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IPv6 worked! Windows 8.1 here. Well at least we know its not a Mac specific issue.
IPv6 worked ……………. Windows 7.
Home Sharing and pictures are working………
I’ve done everything on the Apple Support page and disabled the IpV6……Still nothing. I’ve been working on this now for about 6 hours. Seriously frustrated at this point! Any help would be appreciated.
I has iTunes Home Sharing working fine (ATV2, Windows 7 and the latest iTunes version) with IPV6 running. Somehow my iTunes library became corrupted so I completely removed iTunes. I reinstalled iTunes and created a new library. Home sharing no longer worked. After much searching I came upon the IPV6 fix. I now have to disable IPV6 to have home sharing work. Frustrating even though I do not need IPV6.
Turning off IPv6 worked like a charm.
Mac Mini – 10.10.3
IPhone 5s – 8.3
Apple TV used to work fine. Today it wouldn’t work and Apple TV icon disappeared from iPad. When I reset and put in my Apple ID it tells me it isn’t recognised even though I reset it so it is correct and I have used the new password to turn on home sharing on PC and iPad
i got home sharing working on my ipod from windows by using the turn of ipv6 fix
but it only lasts until i switch ipod of when switched on again it has disapeared
help