Apple TV Your Computer Is Not Authorized | Fix Fast

You hit Play, the video starts to load, then Apple TV throws the same warning again. It’s frustrating, and it can feel random. Most of the time, it’s a simple authorization mismatch: the message ‘apple tv your computer is not authorized’ is triggered by that mismatch: the app is signed in, but the computer itself hasn’t been authorized for purchases, or it’s already counted under an older authorization.

This guide walks you through the fixes that clear the error on both Windows and Mac. Start with the quick checks, then move into the deeper resets only if you still see the message.

Apple TV Your Computer Is Not Authorized

Try this short sequence first. It solves the issue for many people and takes only a few minutes.

1. Confirm the signed-in Apple Account — Open the Apple TV app, open your account screen, and make sure it’s the Apple Account that owns the movie or show.
2. Authorize the machine — In the Apple TV app (or Apple Music app), run the authorize option for that computer, then try playback again.
3. Sign out and sign back in — Log out of the Apple TV app, close it fully, reopen it, then sign in again.
4. Restart the computer — A full reboot clears stuck sign-in tokens and DRM handshakes.
5. Try a different title — Pick another purchased item. If only one title fails, the download or license cache might be the real issue.

Why This Message Pops Up

Apple treats “signing in” and “authorizing a computer” as two separate checks. You can be signed in and still be blocked from playing purchased content until the computer is authorized.

There are also hard limits and account rules that can trip you up. Apple allows up to five authorized computers on an Apple Account at a time. Each authorization counts, even if you authorize the same computer again. If you’ve replaced a PC, reinstalled Windows, or wiped a Mac over the years, old authorizations can pile up until you hit the limit.

Another common cause is ownership mismatch. Purchases are tied to the Apple Account that bought them. If the item was bought under a different Apple Account, or shared through Family Sharing, the app can show the title while playback still fails.

Authorized Computers Vs Linked Devices

There are two separate limits that people mix up. “Authorized computers” is the five-computer cap used for playback of purchased media on Macs and PCs. “Linked devices” is a broader list tied to purchases and downloads across Apple services, and it can include phones, tablets, and streaming boxes.

If you’re near either limit, cleanup can clear this error without reinstalling anything. Linked-device changes can also take time: when a device was linked to another Apple Account in the past, Apple can block switching it to a new account for as long as 90 days.

• Check computer authorizations — Look at the “Computer Authorizations” count in your account settings before you start removing apps.
• Review linked devices — Open the linked-device list in your account settings and remove devices you no longer use for purchases.
• Sign out on the old device — If a device won’t remove, sign out of the Apple Account on that device, then try removing it again.
• Wait out the lock — If you see a day-count message, the only fix is time; plan the authorization change after that window ends.

Fix Apple TV Computer Not Authorized Error On Mac And Windows

Use the authorization command inside the Apple TV app or Apple Music app. Once a computer is authorized in one Apple app, that authorization can apply across other Apple apps on the same machine.

Authorize on Mac

1. Open Apple TV or Apple Music — Use the app that’s installed on your Mac, then make sure you’re signed in.
2. Open the Account menu — In the macOS menu bar, open Account.
3. Choose Authorizations — Select the authorize option for this computer.
4. Enter your Apple Account password — Finish the prompt, then try the same title again.

Authorize on Windows

1. Open the Apple TV app — If you use Apple Music on the same PC, you can run authorization there too.
2. Open your account panel — Click your name near the bottom of the sidebar and sign in if asked.
3. Pick Authorize Machine — Complete the sign-in prompt, then retry playback.

Check how many computers are authorized

If you keep seeing the same prompt after authorizing, look at the authorization count. On Mac, open Account Settings inside Apple TV or Apple Music and check “Computer Authorizations.” On Windows, open your account screen, then “View My Account,” and check the same field.

Deauthorize all when you no longer have the old computer

If you hit the five-computer limit and you can’t access an older machine to deauthorize it, Apple offers a “Deauthorize All” option in your account settings. After that, you re-authorize only the computers you still use. Apple limits this full reset to once per year, so use it only when you need it.

Check The Purchase Apple Account

When the Apple TV app shows a title in your library, it doesn’t always mean the current Apple Account owns the license. That’s why this step matters when only certain purchases fail.

1. Confirm who bought it — If the title was bought under another Apple Account in your household, sign in with that account on the computer.
2. Re-download the title — Remove the local download in the app, then download it again after you’re signed in with the correct Apple Account.
3. Verify Family Sharing access — If you rely on Family Sharing, confirm the purchase is shared and that the computer is signed in to the correct Apple Account for media purchases.

If you still use iTunes on Windows for older purchases, you can also check ownership inside the file info for a purchased song or video. The details show which Apple Account bought it, and that’s the account you must authorize for that content.

Reset Local Authorization Data On Windows

On some Windows systems, authorization breaks because local permission settings or Apple’s authorization folder gets corrupted. These steps are more invasive than signing out, so do them only after the earlier fixes.

Reset Windows permission prompts, then try again

1. Close iTunes and Apple apps — Quit Apple TV, Apple Music, and iTunes if it’s installed.
2. Open User Account Control settings — Search for the User Account Control Settings panel in Windows.
3. Lower the slider temporarily — Set it to the lowest level, restart the PC, then try authorizing again.
4. Turn the slider back on — Restore your prior setting after the test and restart once more.

Remove the SC Info folder so iTunes can rebuild it

This fix targets iTunes-based authorization on Windows. It removes the local folder that stores authorization data, then lets iTunes recreate it cleanly.

1. Quit iTunes — Make sure the app is fully closed.
2. Open the ProgramData location — Use the Windows search field and open %ProgramData%.
3. Show hidden items — Turn on hidden items in the Windows file browser so the folders are visible.
4. Delete the SC Info folder — Open Apple Computer, then iTunes, then delete SC Info.
5. Restart and authorize again — Reboot, open iTunes, then authorize the computer.

Fixes That Often Get Missed

When authorization looks correct but playback still fails, the cause is often outside the authorization menu. These checks cover the usual “everything looks fine” cases.

1. Set date and time automatically — Wrong time or time zone can break license checks and sign-in tokens.
2. Turn off VPN and filtering apps — Some network tools block Apple’s license servers or rewrite traffic in a way the apps don’t accept.
3. Update the Apple TV app — Install pending updates for Apple TV and Apple Music, then restart the computer.
4. Update Windows or macOS — System updates include media components that DRM relies on.
5. Remove and re-add linked devices — In your Apple Account settings, manage linked devices and remove devices you no longer use.
6. Check subscription status — If the title is part of a channel or subscription, confirm the subscription is active under the Apple Account you’re using.

When You Still See The Error After All Steps

If you’ve authorized the computer, confirmed the purchasing Apple Account, and reset Windows authorization data, yet the message still shows up, narrow it down with a clean test. The goal is to learn whether the problem is the content, the account, or the computer.

1. Test a brand-new download — Pick a short purchase, remove the download, then download again and test right away.
2. Try the same Apple Account on a second computer — If it plays elsewhere, the issue is local to the first machine.
3. Create a fresh Windows user profile — A corrupt profile can block Apple’s folders and tokens.
4. Reinstall the Apple TV app — Uninstall the app, restart, then install again and sign in.
5. Check the annual deauthorize-all limit — If you used “Deauthorize All” recently, you may need to deauthorize a single computer instead.

On Windows, also check that the Microsoft Store and Apple TV app can reach the internet with no proxy. Open the Store, sign in, then open Apple TV again. Low disk space can break downloads, so leave a few GB free on the local drive.

If nothing changes after these tests, reach out to Apple through its help channels with the exact wording of the error and the steps you already tried. Ask them to check your computer authorization count and the purchase record for the title.

Once you’re back in, do one small habit that prevents the same headache later: if you ever see ‘apple tv your computer is not authorized’ again, start with authorization before you reinstall anything. Before you sell, recycle, or wipe a PC or Mac, deauthorize it first. Before you wipe it. That keeps your five-computer slots clean and avoids the same loop on your next device.

Send us your feedbackTell us what you thought about this post

Name * Email *

Your comment *

Quick check — what is …? *

Send feedback