If you are an owner of an older Apple TV box, you should have gotten an email from Netflix recently stating that: “Netflix will no longer be available on Apple TV (2nd generation) and Apple TV (3rd generation) after July 31, 2024.”
Netflix further states that is being done to “maintain the best possible Netflix experience.”
This means that Netflix no longer sees a need to support older Apple TV devices that came out in 2010 and 2012.
This isn’t the first time that Netflix has ended support for a streaming device. They previously ended support for several older Roku devices as well as some older TVs (including some Samsung models).
Tech Note: Apple TV 4K boxes that came out in 2017, 2021, and 2022 are not affected currently.
Which Apple TV Box Do You Own?
Tech Note: Tap on generation header for more detailed specifications
| Apple TV Generation | Apple TV 4K 3rd Gen | Apple TV 4K 2nd Gen | Apple TV 4K 1st Gen | Apple TV HD | Apple TV 3rd Gen | Apple TV 2nd Gen |
| Model Number | A2737 | A2169 | A1842 | A1625 | A1427 or A1469 | A1378 |
| Release year | 2022 | 2021 | 2017 | 2015 | 2012 | 2010 |
| Netflix Support | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No (as of 7/31/24) | No (as of 7/31/24) |
| Color | Black | Black | Black | Black | Black | Black |
| Storage | 64GB | 32 or 64 GB | 32 or 64 GB | 32 or 64 GB | N/A | N/A |
| HDMI | Ver 2.1 | Ver 2.1 | Ver 2.0a | Ver 1.4 | Ver? | Ver? |
| Resoution | Up to 4K/60 | Up to 4K/60 | Up to 4K/60 | 720p or 1080p | 720p or 1080p | 720p |
| HDR | HDR10, 10+, Dolby Vision | HDR10, Dolby Vision | HDR10, Dolby Vision | No | No | No |
| Dolby Audio Format Compatibility | Dolby Digital 5.1 Dolby Digital Plus 7.1 Dolby Atmos | Dolby Digital 5.1 Dolby Digital Plus 7.1 Dolby Atmos | Dolby Digital 5.1 Dolby Digital Plus 7.1 Dolby Atmos | Dolby Digital 5.1 Dolby Digital Plus 7.1 | Dolby Digital 5.1 | Dolby Digital 5.1 |
| WiFi | 802.11ax Wi‑Fi 6 with MIMO Simultaneous dual-band (2.4GHz and 5GHz) | 802.11ax Wi‑Fi 6 with MIMO Simultaneous dual-band (2.4GHz and 5GHz) | 802.11ac Wi‑Fi 6 with MIMO Simultaneous dual-band (2.4GHz and 5GHz) | Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac MIMO | Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n | Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n |
| Ethernet | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth | Ver 5.0 | Ver 5.0 | Ver 5.0 | Ver 4.0 | Ver? | Ver? |
| IR Receiver | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Remote | Siri Remote (3rd generation) or Apple TV Remote (3rd generation)1 | Siri Remote (2nd generation) or Apple TV Remote (2nd generation) | Siri Remote (1st generation) or Apple TV Remote (1st generation) | Siri Remote (1st generation) or Apple TV Remote (1st generation) | Apple Remote | Apple Remote |
What You Can Do
Let’s face it, if you have a 10-year or older Apple TV box (or any other media streaming device), things have changed since you made your purchase, and although updates have been able to keep the devices working, Netflix has decided it’s no longer worth the time and resources to provide updates to the targeted devices. Also, hardware components have evolved over the years further making the devices less functional.
If you are a Netflix subscriber and own one of the affected Apple TV devices, consider buying a newer generation Apple TV, or switch to a compatible Roku, Chromecast/Google TV, or Fire TV device to retain access to Netflix.
Tip: Although this article addresses the relationship between Netflix and Apple TV, other streaming services may also discontinue support for older Apple TV devices as time goes on.
Related Reading
