Your 5-Step Path to Unlocking Thousands of Hours of Entertainment
Apple TV offers a world of on-demand content and apps right on your television. And with screen mirroring from your MacBook added to the mix, there‘s no limit to the streamed entertainment you can access.
But to unlock the full power of Apple TV on your MacBook, from using your iTunes purchases to buying new movies, you first need to authorize the Apple TV app.
Don‘t worry, it only takes about 60 seconds. You just need an Apple ID, password, and to complete a few quick menu clicks.
In this comprehensive guide, I‘ll lead you through the entire authorization process with step-by-step instructions. You‘ll soon be streaming to your heart‘s content!
Let‘s first quickly run through the incredible growth and adoption of Apple TV over the past few years:
- Over 50 million Apple TV+ subscribers as of 2022 and counting (Source)
- Apple TV makes up 7% of the total streaming media market (Source)
- 22% estimated growth annually, far above competitors like Roku (Source)
- Average Apple TV owner spends 120 minutes per day streaming shows and movies (Source)
It‘s clear that Apple TV isn‘t just a "nice-to-have" anymore. It‘s woven into everyday digital life for tens of millions globally.
But you need to properly set up and integrate Apple TV first across your devices like iPad, iPhone, and MacBook to tap into limitless entertainment.
Let‘s get your MacBook fully authorized and ready to access this incredible world of content with 5 simple steps…
Step 1: Locate and Launch the Apple TV App
First, make sure that your MacBook is running macOS 11 Big Sur or higher. You‘ll find the system requirements for Apple TV here.
If you meet the OS version needed, locating the app is easy enough.
Check your dock along the bottom of your screen for this icon:
Don‘t see it there? Use Launchpad (accessible via the dock or menu bar) to find the Apple TV app instead.
Once located, click the app icon to launch it.
Several startup screens may now appear welcoming you to Apple TV and showing features. Feel free to explore!
When ready, proceed to the account linking in the next step.
Step 2: Access the "Account" Menu
In the top-left menu bar within Apple TV, you‘ll see an Account option. Go ahead and click that.
This opens a drop-down menu as shown above.
Take note of the options here, like checking previous purchases under "Store." We‘ll come back later to explore these handy tools.
But for now, authorization is our focus.
Step 3: Navigate to "Authorizations" and Choose "Authorize This Computer…"
From the Account drop-down menu, hover over Authorizations. A sub-menu appears.
Go ahead and select the key option for officially linking devices:
Authorize This Computer…
A pop-up window will appear, as outlined in the next step…
Step 4: Enter Your Apple Account Login Credentials
You‘ll be prompted to sign in with your Apple ID (your email address) and password.
Important note: Make sure you use the Apple account associated with any Apple TV/Apple Music/iTunes purchases and subscriptions you want access to. This includes paid apps, shows, movies, songs, and more.
Even if it‘s different than the iCloud account used by your Mac!
For instance, if you signed up for and paid for Apple Arcade games or Apple TV channels like Showtime with Apple ID #1, but back up your MacBook photos to iCloud via Apple ID #2…
You still want to sign in here with Apple ID #1 to connect those purchases.
Step 5: Click Authorize After Entering Your Password
Upon successfully entering your email address and password, one final step remains.
You must select Authorize at the bottom of the pop-up window.
If you have two-factor authentication enabled on your Apple account (which I strongly recommend enabling!) – you may go through one extra verification step:
Just enter the 6-digit code provided to your trusted device. This adds an extra security layer protecting your sensitive data.
Once done, that‘s it!
Your MacBook Apple TV app is now successfully authorized and ready for use.
Time to start streaming video or buying premium channel subscriptions!
But before jumping in, let me quickly cover a few extra tips…
Helpful Additional Pointers
Now that you‘ve fully authorized your MacBook for Apple TV, a few key things to know:
Deauthorizing
- If ever selling or gifting your MacBook, remember to deauthorize Apple TV first via the account menu
- Simply sign in and select "Deauthorize This Computer…"
Apple Music App
- Just like Apple TV, you may need to separately authorize the Apple Music app
- Follow the same exact Account menu steps outlined above
Apple TV+ vs. Apple TV
| Service | Description | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Apple TV | Access to purchased or rented movies/shows | Free app |
| Apple TV+ | Netflix-like streaming service with original content |
$6.99/month |
Learn more about key differences here
Non-Apple Devices
- Apple TV and Apple TV+ can be viewed on other products like:
- Smart TVs, streaming sticks, Blu-Ray players
- Gaming consoles including Xbox and PlayStation
- Android phones and tablets
With authorization fully covered, let‘s explore some awesome features available through Apple TV and take a quick look at recent viewing trends…
Unlocking All That Apple TV Has to Offer
Beyond just buying movies and TV shows, Apple TV offers a world of possibilities right on your television:
- The hottest new shows and movies included free for Apple TV+ subscribers
- Access your entire iTunes library of purchased songs, albums, music videos
- Apple Music streaming subscription with over 100 million tracks
- Apple Arcade games now playable on your TV with a controller
- iOS apps adapted for TV like Zillow, Redfin, and Realtor for house hunting
- Remote desktop control via screen mirroring to access work files or media
- Interactive content and video clips with Family Sharing enabled
Here are some of the top categories of Apple TV apps available:
And when it comes to usage and watching patterns, Apple TV fans are glued to their sets:
With Apple TV+ originals like Ted Lasso skyrocketing and annual services revenue jumping to $19.8 billion in 2021, it‘s no wonder viewing time continues to increase year-over-year (Source).
But you can‘t tap into any of this great content without properly authorizing devices like your MacBook first…
Now that you‘ve successfully unlocked Apple TV access, let‘s chat best practices around usage, security, and privacy.
Protecting Your Data and Accounts
Adding authorizations always opens up access points that can increase certain risks if you‘re not careful.
Let‘s discuss smart precautions to take:
- Use a unique, randomized password for your Apple ID rather than something guessable
- Turn on two-factor authentication for advanced account protection
- Avoid links in sketchy emails to reduce phishing vulnerabilities
- Keep your MacBook and apps updated to the latest versions
- Only authorize trustworthy devices like your own or family members‘
- Regularly review authorizations under Account menu and remove any unfamiliar
- Enable Find My tracking in case your MacBook is ever lost or stolen
Follow these tips in conjunction with the 5 authorization steps covered earlier, and you can enjoy Apple TV with total peace of mind across all linked devices.
Speaking of linked devices, Apple makes it seamless to access entertainment across products within their ecosystem…
Apple TV Truly Shines as Part of the Broader Ecosystem
Part of what sets Apple apart is their tight integration allowing you to effortlessly transition between devices:
- Start watching a movie on iPhone on your commute home
- Resume playback right where you left off on iPad
- Continue watching on a large-screen TV via Apple TV
- Mirror the content on your MacBook as you work late
- Eventually finish the film wrapped in bed on iPhone
It‘s a shared experience that keeps you entertained across screens of any size.
And it‘s all fueled by your Apple ID serving as the backbone authorization linking everything together behind the scenes through:
- Shared app data, passwords, and settings
- Synced watch history and recommendations
- Downloaded content accessibility
- Connected messaging capabilities
- Unified payment and billing
This ecosystem effect draws many to Apple TV in the first place.
And you now hold the keys to unlocking all of its potential right from your MacBook.
So grab the remote, make some popcorn, stream your favorite flick, and enjoy! Just don‘t blame me if you stay glued to the screen for 5+ hours.
I hope you found this guide helpful for fully authorizing your MacBook access to Apple TV in just 5 quick steps.
Now experience everything this impressive service has to offer across all linked devices for the ultimate viewing experience!
Let me know if you have any other questions. And happy streaming!
