Fix Apple TV Error 3906: Content Unavailable Or Failed To Play (2025)

Updated: 11/29/2025

You sit down to watch a movie, hit Play, and instead of your show starting you see a brief loading spinner followed by a message that the content is unavailable with an Apple TV error code like 3906. It feels random because other apps may work fine and sometimes even other Apple TV Plus titles still play without a problem. Error 3906 is almost always a temporary authorization or cache problem on the Apple TV itself that prevents it from maintaining a clean connection to Apple’s streaming servers.

The good news is that you usually do not need to reset your entire device or call support. By refreshing your session, clearing hidden cache layers, and forcing a clean DNS path you can usually clear Error 3906 in a few minutes, whether you are on an Apple TV 4K or an older HD model.

Table of Contents

Method 1: Refresh Your Apple ID Authorization

Error 3906 often appears when the Apple TV app thinks you are signed in but the server token used to decrypt your subscription content has quietly expired or become invalid. Refreshing your Apple ID session forces Apple’s servers to issue a new token and is often enough to restore playback immediately.

Step 1: Open Settings On Apple TV

From the Apple TV Home screen scroll to the gear icon and open Settings. Use the Siri Remote touch surface or clickpad to navigate, taking note of which user profile is currently active in the top corner.

Step 2: Sign Out Of Apple ID For TV And Media

Inside Settings go to Users and Accounts then choose your current user and select Store or Apple ID depending on your tvOS version. Choose Sign Out and confirm, then wait at least 10 to 15 seconds so the device can fully clear the old token from memory.

Step 3: Sign Back In Cleanly

Select Sign In again then choose to sign in using your iPhone if available or type your Apple ID email and password manually. Once signed in return to the Apple TV or TV Plus app and try playing the same title that showed Error 3906 to see if the new session fixed the issue.

Method 2: Clear Hidden Streaming Cache By Restarting tvOS

Even if your Apple ID session is valid the tvOS video pipeline can still get stuck with partially downloaded segments or corrupted DRM data, which can trigger Error 3906. A proper restart of the Apple TV flushes that temporary data and forces the streaming app to rebuild a clean connection to the server the next time you press Play.

Step 1: Use The Software Restart Option

Open Settings on your Apple TV then go to System. Select Restart rather than just putting the device to sleep, this closes background processes and reloads the tvOS networking stack instead of simply dimming the screen.

Step 2: Power Cycle The HDMI Chain If Needed

If a software restart alone does not help unplug the Apple TV power cable from the wall or power strip, then also unplug the HDMI cable from the TV input for about 30 seconds. Afterwards reconnect HDMI firmly to both the Apple TV and the television input, plug the Apple TV back in, wait for it to boot, then reopen the Apple TV app and test playback again.

Warning: If your Apple TV is connected through an AVR or soundbar make sure that device is powered on and switched to the correct HDMI input before testing again or you might incorrectly assume the error persists when the signal is simply not displayed.

Method 3: Fix Network And DNS Timeouts

When your internet connection is slightly unstable or your router uses a slow DNS resolver the encrypted HLS stream for Apple TV may time out after a few seconds which can surface as Error 3906. Giving the Apple TV a faster and more reliable route to Apple’s servers often stabilizes playback even on moderate speed connections.

Step 1: Test Another Streaming App

Open a different app on Apple TV such as YouTube or another streaming service and try playing any video, if those also buffer or fail then your issue is likely network related rather than specific to Apple’s app and you should continue with the steps below.

Step 2: Change DNS To A Public Resolver

On Apple TV go to Settings > Network and select your current connection, choose Configure DNS and set it to Manual then enter 8.8.8.8 as the primary DNS address. Confirm and back out of the menu so the device reconnects using the new DNS route, then reopen the Apple TV app and try playing the same content again.

Step 3: Reboot Your Router Or Modem

If changing DNS does not help or you prefer to keep your ISP DNS then power off your router and modem for at least 30 seconds, power them back on, wait until all lights stabilize and WiFi is available again, then reboot the Apple TV once more and try playback.