About Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD software updates

Discover the latest features of tvOS available on Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD.

Find out which Apple TV you have or how to update it to the latest software.

What’s new in tvOS 18

This update introduces InSight for Apple TV+, adds a new Portraits screen saver, brings improvements to Enhance Dialogue and Subtitles, lets you do more with iPhone and FaceTime, and makes Apple Fitness+ and Music more engaging on the big screen. This update also includes performance and stability improvements.

InSight

• InSight for Apple TV+ displays real-time information that complements what you’re watching onscreen. Swipe down when playing an Apple Original film or show.

• Actor details appear as their character shows up in a scene.

• Song information appears while the song plays in a scene. You can add the song to your Saved Songs playlist on Apple Music.

• InSight is also available on iPhone when you use it as a remote for Apple TV.

Screen savers

• Portraits — a new category of screen savers — frames your favourite photos with stunning colour effects and playful clocks.

• Switch between categories by swiping up while viewing screen savers.

Enhance Dialogue

• Enhance Dialogue gives you the option to hear speech more clearly over background sounds using real-time audio processing and machine learning. Select Audio Options in Settings to turn on the Enhance Dialogue.

Subtitles

• Subtitles appear when you mute audio or when you skip back, up to 30 seconds.

FaceTime

• Live Captions turn spoken conversations into text in real time when the Apple TV primary language is set to English (US) or English (Canada) and callers speak English.

• Dedicated Continuity Camera lets you keep an iPhone connected so it’s always available for FaceTime calls and more. Turn on in Settings > Remotes and Devices.

Apple Fitness+

• New design makes it easier to navigate and find workouts and meditations to stay motivated.

• For You showcases helpful and relevant recommendations that are personalised from the start.

• Search helps you find workouts and meditations based on activity, trainer, duration or type of music.

• Explore highlights new offerings, from specialised workouts to Artist Spotlights or programs to help you get started.

• Library stores your saved workouts and meditations, Stacks, and Custom Plans.

Apple Music

• SharePlay lets everyone add their favourite songs and control playback with their iPhone when listening together. Select SharePlay while listening on Apple TV, then scan the QR code that appears.

Siri

• Audio from your Siri requests are processed on Apple TV and never leave the device.

tvOS 17.6.1

This update fixes an issue that may prevent access to Apple Fitness+.

tvOS 17.6

This update includes performance and stability improvements.

tvOS 17.5.1

This update addresses a rare issue where photos that experienced database corruption could reappear in the Photos library even if they had been deleted.

tvOS 17.5

This update includes performance and stability improvements.

tvOS 17.4

This update includes performance and stability improvements.

tvOS 17.3

This update includes performance and stability improvements.

tvOS 17.2

This update enhances the FaceTime, Fitness and Apple TV apps, streamlines voice search in supported apps, adds new support for Siri, and includes performance and stability improvements.

Apple TV app

• The new sidebar makes it easier to navigate and find something great to watch.

• All of your subscribed channels and connected apps can now be found under Channels & Apps in the sidebar and in Home.

• iTunes films and TV shows have moved to the Apple TV app. Buy and rent from the Store, and find your purchases in the Library.

• Watch Now is now called Home, where you can browse films and TV shows.

FaceTime

• Ability to answer calls directly on your Apple TV 4K.

• Support for FaceTime audio calls on Apple TV 4K.

• Calls can now move from your Apple TV 4K to your iPhone or iPad.

SharePlay

• Dolby Atmos and Dolby Digital surround sound formats are now available while watching something together with SharePlay.

Apple Fitness+

• Audio focus lets you choose to hear more of what motivates your workout, whether it’s the trainer’s voice or the music.

Voice search

• Onscreen search can start from anywhere inside supported apps such as TV and Music. Press the Siri button to dictate a search.

Siri

• Now includes language support for Arabic in Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates, Malay in Malaysia, and Turkish in Türkiye to help you find TV shows, music and more using just your voice.

tvOS 17.1

This update adds support for Enhance Dialogue on HomePod mini and HomePod (1st generation) when paired with Apple TV 4K, and includes performance and stability improvements.

tvOS 17

This update introduces the FaceTime app on Apple TV, brings a redesigned Control Centre, supports finding your Siri Remote with iPhone and clearer dialogue with HomePod, lets you choose Memories as your screen saver, enhances the Apple Music Sing experience and expands Siri knowledge support. This update also includes performance and stability improvements.

FaceTime

• FaceTime on Apple TV 4K (2nd generation or later) enables you to spend time with family and friends on the big screen.

• Continuity Camera support makes it easy to connect your iPhone or iPad to Apple TV and use its cameras and microphones to look and sound great.

• Centre Stage keeps you framed as you move around and expands the camera view as people join you in the room.

• Gesture-based reactions display onscreen effects, such as balloons, confetti and fireworks.

• Split View and SharePlay let you watch movies and shows together while still seeing everyone on the call.

Control Centre

• All-new design makes it more intuitive to manage Apple TV.

• Active profile, current time and other system status are displayed when on the Home Screen.

• To interact with Control Centre, press and hold [TV] on the Siri Remote and adjust audio and accessibility settings, set a sleep timer, switch profiles, view home cameras, and more.

Siri Remote

• Ability to locate your Siri Remote (2nd generation or later) when it’s nearby but out of sight.

• To find the remote, open Control Centre on your iPhone, then open the Apple TV Remote.

Siri*

• Onscreen results now include expanded knowledge. Try asking “Is corn a fruit?” or “Where was Mozart born?”

• Just say “Siri” to activate and control Apple TV when wearing connected AirPods or on any HomePod in the house.

• Language support for Thai in Thailand to find shows, music and more. To enable Siri, go to Settings > General > Siri. 

Screensavers

• Memories from your photos are perfectly framed for the TV with fluid animations and transitions. To enable, go to Settings > General > Screen Saver.

• Additional screen savers include stunning aerial views of Arizona’s Monument Valley and California’s coastal redwoods.

HomePod home theatre

• Enhance Dialogue gives you the option to hear speech more clearly over background sounds with HomePod (2nd generation) speakers paired to Apple TV 4K.

• To turn on, choose Enhance Dialogue from the Audio Options in playback controls while watching a movie or show, or in Settings.

Apple Music

• Apple Music Sing adds support for Continuity Camera so you can see yourself on screen and apply visual effects with Apple TV 4K (3rd generation).

• To turn on, select [camera] when Apple Music Sing is on.

Apple Fitness+

• Stacks enables you to create your own fitness routine by grouping workouts or meditations.

• Custom Plans you create on your iPhone are available on Apple TV for an even more flexible workout or meditation schedule.

Multiuser

• Profiles now include system language preferences and AirPods pairings to further personalise the Apple TV experience.

Virtual Private Network (VPN)

• Download VPN apps on the App Store for Apple TV to access services that can encrypt and route certain network traffic.

Video formats

• Support for Dolby Vision 8.1 enables dynamic metadata to be preserved across more movies and shows when outputting to Dolby Vision capable TVs.

tvOS 16.6

This update adds Siri support for Hebrew in Israel to help you find shows, music and more using just your voice, and includes performance and stability improvements.

tvOS 16.5

This update adds Multiview support in the Apple TV app for watching up to four live sporting events at once on Apple TV 4K (available for MLS Season Pass and Friday Night Baseball*) and includes performance and stability improvements.

tvOS 16.4.1

This update includes performance and stability improvements.

tvOS 16.4

This update adds Dim Flashing Lights, an accessibility option to automatically dim the display of video when flashes of light or strobe effects are detected, and includes performance and stability improvements.

tvOS 16.3.3

This update fixes an issue where the Siri Remote can become unresponsive on Apple TV 4K (3rd generation).

tvOS 16.3.2

This update includes general performance and stability improvements.

tvOS 16.3.1

This update includes general performance and stability improvements.

tvOS 16.3

This update includes general performance and stability improvements.

tvOS 16.2

tvOS 16.2 introduces a more personalised Siri experience and makes singing along with Apple Music even more fun.

Siri*

• Get personalised recommendations, play your favourite music and more at any time with Recognise My Voice support for up to six different family members. Try "What should I watch?" "Play my music", or "Switch to my profile".

• Set your Siri language to be different from the one your Apple TV displays. Go to Settings > General > Siri Language.

• Now includes language support for Danish in Denmark, French and German in Luxembourg, and English in Singapore to help you find shows, music and more using just your voice.

Apple Music

• Sing along to your favourites with beat-by-beat, real-time lyrics.

• Control the vocal volume on millions of songs with Apple TV 4K (3rd generation).

tvOS 16.1.1

tvOS 16.1.1, for Apple TV 4K (3rd generation) only, fixes an issue where Apple TV could become unable to install apps.

tvOS 16.1

tvOS 16.1 introduces a completely redesigned Siri experience, brings Shared Photo Library to the biggest screen in the home, and lets you work out and meditate with Apple Fitness+ with iPhone.

Siri

• All-new design for Siri makes it even easier to find movies and shows to watch, play the latest music, discover new apps, get sports scores, and more.

• Say "Hey Siri" to enjoy hands-free control when wearing AirPods that are connected to your Apple TV.

Photos

• Shared Photo Library support lets you see your favourite moments from the entire family.

• Create a Shared Photo Library on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac, then select Shared Library in the Photos app.

Apple Fitness+

• Work out and meditate with Apple Fitness+ on Apple TV — now all you need is iPhone to receive on screen coaching, timers, and trainer callouts while also tracking your estimated Move ring progress.

Home hub

• Matter, the new smart home connectivity standard, is now supported, enabling a wide variety of smart home accessories to work together across ecosystems.

tvOS 16

tvOS 16 makes the best entertainment experience even better for everyone in your home and includes a simpler way to add more users, brings multiple languages to the onscreen keyboard, supports personalised spatial audio, and adds new Siri languages and accessibility capabilities. This update also includes performance and stability improvements.

Multiuser

• Enhancements that make it easier to add profiles for every member of your Family Sharing group, so each person gets their own Up Next watchlist and personalised TV, movies, music and app recommendations.

• To add members, press and hold the TV button to open Control Centre. Then select a person onscreen.

Spatial Audio

• Personalised Spatial Audio uses a personal profile for Spatial Audio created on your iPhone to deliver a more precise and immersive listening experience on Apple TV 4K with AirPods (3rd generation), AirPods Pro (1st and 2nd generation) and AirPods Max.

• To start, set up a personal profile for Spatial Audio on iPhone using the same Apple ID as the primary user on your Apple TV 4K. Additional profiles are not supported.

Keyboard

• Multiple keyboard language support enables switching between languages when using the onscreen keyboard.

• To enable, go to Settings > General > Languages to add more languages. Then select the globe icon to change languages when entering text.

Siri

• Language support for Spanish in Chile, Finnish in Finland and English in South Africa to help you find shows, music and more using just your voice.

• To enable Siri, go to Settings > General > Siri. Then press the Siri button on your remote to see some examples of what you can ask.

Accessibility

• Hover Text support to see onscreen descriptions more clearly.

• New VoiceOver voice options.

• To turn on an accessibility feature or adjust preferences, go to Settings > Accessibility.

tvOS 15.6

This update includes general performance and stability improvements.

tvOS 15.5.1

This update addresses an issue where music could stop playing after a short time.

tvOS 15.5

This update includes general performance and stability improvements.

tvOS 15.4.1

This update includes stability improvements when setting up or restoring your Apple TV.

tvOS 15.4

tvOS 15.4 lets you complete a purchase on Apple TV with Apple Watch, adds the ability to display HomeKit cameras in Picture in Picture while watching TV and supports connecting Apple TV to Wi-Fi networks that require additional sign-in steps, such as those provided by hotels or student accommodation. This update also includes performance and stability improvements.

Apple Watch

• Use your Apple Watch, along with iPhone or iPad, to complete a purchase on Apple TV.

Home cameras

• Keep an eye on your home — even while watching TV — by using Picture in Picture to always show a home camera feed.

Captive portal Wi-Fi networks

• Use Apple TV in more locations, such as hotels or student accommodation. With your iPhone or iPad, you can now connect Apple TV to Wi-Fi networks that need additional sign-in steps.

tvOS 15.3

This update includes general performance and stability improvements.

tvOS 15.2

tvOS 15.2 introduces a new Memories experience for Photos, includes a new Store tab in the Apple TV app, brings support for the Apple Music Voice Plan — a new subscription tier designed to access music using Siri — supports additional Siri languages and adds beautiful new screensavers. This update also includes performance and stability improvements.

Photos Memories

• A new way to view your Memories on the big screen with a new interactive interface, new animation and transition styles, and multiple image collages.

• Apple Music subscribers will hear songs that combine expert recommendations with your music tastes, and what’s in your photos and videos.

Apple TV app¹

• The Store tab is a new all-in-one destination to browse, buy and rent the world's best films and TV shows.

Apple Music Voice Plan

• The Apple Music Voice Plan is a new subscription tier that gives you access to all songs, playlists and stations in Apple Music using Siri.

Siri²

• Now includes language support for Dutch and French in Belgium, Russian in Russia, and French, German and Italian in Switzerland.

• Let Siri help you find shows, music and more. To enable Siri, go to Settings > General > Siri. Then press the Siri button on your remote to see some examples of what you can ask.

Screensavers

• Enjoy stunning views of Iceland and Scotland.

• Location details can be found by pressing the clickpad or tapping the Touch surface on your Siri Remote. To see the next location, swipe on the clickpad or Touch surface.

• New Aerials can be downloaded more often. Go to Settings > General > Screen Saver to choose your settings.

tvOS 15.1.1

• South Korea: With Apple TV, the Apple TV app, Siri and the App Store now available in South Korea, you can get incredible entertainment experiences for the entire family.

• Apple TV app

  :* Localisation improvements for South Korea.

tvOS 15.1

This update includes general performance and stability improvements and this feature:

• SharePlay: Watch together with friends and family — wherever you are. Chat with FaceTime on your iPhone or iPad while watching on Apple TV.

tvOS 15

• Apple TV app:¹ Browse the For You or For All of You row to get recommended titles for everyone watching. Check Shared with You to see the shows and films your friends have shared in Messages.

• Siri:² Siri now understands Cantonese in Hong Kong, English in India, Italian in Italy and Mandarin in Taiwan.

• Enhanced audio: Enjoy spatial audio when using AirPods Pro and AirPods Max with Apple TV 4K. Or use HomePod mini as your default speaker for Apple TV 4K.

• HomePod controls: Launch apps and control Apple TV from your HomePod mini. Say something like "Hey Siri, play Trolls World Tour on the TV."

• Home: See all of your HomeKit cameras at once and control nearby accessories when viewing a camera on your Apple TV.

• Sign in: Use Face ID or Touch ID on your iPhone or iPad to complete a purchase or to sign in to supported apps on your Apple TV.

• Screen savers: Enjoy stunning views of the Grand Canyon, Patagonia and Yosemite. Press the clickpad or tap the Touch surface on your Siri Remote to see the location, or swipe to see the next screensaver.

tvOS 14.7

This update includes general performance and stability improvements.

tvOS 14.6

This update includes general performance and stability improvements.

tvOS 14.5

• Siri Remote (2nd generation) or Apple TV Remote (2nd generation): Browse and control Apple TV with an all-new touch-enabled clickpad, offering five-way navigation for precise movements, along with fast and fluid swipes and gestures. 

• Colour balance: Use your iPhone to measure your television’s colour balance and Apple TV will adjust to produce more accurate colours on screen.  Go to Settings > Video and Audio > Calibration. This feature requires iPhone with Face ID and iOS 14.5 or later.

• Siri:* Siri now understands German in Austria and English in Ireland and New Zealand.

• Type to Siri: Use the onscreen keyboard, iPhone, iPad or a Bluetooth keyboard with Siri. Search for films, launch apps and more. To turn on, go to Settings > Accessibility.

• Home Screen: Free up space on your Apple TV by automatically removing apps that you're not using. Your data is saved and apps remain visible and will be downloaded again when used. To turn on, go to Settings > Apps.

• Game controllers: Support for the latest PlayStation DualSense and Xbox Wireless controllers.

tvOS 14.4

This update includes general performance and stability improvements.

tvOS 14.3

• Apple TV app:¹ Easily discover and watch all of your favourite Apple Originals in a new, dedicated Apple TV+ tab.

• Apple Fitness+:² Stay active with a new fitness experience on the big screen — powered by Apple Watch. Fitness+ provides unlimited access to studio-style workouts from world-class trainers, with new workouts added weekly.

• Apple One:³ Get Apple TV+, Apple Music, Apple Arcade, Apple Fitness+ and more in one simple plan. To sign up, go to Subscriptions in Settings on your Apple devices.

tvOS 14.2

• HomePod home cinema: Connect HomePod to Apple TV 4K and enjoy stereo, surround sound and Dolby Atmos audio. Add a second HomePod for a more immersive sound stage with true stereo sound.

• Apple One:* Get Apple TV+, Apple Music, Apple Arcade, Apple Fitness+ (coming late 2020) and more in one simple plan. Share your plan with other family members while having personal access to each service across all of your devices.  To find out more, go to Settings > Users & Accounts > [Your account] > Subscriptions.

tvOS 14.0.2

This update includes general performance and stability improvements.

tvOS 14.0.1

This update includes general performance and stability improvements.

tvOS 14

• Share audio: Enjoy films and TV shows with a friend without disturbing others around you. Connect two sets of AirPods or compatible Beats products to your Apple TV 4K to share a viewing experience with separate volume controls. 

• Picture in Picture: Watch a film while keeping an eye on the latest sports, check the weather while binge-watching a TV series or play a video game while watching content by your favourite gamer — now with supported third-party apps.

• Home: Get notifications when someone rings your doorbell and see a live view of who’s there. Or ask Siri to show any of your HomeKit-enabled cameras and trigger scenes in the new Home view in Control Centre.

• Multiuser for gaming: Switch users in Control Centre to access just your game progress, achievements and friends. Then pick up where you left off from Continue Playing in Apple Arcade.*

• Game controllers: Apple TV supports even more controllers, such as the Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 and Xbox Adaptive Controllers. And now you can create custom button mapping for your controllers in Settings.

• Screen savers: Get lost in space, take to the air or dive deep in the sea by choosing only the locations you want to see. From Settings, select which types of Aerials will cycle on screen.

• AirPlay: Use AirPlay to stream content from the Photos app on your iPhone to your Apple TV 4K so you can share your favourite photos and videos in full 4K resolution.

tvOS 13.4.8

This update includes general performance and stability improvements.

tvOS 13.4.6

This update includes general performance and stability improvements.

tvOS 13.4.5

This update includes general performance and stability improvements.

tvOS 13.4

This update includes general performance and stability improvements.

tvOS 13.3.1

This update includes general performance and stability improvements.

tvOS 13.3

This update includes general performance and stability improvements.

tvOS 13.2

This update includes general performance and stability improvements.

tvOS 13

• Home screen: watch full-screen previews for new movies, hit music, top-rated games and more as you highlight apps on the top row. Swipe up to hear audio and make selections.

• Multiuser: Get a tailored Apple TV experience with your own Up Next list in the Apple TV app, playlists in Apple Music and more. Invite users with your Apple TV or the Home app to get started.

• Control Centre: hold the TV button on the Siri Remote to switch users, change audio sources, access music and put Apple TV to sleep.

• Apple Arcade:* Enjoy unlimited access to 100+ new games on your Apple devices. From immersive new worlds to earth-shattering sound effects, the experience is all too real on your big screen with Apple TV.

• Game controllers: Play games with popular controllers, such as PlayStation DualShock 4 and the Xbox Wireless Controller with Bluetooth.

• Apple Music: Listen to your favourite music with perfectly timed lyrics. Swipe through the lyrics and jump to any verse in the song with a click.

• Screensavers: enjoy stunning new videos of underwater seascapes from bodies of water all over the globe. Tap the Siri Remote to see the location, or swipe to see the next one.

tvOS 12.4.1

This update includes general performance and stability improvements.

tvOS 12.4

This update includes general performance and stability improvements.

tvOS 12.3

This update includes general performance and stability improvements and this feature:

• Apple TV app:* The all-new Apple TV app gives you one place to watch all of your favourite shows and films across all of your devices. Subscribe to just the Apple TV channels that you want. Browse thousands of titles from the iTunes Store that you can buy or rent. And get recommendations for shows and films based on everything you watch.

tvOS 12.2.1

This update includes general performance and stability improvements.

tvOS 12.2

This update includes general performance and stability improvements and these features:

• Siri:* Ask Siri on your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch to play what you want to watch on your TV, and control what's playing.

• Apple TV Remote: With iOS 12.2, you can access the Apple TV Remote straight from the Lock Screen on your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch. So you can easily play, pause, rewind and control your Apple TV with just a tap.

tvOS 12.1.2

This update includes general performance and stability improvements.

tvOS 12.1.1

This update includes general performance and stability improvements.

tvOS 12.1

This update includes general performance and stability improvements.

tvOS 12.0.1

This update includes general performance and stability improvements.

tvOS 12

• Dolby Atmos: With Apple TV 4K and a Dolby Atmos-compatible sound system, you can enjoy three-dimensional audio that sends sound around and above you.

• Aerial screen savers: Enjoy new Aerials shot from space. Get location information for an Aerial with just a tap and switch different locations with a swipe.

• Autofill passwords: with iOS 12, you can autofill passwords saved on your iOS device to sign in to apps on your Apple TV.

• Find My iPhone: If you turn on Find My iPhone for your devices, you can ask Siri on Apple TV to play a sound on a device to help you find it.

tvOS 11.4.1

This update includes general performance and stability improvements.

tvOS 11.4

This update includes general performance and stability improvements and this feature:

• AirPlay 2: Listen to your favourite songs across every Apple TV, HomePod and AirPlay 2-compatible speaker you have in your home. Or play something different in every room at the same time.

tvOS 11.3

• Apple TV app: Now available in Brazil and Mexico.

• Siri:* Siri now understands Portuguese in Brazil.

• Video playback: On Apple TV HD, you can play videos in their original frame rate.

tvOS 11.2.6

This update includes general performance and stability improvements.

tvOS 11.2.5

This update includes general performance and stability improvements.

tvOS 11.2.1

This update includes general performance and stability improvements.

tvOS 11.2

This update includes general performance and stability improvements and these features:

• Apple TV app: Now available in France, Germany and the UK. And in the United States, you can browse the new Sports tab for live and upcoming games, and choose your favourite teams to automatically add games to Up Next and receive notifications.

• Amazon Prime Video: now available in the App Store for Apple TV. Enjoy Prime Originals, along with popular movies and TV shows.

• Video playback: On Apple TV 4K, you can play videos in their original frame rate and dynamic range.

• Accessibility: VoiceOver navigation and reading improvements including a VoiceOver Follow Focus rotor item and a Read Screen After Delay option available in all navigation modes. Also improved consistency of text input when dictated.

tvOS 11.1

This update includes general performance and stability improvements and this feature:

• Apple TV app: Now available in Norway and Sweden.

tvOS 11

• 4K and High Dynamic Range (HDR): Enjoy a cinematic experience on your Apple TV 4K with sharp, crisp images and more true-to-life colours.

• Apple TV app: Now available in Australia and Canada, the Apple TV app gives you one place for all of your shows and films. Continue watching your favourites, and see what’s new and popular.

• One Home Screen: Keep your apps and Home Screens the same across every Apple TV you own, just by signing in to iCloud.

• Control your Apple TV from Control Centre: In iOS 11, you can now control your Apple TV from Control Centre on all of your iOS devices.

• AirPods: If your AirPods are paired to an iOS device that’s signed in to iCloud, you can automatically connect them to your Apple TV.

• Appearance: automatically change the background appearance of your Apple TV from light to dark based on the time of day.

• Display languages: Apple TV now supports right-to-left scripts, including Arabic and Hebrew.

• Accessibility: Apple TV offers compatibility with more than 70 refreshable braille displays.