# Why Does My Apple TV Keep Turning Itself On?



## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

I have an 160 GB Apple TV I bought in December and it works great except for one thing.

When I am done using it, I turn it off by selecting the "standby" mode, but it turns itself back on, sometimes in a day, or three days, or a week, but it always eventually turns itself back on.

When it does, it gets very hot, so I check each morning when I get up to see that it is still off. Even when off, it is quite warm.

I then have to turn on the TV and select the input source to turn it back off, a real pain. (It always reverts to the "My movies" setting when it comes back on.)

So, what is turning it on and should I be worried that it staying on, generating so much heat is not good for the unit?


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## Bjornbro (Feb 19, 2000)

SINC said:


> So, what is turning it on and should I be worried that it staying on, generating so much heat is not good for the unit?


Before the Take 2 upgrade the "Stand By" function was almost an Easter Egg. There was no documentation, but I found out from the 'net that what one needed to do is press and hold the "Menu" button for five seconds to stand by. I figured Apple intended to have AppleTVs always on. Having said that, when on they do run hot, but that's what the aluminum case is for - a giant heat sink.

As for why it turns on intermittently... I haven't checked, but it probably comes on when you launch iTunes (auto sync) on the host computer and/or to check it's Software Update.


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

I've watched it many times when I plug in my iPhone and iTunes launches, but it has never come on while the phone is syncing, nor has it ever come on when the Apple TV itself is syncing.

It comes on in the middle of the night when the host computer, my MBP is asleep. I'm glad to hear the heat is not an issue, but it sure does get hot to the touch. In spite of it all, I really enjoy my Apple TV.

Thanks for that info, I appreciate it.


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## Andrew Pratt (Feb 16, 2007)

I leave mine running 24/7...has since I got it a few years ago and no issues to date.


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## JustAMacUser (Oct 21, 2007)

I don't think "Standby" mode on the Apple TV is quite the same as it is with our computers. The unit never really powers itself down. I think it just spins the hard drive down and sends a black screen to the TV. Hardly standby. But if it makes you feel better, mine turns itself "on" all the time. My guess is the IR sensor responds to just about anything to activate the unit, or the unit it trying to phone home for updates.


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

Well, it does make me feel better to know I am not the only one and that it is apparently normal behaviour.


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## i-rui (Sep 13, 2006)

i've had a couple of apple tvs and they both turned on by themselves for no reason all the time.

use to drive me crazy. apple needs to fix this.


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## Orion (Apr 16, 2004)

As others have mentioned the AppleTV never really goes "off" or even to sleep for that matter. It's more like having the screen on a computer shut off. Somewhat annoying, really. It really needs a proper power switch (I know, I know: It's not aesthetically acceptable to Apple  .)

The only times I have found my AppleTV coming on on its own is when there is any sort of power bump. Doesn't seem to take much to either make the machine wake up or reboot.

I used to have mine using the wireless network and it would get uncomfortably warm. Since hooking it up to an ethernet cable it is still warm, but distinctly less so than before.


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## RISCHead (Jul 20, 2004)

pain in the frickin backside - I agree about the random turn on and the heat - in fact, agree more that it doesn't seem to really go off - the latest these days is the the pilot light in front goes amber instead of white and it seems to be in some arbitrary zombie mode - with the latest s/w updates, at least seems to transition out of zombie mode fairly gracefully - in the past, I've had to hard reboot the sucker.


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## Ottawaman (Jan 16, 2005)

Apple is spying on you.


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## Orion (Apr 16, 2004)

I've only ever seen the front light go amber / flash when rebooting or when something has gone wrong (usually because the thing has crashed). The light should just go off if the unit is asleep. If it's constantly crashing on you there may be more that needs fixing.


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## nick24 (Jul 11, 2006)

My AppleTV does this too - I set it on standby, then lo and behold, sometime later, it's back on again. 

What's even more annoying is that it also manages to lose the network settings, so I have to reinput them time after time. Yes, I could connect via ethernet, but that's not an option when the AppleTV is on a different floor to the source material. If anyone has any ideas on the lost network connection, I'm all ears!


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## nick24 (Jul 11, 2006)

Bumped - cos I had to set it to stand by again, last night.


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## ldphoto (Jul 9, 2009)

I plugged my AppleTV into an AC power meter, and it draws as much power in standby as when it's on. Not much point in using standby. I leave it on all the time, because I use mine as remote speakers for iTunes also.


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

Well, I guess it had to happen. Now my Apple TV 2 is also turning itself on for no reason. Two and three times a day again. WTH?


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## Lawrence (Mar 11, 2003)

I think it has something to do with the latest update,
A lot of people were also complaining about their Netflix forgetting their last viewed movies.


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##  Dumpling (May 28, 2010)

In my experience with both generations of Apple TV, they always come on after any dropped connection to my router. Anytime there is a service interruption or I manually reboot the router for any reason, my Apple TV will turn on. Really a simple fix for Apple but they have ignored this for a long time. Give us a true sleep mode.


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## Guest (Oct 4, 2011)

The ATV2 will also come on with any IR remote activity near it that it picks up, even if it's not the Apple TV (or even and Apple) remote. If it catches any IR signal it comes to life.


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