Watch videos from a Mac folder on Apple TV

Turn on File Sharing with SMB on macOS, share the folder, then open it from Samba Oelek.

Apple’s own way to send videos from a Mac to an Apple TV is Home Sharing through the TV app. It needs the files inside the TV app library, in formats the TV app accepts. If you just have a folder of MOV or MP4 files, SMB is the shorter path.

1. Share the folder

1. Open System Settings, General, Sharing.
2. Turn on File Sharing and click the info button next to it.
3. Under Shared Folders add the folder with your videos. Under Users make sure your user, or a dedicated user you create for the Apple TV, has Read Only or better.
4. Click Options and make sure Share files and folders using SMB is enabled for that user. macOS asks for the account password to enable SMB for it.

The Mac needs to be awake. In Energy or Battery settings, prevent automatic sleep while sharing, or wake the Mac before you sit down.

2. Connect from the Apple TV

1. Open Samba Oelek. Macs with File Sharing on advertise themselves via Bonjour and appear on the network screen.
2. Select the Mac, enter your macOS user name and password. The password is stored in the Apple TV keychain.
3. Open the shared folder and play.

If the Mac does not appear, add it manually by its address, for example studio.local or its IP address.

Notes

• Shares on external drives work the same way. Add the folder on the external drive under Shared Folders.
• Guest access to shared folders is off by default on macOS. Use a user account.
• ProRes exports from Final Cut Pro or iMovie play from the share. See formats.

Checked against: macOS System Settings, File Sharing, Samba Oelek README, 1.0.1. Last checked 2026-09-26.