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The Daily Insight

How can I hook up my Apple TV to my AV system?

Author

Matthew Barrera

Published May 08, 2026

How can I hook up my Apple TV to my AV system?

The lone output provided on the Apple TV 4K is HDMI, and there are two ways to make that hookup to your audio system. The first would be to use an HDMI cable to connect the Apple TV to an input on your AV receiver, and then run a second cable from the receiver’s HDMI output to an HDMI input on…

Is there an optical audio port for Apple TV?

The fourth-generation Apple TV comes with many new features, but it’s lost a few, too—namely, an optical audio port. If you relied on the optical audio port to hook up your AV system, here are a few solutions you may want to consider. If your TV offers an optical audio port, consider hooking up your sound system to it, rather than your Apple TV.

How can I adjust the audio on my Apple TV?

You can adjust other audio or video settings, such as Sound Effects and Music, Navigation Clicks, Audio Format, HDMI Output, and Resolution. Open Settings on Apple TV. Go to Video and Audio. Change any of the following: Video output format: Select Format, then choose the resolution, frame rate, and dynamic range settings for video playback.

What are the settings for video on Apple TV?

Open Settings on Apple TV. Go to Video and Audio. Video output format: Select Format, then choose the resolution, frame rate, and dynamic range settings for video playback. Audio format: By default, Apple TV uses the best audio format available. You can change the audio format if you’re experiencing problems with playback.

The fourth-generation Apple TV comes with many new features, but it’s lost a few, too—namely, an optical audio port. If you relied on the optical audio port to hook up your AV system, here are a few solutions you may want to consider. If your TV offers an optical audio port, consider hooking up your sound system to it, rather than your Apple TV.

What kind of audio extractor do I need for Apple TV?

Luckily, you can get around that with an HDMI-to-Toslink (optical audio) extractor. If you already have an audio setup in your home that includes an A/V receiver with optical audio support, you should, of course, use that.

What are the settings for audio on Apple TV?

Open Settings on Apple TV. Go to Video and Audio. Default audio output: You can choose to play all audio through your TV speakers or your HomePod speakers in the same room. See Use Apple TV to play audio throughout your home. Audio format: By default, Apple TV uses the best audio format available.

How to route your Airport Express audio to your new Apple TV?

How to route your Airport Express audio to your new Apple TV Hook up your Airport Express to power, and connect the optical audio cable to it (via 3.5mm adapter), and to your sound system. Turn on your fourth-generation Apple TV and go to Settings > Audio and Video > Audio Output. Any AirPlay compatible speaker is listed here.