A method for processing media content is provided. The method includes sending a control command to a media renderer in a home area network, where the control command is used to instruct the media renderer to request authentication with an authentication server; determining a content list, where the content list includes media content items that can be played by media renderers authenticated; displaying the content list to a user; and sending, according to target media content that the user selects to play from the content list and a target media renderer that the user selects for playing the target media content, a uniform resource identifier of the target media content to the target media renderer, so that the target media renderer acquires and plays the target media content. As such, media content selected by a user can be played by an authenticated media renderer.
