With the release of every new mobile device, such as a smartphone or tablet, it’s now possible to describe how to take screenshots on it. This is a really popular and even useful feature because it allows you to quickly send screenshots not only to friends and colleagues but also to the operator’s technical support service and/or a service center. In fact, that is why all manufacturers of mobile electronics are always trying to simplify the process of obtaining a screenshot, so that the user doesn’t have to deal with this procedure for a long time.
However, in the so-called Apple TV, it’s still a bit more difficult to take a screenshot than in the iPhone or iPad. You can’t just do it that way. At least the usual combination of a couple of buttons on the remote control, by pressing which you can “take a screenshot” of the picture on the screen and then upload it to iCloud, has not yet been invented by Apple. Nevertheless, in Apple TV this function isn’t super-demanded, but it’s not superfluous at all.
In fact, there are at least two ways to screenshot the Apple TV screen, and one of them is much less confusing, time-consuming, and more effective than the other, which can be called traditional. So, here’s how to take screenshots on Apple TV in different ways.
How to take a screenshot of the Apple TV screen using Xcode
If you have an Apple Developer Account, you can always download Xcode, a special software package for creating applications for OS X or iOS. After having downloaded Xcode (which by the way “weighs” 4GB and takes up the whole 9.5GB), you can connect your Apple TV to your Mac or MacBook and make screenshots via Xcode. However, it might not happen right away, as it will require some additional hardware.
As you may have already noticed, the Apple TV is equipped with a USB-C port, just like the new MacBooks. So to connect one to the other, you need a USB-C cable and a TV (of any diagonal), since Xcode will not display anything with the Apple TV, and an HDMI cable (to connect the TV to the player). Also, of course, you’ll need an Apple TV power cable and remote. So, you will have to mess with the connection.
So, how to take a screenshot of the Apple TV screen using Xcode:
- First of all, install the Xcode on your Mac.
- Then, connect Apple TV to your TV.
- After that, сonnect your Mac to your Apple TV using a USB Type C cable to a USB Type A cable.
- Open Xcode on your Mac and click on the “Windows” menu.
- Click on the “Devices” tab and choose your Apple TV from the list.
- Finally, click “Take Screenshot”.
The screenshot you just took will be saved on your Mac in your desktop folder. The default resolution of your screenshot will be 1920×1080, regardless of the resolution set on your display.
How to take a screenshot of the Apple TV screen using QuickTime Player
This way also provides for connection of Apple TV to Mac via USB-C, but at least you can do it without downloading Xcode, and the TV is also not really needed. However, it’s also necessary to “explain” to the media player that it can work without a TV, the role of which in this situation will be played by Mac’s regular display. Though to do this you need a special product, called fit-Headless 4K, which is an emulator of 4K screen. You can buy such a device here, on Amazon.
So, if you want to take a screenshot of the Apple TV screen using QuickTime Player, you have to follow these steps:
- At first, connect Apple TV to your Mac and open the QuickTime Player app.
- After that, click on the “File” tab.
- Then, click “New Movie Recording” on the menu bar.
- In the panel that appears, click the small arrow next to the record button and select Apple TV.
You don’t need to record everything, of course. However, now you can use the remote to freely switch menus and take quick screenshots of Apple TV on your Mac through the QuickTime player panel. To do this, press “Command + Option + 4” on the keyboard, then press the space bar, place the cursor on the window, and press the mouse button (or trackpad).
If you plan to take screenshots of Apple TV often, it’s better to get the mentioned device and take screenshots through QuickTime Player.
