pyatv
A client library for Apple TV and AirPlay devices
Decision gist · record as of 2026-08-14
Yes. Active maintenance, low install friction, no security vulnerabilities, and permissive MIT license make it a solid choice for Apple TV and AirPlay automation. The 13 dependencies are all stable and widely-used. Install if you need to control or stream to Apple devices; the CLI tool alone is useful for discovery and one-off commands.AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying
Before you install
- Requires Python 3.9 or later.
- Device discovery and pairing require network access to the same subnet as Apple TV or AirPlay devices.
- Low install friction with a pure-Python wheel.
License · maintenance · safety
MIT (permissive) — MIT license permits unrestricted use, modification, and distribution in both open-source and commercial projects with minimal obligations.
last release 2026-06-19 (56 days) · last repo commit 2026-08-14 · 1,159 stars
0 known vulnerabilities (OSV.dev, 2026-08-14) · 147,669 downloads/mo, #11,054 on PyPI
Alternatives
Verify before relying
pip install pyatv
atvremote wizard
# or programmatically:
import asyncio
import pyatv
async def main():
atv = await pyatv.connect('10.0.10.254')
await atv.remote_control.play()
asyncio.run(main())- Exact scope of tvOS 15+ support and any known compatibility gaps with newer tvOS versions.
- Performance characteristics when controlling multiple devices concurrently.
- Whether all AirPlay receiver types (HomePod, AirPort Express, third-party speakers) have feature parity.
What it is and what it does
pyatv is an asyncio-based client library for interacting with Apple TV devices (all generations including tvOS 15+) and AirPlay-compatible receivers like HomePods and AirPort Express. It exposes a Python API for remote control, metadata retrieval with push updates, audio streaming, app management, account switching, and device configuration. The library ships with a command-line tool (`atvremote`) for discovery, pairing, and one-off commands, and supports persistent credential storage.
The package targets developers building home automation, media control, or device management applications. It handles the complexity of Apple's proprietary protocols (MRP, DMAP, DACP, RAOP) internally, exposing a clean async interface. With 13 runtime dependencies including aiohttp, cryptography, and zeroconf, it trades some dependency weight for protocol robustness and network discovery. Active maintenance and no known vulnerabilities make it suitable for production use.
Use it for
- Build a home automation dashboard that discovers and controls multiple Apple TVs and AirPlay speakers on the local network.
- Stream audio files to HomePods or AirPort Express speakers programmatically from a Python application.
- Create a remote control app that mirrors Apple TV playback state and allows pause/play/skip operations.
- Automate app launching and account switching on Apple TVs for testing or multi-user household scenarios.
- Monitor and log currently-playing metadata (title, artist, position) from Apple TV devices in real time.
Worth the install?
AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page. Verify before relying on it.
Yes.
Active maintenance, low install friction, no security vulnerabilities, and permissive MIT license make it a solid choice for Apple TV and AirPlay automation. The 13 dependencies are all stable and widely-used. Install if you need to control or stream to Apple devices; the CLI tool alone is useful for discovery and one-off commands.
Install
pyatv on PyPI
Before you install
Low install friction with a pure-Python wheel. Active maintenance with a recent release (56 days ago) and ongoing commits. Depends on 13 runtime packages including aiohttp, cryptography, and zeroconf—all stable, widely-used libraries with no known friction.
Requires Python 3.9 or later. Device discovery and pairing require network access to the same subnet as Apple TV or AirPlay devices.
License in practice
MIT license permits unrestricted use, modification, and distribution in both open-source and commercial projects with minimal obligations.
Quickstart
pip install pyatv
atvremote wizard
# or programmatically:
import asyncio
import pyatv
async def main():
atv = await pyatv.connect('10.0.10.254')
await atv.remote_control.play()
asyncio.run(main())Verify before relying
- Exact scope of tvOS 15+ support and any known compatibility gaps with newer tvOS versions.
- Performance characteristics when controlling multiple devices concurrently.
- Whether all AirPlay receiver types (HomePod, AirPort Express, third-party speakers) have feature parity.
Package facts
| License | MIT permissive |
| Python support | Supports the current Python release >=3.9.0 |
| Install friction | Low. Pure-Python wheel |
| Runtime dependencies | 13 packagesaiohttpasync-timeoutcryptographychacha20poly1305-reuseableifaddrminiaudioprotobufpydanticrequestssrptoolstabulatetinytagzeroconf |
| Maintenance | Actively maintained 56 days since the last release |
| Last repo commit | |
| First released | |
| Downloads | 147,669 / month, #11,054 on PyPI 30-day window, as of 2026-08-14 |
| Known vulnerabilities | None known OSV.dev, checked 2026-08-14 |
| Classifiers | Development Status :: 4 - BetaIntended Audience :: DevelopersOperating System :: OS IndependentProgramming Language :: Python :: 3.10Programming Language :: Python :: 3.11Programming Language :: Python :: 3.12Programming Language :: Python :: 3.13Programming Language :: Python :: 3.14Programming Language :: Python :: 3.9Topic :: Home AutomationTopic :: Software Development :: LibrariesTyping :: Typed |
Evidence: pyatv-0.18.0-py3-none-any.whl
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