How to Get Crunchyroll on Apple TV

Anime fans rejoice: there are more ways to indulge your anime binge than ever before, and now that Crunchyroll and Funimation have merged, the largest conglomeration of Japanese anime in the world is now on a single streaming platform. If you own an Apple TV, you have one of the best platforms for streaming Crunchyroll.

Every generation of Apple TV should be able to download and stream Crunchyroll, despite some blogs and “informative” websites vaguely insinuating that you can’t. Apple regularly updates all Apple TV generations that it has produced, so access to streaming apps is the same across the board.

Download the Crunchyroll App for Apple TV

One thing that Apple does really well is stick to what works across all of its platforms. This means that you will get a familiar feeling when you’re on the App Store on your Apple TV because the experience is similar to browsing the App Store on an iPhone or an iPad.

To find and download Crunchyroll on your Apple TV device, just fire up your TV and sign in to your Apple TV account. Of course, if you’ve had your Apple TV for a while and frequently use it, you probably don’t have to sign in, but you get the point.

1. Ignore the Top Charts and Featured categories and select the Search Bar instead.
2. Search for Crunchyroll (it will probably pop up on the screen as you’re typing).
3. Select Crunchyroll.
4. Select Get.
5. Crunchyroll will download and install from here.
6. When the download and install are complete, select Crunchyroll.
7. Log in or create your account.

Once it’s finished downloading, Crucnhroll will take its place amongst your other apps. In true Apple fashion, popular or featured programs on Crunchyroll will be integrated into the home screen along with all of your other downloaded streaming apps.

It’s not much different from downloading Crunchyroll on other platforms, such as Roku or Fire TV. You simply visit the App Store, locate your streaming platform/channel, and download it.

Stream Crunchyroll Via AirPlay

AirPlay is a feature in iOS devices that takes advantage of the portable streaming capabilities of your iPhone or iPad. It’s a nice feature because of how convenient it is. If you’re streaming your favorite show on your iPhone, you can jump to Airplay on your Apple TV and continue streaming almost seamlessly.

On your iPhone or iOS, download and install the Crunchyroll App from the App Store. AirPlay works with almost any streaming app, so you don’t have to worry about compatibility issues or one app streaming on AirPlay while another won’t.

1. Download, install, and/or create a Crunchyroll account.
2. When you open the app or go to the home screen, choose a show to stream.
3. On the top, left-hand corner of the screen, tap the AirPlay icon.
4. You’ll see a “loading/location” screen as your iPhone/iPad searches for your Apple TV.
5. Once your Apple TV pops up, select it.
6. The rest is automatic, and the Crunchyroll program will switch from your device to your Apple TV.

If you are unfamiliar with the AirPlay icon, you will find it on the top, left-hand corner any time you watch a video. It resembles a WiFi signal in the corner of a rectangle, which represents a TV or display device.

If the icon disappears and all you can see is the show you are watching, it will show again when you tap the screen.

Troubleshooting: Crunchyroll Not Working on Apple TV or AirPlay

This will be a more frequent issue with the AirPlay option since it involves a second device rather than just one. Sometimes AirPlay can be a bit finicky, especially if there are a lot of WiFi devices in the house running interference.

• If you experience issues with AirPlay, perform a soft reset on your iPhone or iPad device by holding down the Power button and the Volume Down button at the same time. The option to restart your device will pop up after a few seconds.
• As for the app not playing on your Apple TV, 99% of the time, you can fix the issue by turning off your Apple TV and turning it back on again. The issue shows up most often right after you first download the streaming app.

Worst case scenario, you’ll have to uninstall the Crunchyroll app and reinstall it to correct the problem.

Final Thoughts

Apple TV offers two options for streaming programs, specifically Crunchyroll, on its device: You can download it through Apple’s App Store or take advantage of AirPlay with your iPhone and Apple TV.

The best part is, there’s no hidden formula for getting Crunchyroll on your Apple TV, as the app is readily available for all Apple and iOS devices.