Before you begin
Live control needs AV Companion on iPhone or iPad, an authorized device, a running AV Companion helper on a Mac in each configured home, and compatible equipment configured for each room. Keep the helper Mac on and connected to the home network. The built-in Review Demo can be explored without home equipment.
1. Connect your iPhone or iPad
Join the home Wi-Fi. In AV Companion, open Settings → Homes & Rooms and choose Connect with the Mac’s QR code. On the home Mac, double-click Connect an iPhone and scan the displayed code. The one-time code expires after ten minutes. Camera permission is needed only to scan it.
2. Allow local network access
On iPhone or iPad, open Settings → Privacy & Security → Local Network and enable AV Companion. On the helper Mac, check System Settings → Privacy & Security → Local Network and allow AV Companion Helper. These are separate permissions; the Mac also needs access to reach your equipment.
3. Choose the home and room
Open the configured home and select the room you want to use. Confirm that the room shown is the one you intend to control. Each room keeps its own devices and activity state; activity choices depend on that room’s setup.
4. Start an activity
Choose Watch Apple TV, Watch DIRECTV, Listen to Sonos or another configured activity. Let the room finish starting before sending more commands. If a command is still finishing, wait for that room; other rooms can operate independently.
5. Use the controls for the activity
For Apple TV, use the touch surface for navigation, playback controls and text entry when tvOS requests it. Sonos shows available Now Playing information, playback and room volume. DIRECTV provides configured navigation, guide, recordings and channel entry. Lighting controls depend on the room configuration.
6. Finish with Room Off
Choose Room Off when you are done and wait for its result. The app coordinates the configured shutdown sequence. Some rooms deliberately keep a DIRECTV Mini awake. If the Mac takes too long, check the refreshed room state before repeating an action.
Share household access
The owner opens Share with family and sends an invitation through Apple’s sharing interface. The invited person accepts with the intended Apple Account and opens AV Companion. Family members can operate shared rooms; owner equipment configuration stays with the owner.
If something does not respond
Open the room’s Diagnostics and run the connection check. If the helper Mac cannot reach the home network, check its connection and Mac Local Network permission first. If only one device is unavailable, follow that device’s guidance. For a sleeping Genie Mini, use its original remote to wake it, then retry the activity.
Contact support with useful details
Include the app version and build, the activity you selected, when the problem occurred and what happened. If support asks for diagnostics, open Settings → Diagnostics → Troubleshooting log, choose Prepare diagnostics, review the file, then export it.