As global spending on digital video entertainment soars past $120 billion annually, Apple has emerged as a dominant player. Through a compelling lineup of studio-partnered content, their iTunes media platform now reaches over 100 million TV show and movie buyers worldwide.
But actually accessing Apple‘s vast on-demand catalog can sometimes be confusing across devices. While Apple TV hardware and mobile apps focus on the Apple TV+ streaming service, computer authorization via iTunes unlocks a goldmine of a la carte purchases and rentals.
Follow this comprehensive, step-by-step guide to enjoying Apple TV on your desktop or laptop. Soon, you‘ll have thousands of hours of on-demand shows, movies, and more at your fingertips!
Why Computer Authorization for Apple TV?
Before jumping into the setup process, let‘s examine why granting Apple TV permission on a laptop or desktop provides unique advantages:
Larger Screen Real Estate – Movies and shows truly come alive on a big display! Even compact laptops outsize iPhone or iPad mini screens. Make the most of crisp details in the latest 4K and HDR releases.
Enhanced Audio Equipment – Built-in speakers and headphone jacks offer a major audio upgrade over mobile devices, especially models with Dolby Atmos surround sound support.
Multitasking Capabilities – Keep a web browser, messaging app, or iTunes itself open side-by-side to stay connected while enjoying Apple TV. Difficult on smaller handheld gadgets.
Faster Downloads & Streaming – Both Wi-Fi and wired internet connections are generally faster and more stable on PCs, facilitating quick access to purchased content.
With the stage set on why linking a trusted computer beats mobile for Apple TV, let‘s examine how to grant that authorization access.
Step 1: Download iTunes
iTunes serves as the gateway app to explore, purchase, and manage Apple TV content on a Windows PC or Mac computer.
If you already have the iTunes app – Launch it now and proceed to Step 2.
If iTunes is NOT installed – Visit apple.com/itunes and click the "Get It From Microsoft" button to initiate your free platform-specific download.
The file size is under 100 MB, with installation completing in under 5 minutes on most modern machines.
Recommended Computer Specs
While iTunes itself has modest requirements, streaming and viewing high-quality video places greater demand on processor and graphics capability.
For the best Apple TV performance, choose a computer with:
- Intel Core i5 CPU or equivalent
- Discrete graphics card (NVIDIA GTX / AMD Radeon)
- 1920 x 1080 display resolution or higher
- 8GB+ RAM
- Windows 10 or later / macOS 10.13 High Sierra or later
- Solid state drive (SSD)
Meeting these specs ensures smooth 1080p video playback and optimal 4K HDR streaming if your display supports it.
Step 2: Sign In to iTunes
Launch iTunes from your Start Menu or Applications folder. If this is your first time opening it, expect to see a largely blank screen:
Next, click Account > Sign In and provide:
- Apple ID: The email associated with your Apple account
- Password: Your current login password
Signing in with an Apple ID connects your personalized account details, payment information, and more within iTunes.
Step 3: Authorize Computer
With iTunes now linked to your Apple account, it‘s time to approve this specific computer for Apple TV usage.
Go to Account > Authorizations > Authorize This Computer. A dialog will prompt you to re-enter your Apple ID password to confirm.
The authorization process associates this particular machine with permissions to access purchases and downloads from your iTunes library. Apple allows up to 5 active computers to be authorized per account.
Tip: To de-authorize a retired PC or if you exceed 5 devices, visit Account > Deauthorize All to reset permissions.
Step 4: Explore Apple TV Content
authorization complete, iTunes transforms into a dynamic portal for building a rich digital media collection!
Discover and download movies, TV shows, music, audiobooks, apps and more both old and new. Shop by specific genre, search for your favorites, or simply browse Editor recommendations.
For television and film, key sections to explore include:
- New Releases – Touting the hottest recently launched titles across platforms
- Top Movies – All-time most popular films now available digitally
- TV Spotlight – Hand-picked binge-worthy series airing now
- $4.99 HD Movie Deals – Cinematic favorites offered at reduced prices
Premium Movie & TV Purchases
Today‘s major theater and streaming releases land on iTunes right alongside their physical and channel debuts. For big exclusive premieres, Apple partners directly with studios on distribution.
Access to new premium video starts from $5.99 for single TV episodes, $12.99 for movie purchases. Recent examples include:
Apple also enables online browsing and playback of purchased DVD collections you‘ve upgraded into digital by scanning the disc. This allows enjoying owned movies across devices without physically swapping discs.
Budget Movie & TV Rentals
Alongside buys, renting offers a flexible way to watch content with savings of 40-75% off buying. Rentals grant full on-demand access with the following limitations:
- 48 hours to start watching after initiating rental stream
- 30 days to finish watching after first hitting play
For new release rentals, $5.99 represents baseline standard definition quality, with $6.99 fetching high-def streaming where available.
Step 5: Download Content & Watch
Rent or purchase a title following on-screen prompts and desired video quality tier. Transaction requires store payment authorization through authenticated Apple ID.
Purchased media downloads to computer for ownership:
Rented media streams on-demand during fixed access period:
Locate downloaded videos under the Library > Movies/TV Shows tabs. Identify rentals inside the Library > Rentals area, including viewing status and remaining access countdowns.
Double click any title then click Play to start watching! Owned purchases have unlimited repeat viewing, while rentals adhere to the initial 48-hour/30-day policy from first stream.
Through this simple computer authorization process, an entire universe of on-demand entertainment awaits courtesy of iTunes and Apple TV!
But authorization represents only half the journey – now the real fun starts discovering new favorites to purchase and building an always accessible video collection.
- Download & install iTunes
- Sign into your Apple ID account
- Authorize computer for access permissions
- Explore and acquire movies, TV & more
- Download then play purchases instantly
Keep reading for additional tips plus troubleshooting assistance if you encounter hiccups.
Maximizing Family Access
Depending on your household needs like kids entertainment or shared login preferences across adults, Apple offers helpful tools for family management.
Creating Child Accounts
Parents can generate dedicated iTunes accounts for children complete with age-appropriate App Store parental controls:
Purchase and download permissions remain managed, while still allowing video access when explicitly gifted or granted by guardians.
Apple Family Sharing
Family Sharing allows up to 6 people to share App Store buys, subscriptions, and iCloud storage while retaining personal accounts.
One administrator oversees and approves purchase requests from other members. Shared content downloads directly into the requester‘s library.
Activation starts here:
via Family Sharing, video purchases authorize across a household through iTunes – extremely convenient!
Troubleshooting Guide
Facing an issue getting iTunes authorization or Apple TV access working properly? Review these common trouble areas:
Can‘t Sign Into iTunes? Double check Apple ID and password accuracy. Reset a forgotten password at iforgot.apple.com. Also confirm internet connectivity on the computer itself.
Authorization Error Appears? De-authorize all devices under Account menu, then retry authorization on problem machine. Sign out then back into iTunes beforehand as well.
Missing Movies/TV in Library? Ensure content finished downloading, and refresh library view. Toggle between Movies and TV Show sections. If a rented title expired, re-rent that video to access again.
Playback Issues? Update computer OS and iTunes app fully. Download video again, don‘t stream. Lower playback quality if on borderline hardware. Internet speeds under 5 Mbps can also disrupt streaming.
Still facing difficulties? Contact Apple Support online for personalized troubleshooting.
Closing Thoughts
I hope this guide served as a valuable resource preparing your desktop or laptop for Apple TV!
Authorization gives you flexible access to new release digital content spanning major Hollywood studios, indie producers, international platforms and more. As Apple continues investing heavily in entertainment services and distribution, iTunes provides the ultimate window into experiencing everything they offer.
If you have any other questions about getting setup or troubleshooting authorization issues, don‘t hesitate to ask!
