How to take Apple TV screenshots or screen recordings on Mac

Have you ever wished you could take a screenshot or recording of your Apple TV? Maybe you wanted to capture the screen to show a family member because you need help. Maybe you’re doing totally awesome on a game and want to start recording it to show your friends. Or maybe you are working on a tutorial or set of instructions for your blog.

It’s now easier than ever to wirelessly take a screenshot or recording of your Apple TV right from your Mac. And this how-to will walk you through those steps.

Other Apple TV tutorials:

• How to use the Apple TV Remote app on iPhone
• Work with Apple TV Folders for an Organized View
• How to view your iPhone memories movies on your Apple TV

What you need to take Apple TV screenshots or recordings

Since the release of tvOS 11 and macOS High Sierra, you no longer need to attach a cable from your Apple TV to your Mac to capture the screen. You can do it wirelessly. The only requirements are that you have updated your devices to those versions or later and that your Apple TV and Mac are on the same Wi-Fi network.

In addition, you’ll need QuickTime Player. Fortunately, this handy recording app comes preinstalled on your Mac. There may be third-party apps that accomplish the same task, but since QuickTime Player is a default app on your Mac and it’s free, why not use it?

Connection Issues Between MacBook and Apple TV

If you are connecting your MacBook to your Apple TV for the first time, you may run into some connection related errors if your settings are not correct. Please check the handful of tips in the article below if you run into any connection issues.

• MacBook Could Not Connect with Apple TV, How-To Fix

Connect your Mac QuickTime Player to your Apple TV

For both screenshots and screen recordings, you’ll follow these steps to connect QuickTime Player on Mac to your Apple TV.

1. Open QuickTime Player on your Mac.
2. Click File > New Movie Recording from the menu.
3. When the recording window opens, it will automatically use your Mac’s camera. Click the arrow next to the red record button in the center.
4. Under Camera, select your Apple TV from the list. When you want to capture audio for screen recordings, select Apple TV under Microphone as well.

5. When your TV connects, you will see a message asking if you want to allow screen sharing. Click Allow.

You should now see your Apple TV screen in the QuickTime Player recording window and are ready to capture your screen.

How to take a screenshot of Apple TV

If you are not in the area of your Apple TV that you want the screenshot of, simply navigate there. Once you get to the screen you want to capture, follow these steps.

1. Click Command + Shift + 4 on your Mac. (You’ll see your cursor turn into crosshairs.)
2. Make sure your cursor is over the QuickTime Player window and click the Spacebar. (You’ll see the window dim and the cursor change to a small camera.)

3. Click your mouse or trackpad once.

This will capture the entire QuickTime Player screen with your Apple TV screenshot within it. By default, that screenshot will be available on your Mac desktop, unless you have changed the location for your screenshots previously.

Note: The recording toolbar on the QuickTime Player window will disappear and reappear only when you move your mouse or trackpad. So, you may have to wait for it to disappear to take your Apple TV screenshot.

How to take a screen recording of Apple TV

Making a recording of the screen on your Apple TV is quite similar to taking a screenshot, but actually a little easier.

Connect the QuickTime Player to your Apple TV as in the first set of instructions above and then navigate to where you want to begin recording on your Apple TV.

1. Click the red record button in the QuickTime Player window on Mac.

2. Use your Apple TV as normal, performing whatever action it is you want to record.
3. When you want to stop recording, click the gray square button on the QuickTime Player window (which is how the red recording button looks during recording).

And that’s it! You’ve just captured a screen recording of your Apple TV. You can play it, save it, share it, or do whatever it is you wanted the recording for.

Capturing your Apple TV screen is easy

Whether a quick screenshot or lengthy recording, capturing your Apple TV screen is easy with your Mac. And you might be surprised how much this can come in handy!

Just keep in mind that you cannot record television shows or movies on your Apple TV using apps like Netflix, Hulu, or iTunes. This is due to digital rights management (DRM) And if you try, the screen will go blank.

Are you going give taking a screenshot or recording of your Apple TV a try? If so, let us know if you run into any problems and be sure to bookmark this page so you can walk through the process easily.

Sandy Writtenhouse( Contributing Writer )

Sandy worked for many years in the IT industry as a project manager, department manager, and PMO Lead. She then decided to follow her dream and now writes about technology full-time. Sandy holds a Bachelors of Science in Information Technology.

She loves technology– specifically – terrific games and apps for iOS, software that makes your life easier, and productivity tools that you can use every day, in both work and home environments.

Her articles have regularly been featured at MakeUseOf, iDownloadBlog and many other leading tech publications.