Apple TV is a great media player. You can enjoy a host of TV shows and movies on it. But it lacks a web browser– there’s no Safari or Chrome, and the chances of a built-in browser being added are pretty slim. However, it’s still possible to browse your favorite websites using a browser on Apple TV. Here, we list the best web browsers for Apple TV you can install from App Store and otherwise.
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Browsing the Web on Your Apple TV
As an Apple TV user, having a web browser can allow you to browse a website or read an article on the big screen. You do not have to constantly pick up your phone to look up things on the web.
It can even come in handy at business presentations. But since Apple TV does not come with a browser, you’ll have to rely on third-party browser apps and workarounds.
Best Web Browsers for Apple TV On App Store
1. AirBrowser- AirPlay Browser
AirBrowser is one of the best third-party browsers for Apple TV. It uses your iPhone or iPad to mirror the browser on the Apple TV. And then you can control everything with your iPhone.
It comes with various touch and gesture controls. You can easily bookmark sites and navigate through them. Plus, its multi-tab function allows you to switch between tabs easily. The browser fits perfectly according to your TV’s display.
The app costs 5$, and it has some issues with video playback on sites where flash is required. You might also face issues when filling out forms using the app.
Key Features:
- Simple setup process
- Switch between desktop view and mobile view
- Easily switch between multiple tabs
Download | AirBrowser- AirPlay Browser
2. Web for Apple TV- Web Browser
Web for Apple TV is another browser alternative for Apple TV. The app allows you to surf the web easily using your iPhone or iPad as remote controls. You can quickly scroll through web pages or zoom into them using the intuitive gestures that the app provides.
The app will take complete advantage of your TV display without leaving any content. And hence, you can enjoy a clear and crisp browsing experience on your TV.
The app costs 2$. It does have a few bugs and glitches and is only recommended for basic web surfing tasks.
Key Features:
- Use your iPhone or iPad display as remote controls
- Great gesture control functionalities
- Enhances the content and pixels according to screen resolution
Download | Web for Apple TV
3. Air Web- Web Browser for Apple TV
Air Web is a decent browser app for Apple TV. It is a good option for basic web surfing needs. This is the first third-party browser alternative for Apple TV.
It supports a wide list of devices and a very easy-to-use interface. Moreover, you can control the content with your iOS devices using their touchscreen.
The app costs 2$. It does have issues with intensive tasks like filling out forms. Also, some sites may cause issues loading or may even crash.
Key Features:
- Supports a wide range of devices
- Simple and easy-to-use controls
- It fits according to your TVs display
Download | Air Web for Apple TV
4. Sideload tvOS Browser on Apple TV
An alternate method to browse the web on your Apple TV is to sideload the tvOS browser. This is a free alternative besides AirPlay which you can do for basic web browsing. To sideload this app, you will have to build it with Xcode.
However, you need to clear the cache now and then to prevent it from slowing down. Also, you’ll have to reinstall it after every update. The developer has stopped providing new updates, so it is unlikely its issues will ever get fixed.
Key Features
- Allows basic web surfing and browsing
- Navigate easily with the Apple TV Siri remote
- Free to install and use
- MacBook or iMac
- USB Type-C to Type-C cable
- Apple TV
- Apple Developer account (You can create one for free)
- Xcode
Steps to Sideload tvOS Browser on Apple TV
Step 1: Download the Xcode application on your Macbook or iMac. Do note it weighs about 5GB.
Step 2: Connect your Apple TV to your MacBook with a USB Type C cable. For Apple TV 4K, you can connect it to Mac wirelessly.
Step 3: Go to this Github link and look for a green button that says, ‘Clone or Download.’ Tap it.
Step 4: A small pop-up window will open with a link. Copy the link.’
Step 5: Open Xcode. On the menu bar, click Source control > Clone.
Step 6: Paste the link you copied and click on Clone.
Step 7: Choose a location and a name for your file. Click on Clone once again in the drop-down menu.
Step 8: Go to Finder, which will show you your cloned files. Click on the Projects folder and double-click on Browser.xcodeproj, and it will open the project in Xcode.
Step 9: Click on the Play button at the top left. This is the Build Switch,and it will start building the project. You will then see a pop-up that says Build Failed. It’s because tvOS does not have UIWebView.
Step 10: Open Finder and go tothe Applicationstab. You will findXcode at the end of the list. Right-click on it and chooseShow Package Content.
Step 11: From here, go toContents > Developer > Platforms > AppleTVOS.platform > Developer > SDKs > AppleTVOS.sdk > usr > include > Availibility.h.
Step 12: Open Availability.h and scroll down to line 318. Here you will find the following lines of code:
#define__TVOS_UNAVAILABLE __OS_AVAILABILITY(tvos,unavailable)
#define__TVOS_PROHIBITED __OS_AVAILABILITY(tvos,unavailable)
Replace this code with the one below:
#define __TVOS_UNAVAILABLE_NOTQUITE __OS_AVAILABILITY(tvos,unavailable)
#define __TVOS_PROHIBITED_NOTQUITE __OS_AVAILABILITY(tvos,unavailable)
Step 11: Once replaced. Save the Availability.h file and go back to the Xcode project page. Now again, click the Play button, and it should build properly.
You will now see the web browser on your Apple TV main screen. You can now use it to browse the internet on your Apple TV. However, note that videos may not play in the browser.
If you face any issues or have trouble following the guide, then you can refer to the video by Smart DNS Proxy below.
Steps to Use tvOS Browser
When in the tvOS browser, you can double press the center of the touch area of the Apple TV Remote to switch between cursor and scroll mode. In cursor mode, you can use the touch area to click.
Furthermore, you can single tap the Play/Pause button to show the Quick Menu with options to search on Google, enter URLs, reload the page, or navigate back.
On the other hand, a double-tap would show the Advanced menu with options to clear cache or cookies, show bookmarks, or change the user agent.
5. Use Safari Browser on Apple TV with Airplay
Key Features
- Seamless experience
- Fast and fluid method
- Free to use
Airplay is an in-built feature of iOS and Mac devices. It allows you to mirror or cast the content of your screen to other Apple devices. You can use the same to mirror Safari on your Apple TV to browse the web on a large screen.
Connect your iPhone/ iPad or Mac device and Apple TV to the same Wifi network. Open Control Center > Screen Mirroring > select Apple TV from available devices and follow on-screen instructions. Once the screen connects, open Safari and browse the web without paying a dime.
But you may as well be looking at your phone as it will just cast your screen to the TV. Also, if you are using iPhone to browse the web, the sites will open in mobile format and may not fit properly on your TV screen.
6. Airplay Chrome on Apple TV
Key Features
- Use your favorite Google services and extensions.
- Allows access to stored passwords and bookmarks.
- Easy setup with Airplay.
Airplay allows you to use any other browser installed on your iPhone. iPad and Mac, and this includes Chrome. The experience of using Chrome enhances if you already use it as the preferred browser on other devices, making it easy to access bookmarks, passwords, and extensions.
To Airplay Chrome on your Apple TV, follow the steps mentioned in the Safari method.
Wrapping Up – Web Browsers on Apple TV
We can only wish that Apple adds a native browser to Apple TV devices. Till then, we hope you enjoyed our list of the best web browsers for Apple TV. While these alternatives suffice for basic web surfing needs on the big screen, we recommend doing your research before buying any paid software.
Related:
- 6 Best Browsers for Mac in 2022 (Tested on Intel and M2 Chip)
- 8 Best Browsers for Android TV with Pros and Cons (Free, 2022)
- 8 Best Browsers for Slow and Low-End PC in 2022
