tvOS (formerlyApple TV Software) is anoperating system developed byApple for theApple TV, adigital media player. In the first-generation Apple TV, Apple TV Software was based on Mac OS X.[3] The software for the second-generation and later Apple TVs is based on theiOS operating system and has many similar frameworks, technologies, and concepts.
The second- and third-generation Apple TV have several built-in applications, but do not support third-party applications.
On September 9, 2015, Apple announced thefourth-generation Apple TV, with support for third-party applications. Apple also changed the name of the Apple TV operating system to tvOS, adopting thecamel casenomenclature that they were using for their other operating systems, iOS andwatchOS.[4]
The latest version, tvOS 26, was released on September 15, 2025.
On October 30, 2015, the fourth-generation Apple TV became available; it shipped with tvOS 9.0. On November 9, 2015, tvOS 9.0.1 was released, primarily an update to address minor issues.
tvOS 9.1 was released on December 8, 2015, along withOS X 10.11.2,iOS 9.2, andwatchOS 2.1.[5] Apple also updated theRemote apps on iOS and watchOS, enabling basic remote functionality for the fourth-generation Apple TV (previously, the app only worked with past versions of Apple TV).[6]
On November 25, 2015,Facebook debuted their SDK for tvOS, allowing applications to log into Facebook, share to Facebook, and use Facebook Analytics in the same way that iOS applications can.[7]
On December 2, 2015,Twitter debuted their login authentication service for tvOS – "Digits" – allowing users to log into apps and services with a simple, unique code available online.[8]
On June 13, 2016, at WWDC 2016, Apple SVP of Internet ServicesEddy Cue announced tvOS 10. It brought new functionality, such as Siri search improvements, single sign-on for cable subscriptions, a dark mode, and a new Remote application for controlling the Apple TV; it was released on September 13, 2016, along withiOS 10.
On June 4, 2018, at WWDC 2018, tvOS 12 was announced. It brought support forDolby AtmosE-AC3 and was released on September 17, 2018, along withiOS 12.
On April 13, 2020, it was discovered that Apple'sSiri Smart SpeakerHomePod began to run variants of the tvOS software.[9]
On June 22, 2020, at WWDC 2020, tvOS 14 was announced. It brought support for theHome app and 4KYouTube videos and was released on September 16, 2020, along withiOS 14 andiPadOS 14.
On June 7, 2021, at WWDC 2021, tvOS 15 was announced. It brought new features and improvements, including SharePlay, a new "Shared with You" section on the TV app, and the ability to play content via voice command.[10] It was released on September 20, 2021, along withiOS 15 andiPadOS 15.
On June 6, 2022, at WWDC 2022, tvOS 16 was announced. It brought support forNintendo Switch'sJoy-Con andPro Controllers and additional Bluetooth and USB game controllers. It was released on September 12, 2022, along withiOS 16.
On June 5, 2023, at WWDC 2023, tvOS 17 was announced. tvOS 17 brings new features, such as support forFaceTime and video conferencing apps when paired with an iPhone or iPad, a redesigned control center interface, and third-party VPN support. It was released on September 18, 2023, along withiOS 17 andiPadOS 17.
On June 10, 2024, at WWDC 2024, tvOS 18 was announced. It was released on September 16, 2024, along withiOS 18 andiPadOS 18.
On June 9, 2025, at WWDC 2025, tvOS 26 was announced. It is the first tvOS to feature the newLiquid Glass design, along with new numberings. It was released on September 15, 2025, along withiOS 26 andiPadOS 26.
tvOS 9 shipped with several new features on the fourth-generationApple TV. One major new feature was the ability to move through the interface with the new touchpad remote usingmulti-touch gestures. It also introduced a newApp Store in which users can download and install new applications (such as apps and games) made available by developers for the Apple TV and tvOS. tvOS 9 adds support forSiri, which offers a multitude of features such as a cross-application search for a movie/TV show, rewind, fast forward, name and actor/director of the current movie, and skip back 15 seconds. tvOS added support for an application switcher on the Apple TV, more application customization options, cinematic screensavers, and control the TV using the includedSiri Remote with the built-in support forHDMI-CEC in tvOS. In addition, tvOS allows the user to control theApple TV in many different ways, such as using the includedSiri Remote, pairing athird-partyuniversal remote, pairing anMFiGamepad to control games, using theRemote app oniOS, and pairing aBluetooth keyboard to aid in the typing experience of the user.[11]
tvOS, derived from iOS, incorporates many of the accessibility features found in iOS and macOS. These includeVoiceOver, Zoom, and Siri, which support users who are blind or have low vision.[12][13] VoiceOver, a screen reader available in over 30 languages, provides spoken descriptions of on-screen content and supports navigation through gestures such as flicks, taps, and the rotor.
The system includes options to increase screen contrast by reducing background transparency in various interface elements. A high-contrast cursor can be enabled to highlight focused content, and a Reduce Motion setting simplifies certain animations to minimize visual strain.[13]
tvOS supports audio descriptions for films, indicated by the AD (Audio Description) icon in the iTunes Store and in iTunes on macOS and Windows.
Bluetooth keyboard support is also available.[14] When used with VoiceOver, characters are read aloud as they are typed and confirmed. While designed for Apple's keyboards, the system is compatible with most third-party Bluetooth keyboards.
Closed captioning and SDH (Subtitles for theDeaf or Hard-of-Hearing) are supported for video content, with customizable caption styles and fonts. Compatible media is marked with CC or SDH icons in the iTunes Store.
The Siri Remote allows for customization of the touch surface, including tracking speed adjustments and the option to disable the touch functionality entirely in second-generation or later models, using directional buttons instead.[15]
Apple's Remote app for iOS devices can also control Apple TV. It includes support for Switch Control, which enables users with motor impairments to navigate the interface using compatible switch devices.
tvOS 9 shipped with all-new development tools for developers, adding support for a new SDK for developers to build apps for the TV including all of the APIs included in iOS 9 such asMetal. It also adds thetvOS App Store which allows users to browse, download, and install a wide variety of applications.[16] In addition, developers can now use their own interface inside of their application rather than only being able to use Apple's interface. Since tvOS is based on iOS, it is easy to port existing iOS apps to the Apple TV with Xcode while making only a few refinements to the app to better suit the larger screen. Apple provides Xcode free to all registered Apple developers.[17] To develop for the new Apple TV, it is necessary to make a parallax image for the application icon. In order to do this, Apple provides a Parallax exporter and previewer in the development tools for the Apple TV.
Apple TV software 1.0 presented the user with an interface similar to that ofFront Row. Like Front Row on the Mac, it presents the user with seven options for consuming content. Movies, TV Shows, Music, Podcasts, Photos, Settings, and Sources. It was a modified version of Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger.[21]
In February 2008, Apple released a major and free upgrade to the Apple TV, labelled "Take Two" (2.0). This update did away with Front Row and introduced a new interface in which content was organized into six categories, all of which appeared in a large square box on the screen upon startup (movies, TV shows, music,YouTube, podcasts, and photos) and presented in the initial menu, along with a "Settings" option for configuration, including software updates. It also made updates over the air, meaning the computer was no longer required.[22][23]
In October 2009, Apple released another update for the Apple TV called "Apple TV Software 3.0".[24] This update replaced the interface in version 2.0 with a new interface which presented seven horizontal columns across the top of the screen for the different categories of content (Movies, TV Shows, Music, Podcasts, Photos, Internet, and Settings).[25] This update also added features such as content filtering, iTunes Extras,[26] new fonts, and a new Internet radio app. One new feature in particular was the 'Genius' playlist option allowing for easier and more user friendly playlist creating.[27]
Apple TV Software 4, based on iOS 4 and 5, was the first version of Apple TV Software available on the Apple TV (2nd generation). It ended support for the Apple TV (1st generation).[18] Apple TV Software 4.4 brought My Photo Stream, AirPlay mirroring (from iPhone 4S and iPad 2), NHL, Wall Street Journal, slideshow themes and Netflix subtitles.[18][28] Contrary to rumors and code found in iOS 5, the release did not bring support for Bluetooth or apps to the Apple TV (2nd generation).[29]
On September 24, 2012, Apple TV (2nd generation) onwards received the Apple TV Software 5 software update, based on iOS 5 and 6, with Shared Photo Streams, iTunes account switching, better AirPlay functionality, and Trailers searching, among other smaller improvements.
Third-party apps (Netflix, YouTube, NBA, Flickr, etc.) have their own icon.
Ability to create a Netflix account.
5.0.1
9B206f (4224)
May 10, 2012
Previews for movies and TV shows from theiTunes Store can now be viewed in HD.
Fixes an issue that caused some iOS apps to have trouble connecting viaAirPlay.
Improves the reliability of Home Sharing connections.
Addresses an issue affectingNetflix login and navigation.
Includes fixes for issues affecting stability and performance.
5.0.2
9B830 (4250)
June 5, 2012
Addresses an issue which caused content restrictions to be incorrectly applied for the iTunes Store in Australia.
5.1
10A406E (5201)
September 24, 2012
Shared Photo Streams: Accept invitations for Shared Photo Streams, browse photos and comments, and receive notifications of new content.
AirPlay: Send audio content from Apple TV to AirPlay-enabled speakers/devices (including AirPort Express and other Apple TVs). Also includes the ability to require an onscreen code to use AirPlay with Apple TV.
iTunes account switching: Save multiple iTunes accounts and switch quickly between them.
Trailers: Search for movie trailers. In the United States, see show times for local theaters.
Screen savers: New Cascade, Shrinking Tiles, and Sliding Panels screen savers.
Main menu: Reorder icons on the second page by holding down the select button on the remote.
Subtitles: SDH support for the hearing-impaired; improvements to viewing and selecting subtitles.
Network configuration: Support for setting up advanced network options using configuration profiles.
Stability and performance: Includes general performance and stability improvements.
5.1.1
10A831 (5433)
November 29, 2012
Adds support for Up Next withiTunes 11 or iTunes Match.
Includes performance and stability improvements with theiTunes Store,AirPlay,Netflix, iTunes Match, and wired Ethernet connections.
On September 20, 2013, Apple TV (second generation) onwards received the Apple TV Software 6 software update, based on iOS 7, with iTunes Radio and AirPlay from iCloud.
Apple TV Software 6 version history
Apple TV Software
Build
Release date
Features
6.0
11A470e/11A502
September 23, 2013
iTunes Radio
Create user radio stations and listen to them ad-free with iTunes Match (United States and Australia only).
iTunes Store
Browse, purchase, and play music directly from the iTunes Store.
iCloud Photos
Adds support to play video from a shared Photo Stream and view Photo Streams from multiple contributors.
AirPlay from iCloud
Apple TV will play content from iTunes In The Cloud instead of user AirPlay device when possible (needs iOS 7 on AirPlay device).
Podcasts
Sync user podcasts and podcast stations across Apple TV and all user iOS devices.
iMovie Theater
Stream user iMovie creations instantly in high definition from iCloud (needs latest version of iMovie for iOS or Mac and an iCloud account).
Subtitles & Captioning
Automatic subtitle selection based on Apple TV language setting, with customizable closed caption style.
Conference Room Display
Lock Apple TV into Conference Room Display (for business and education environments) and show onscreen instructions for using AirPlay.
Software update
Keep Apple TV always updated by automatically installing software updates when available.
Setup
Use an iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch with iOS 7 to automatically transfer network settings, user Apple ID, and language preferences to Apple TV (3rd generation) (not available on iPhone 4 or iPad 2).
iMovie Theater app was added on October 22, 2013, without a software update.[43]
6.0.1
11B511d
October 25, 2013
Stability and performance
Includes general performance and stability improvements.[18]
6.0.2
11B554a/11B651
November 14, 2013
Stability and performance
Includes general performance and stability improvements.[18]
Security (11B651 build only)
Provides a fix for SSL connection verification.
6.1
11D169b
March 10, 2014
Main menu
Includes ability to make hiding channels easier[18]
AirPlay
Security option for iOS devices or Macs to require verifying via a one-time, onscreen code before using AirPlay (needs iOS 7.1 or later on an iOS device, or OS X 10.9.2 or later on a Mac).[18]
Adds support to allow an AirPlay device to discover Apple TV over Bluetooth in environments where multicast or Bonjour traffic is blocked on the network or the AirPlay device is on a different subnet.[18]
Remote app
View purchased TV Shows and Movies in the Remote app and tap to play them instantly on Apple TV.[18]
Create and play iTunes Radio stations (needs Remote app version 4.2 or later).[18]
Stability and performance
Bug fixes, general performance and stability improvements.[18]
6.1.1
11D201c
April 22, 2014
Stability and performance
Includes general performance and stability improvements.[18]
6.2
11D257c
June 30, 2014
Stability and performance
Includes general performance and stability improvements.[18]
iTunes Extras
Added ability to explore deleted scenes, photos, cast and crew, and more with select iTunes movie purchases. (Only available for HD purchases)[18]
6.2.1
11D258
September 17, 2014
Final release on Apple TV (2nd generation)
As of May 2015, theYouTube app only works on newer Apple TVs that have software 7.2 or later due to an API change implemented by Google.
Stability and performance
Includes general performance and stability improvements.[18]
On September 18, 2014, the third generation Apple TV received the Apple TV Software 7.0 software update based on iOS 8, with a redesigned UI, Family Sharing and peer-to-peer AirPlay. This release dropped support for the second generation Apple TV.
Apple TV Software 7 version history
Apple TV Software
Build
Release date
Features
7.0
12A365b
September 17, 2014
UI
Redesigned UI that adopts a similar look to the "flat" look that is presented in iOS 8 and OS X Yosemite.
UI redesign includes redesigned icons and borders, menus, and many of the controls inside many of the apps that are included with the Apple TV.
Family Sharing
Adds support for a service of sharing purchases from iTunes between up to 6 people.
Supports iTunes music, video, podcasts, and TV show purchases.
All group members must pay for family purchases with the same credit/debit card.
Ask To Buy – parents can approve a child's spending from the parent's device.
Descriptive Video Services
Hear descriptive video with a new accessibility feature support select iTunes movies and TV shows.
Guests can AirPlay from their Mac or iOS device directly to an Apple TV without connecting to a wireless network (needs ATV 3 Rev-A (A1469), iPhone 4S and later; iPad 2 and later; and iPod Touch (5th generation) running iOS 8 or a Mac running OS X Yosemite (10.10) or later).A3R
Beats Music
Beats Music has now been shut down in favor of Apple Music, which requires an Apple TV 4 running tvOS 9.0 or later.
7.0.1
12B410a
October 20, 2014
Stability and performance
Includes general performance and stability improvements.
Bug fixes.
7.0.2
12B435
November 17, 2014
Stability and performance
Includes general performance and stability improvements.
Bug fixes.
7.0.3
12B466
January 27, 2015
Stability and performance
Includes general performance and stability improvements.
Bug fixes.
7.1
12D508
March 9, 2015
Stability and performance
Includes general performance and stability improvements.
Bug fixes.
7.2
12F69
April 8, 2015
As of May 2015, theYouTube app only works on Apple TVs that have software 7.2 or later due to an API change implemented by Google.
Stability and performance
Includes general performance and stability improvements.
Bug fixes
7.2.1
12H523
February 25, 2016
Stability and performance
Includes general performance and stability improvements.
Bug fixes
7.2.2
12H606
December 12, 2016
Stability and performance
Includes general performance and stability improvements.
Bug fixes
Amazon Video was automatically added to Apple TVs running 7.2.2 on December 6, 2017.[44]
tvOS 9 is based oniOS 9, with adaptations made for a television interface. It was announced on September 9, 2015, alongside the first-generationiPad Pro and theiPhone 6S. Tim Cook introduced tvOS, calling it a modern OS with support for apps. It was only available on the Apple TV (4th generation), released in October 2015. It adds a native SDK to develop apps, anApp Store to distribute them, Siri, and universal search across multiple apps.
tvOS 9 version history
tvOS version
Build
Release date
Features
9.0
13T396
October 29, 2015
Initial release on Apple TV (4th generation).
User interface
Introduces a new user interface that uses lighter colors and transparency, adds support for control via an all new remote. This remote can be used to navigate the user interface by using multi-touch gestures on the trackpad on the remote rather than physical buttons.
App Store/SDK
Adds support for an all new SDK for developers to build apps for the TV including all of the APIs included in iOS 9 such as Metal.
Adds an App Store which allows users to browse, download, and install a wide variety of applications from things such as games, video applications, etc.
Developers can now use their own interface inside of their application rather than only being able to use Apple's interface.
Siri
Adds support for Siri which can be toggled by pressing the microphone button on the remote.
Siri, beyond all of its iOS abilities, can take many voice commands tailored for the TV, such as a cross-application search for a movie/TV show, rewind, fast forward, name and actor/director of the current movie, and even skip back 15 seconds.
Experience
It is now possible to switch between two applications by double-clicking the trackpad on the remote and scrolling to the desired application.
Users can now customize the home screen by placing any applications they wish on the top row, including third-party types.
New cinematic screen savers display time-lapse images of scenic cities when the Apple TV is asleep.
It is now possible to control the volume of the TV and turn it on/off using just the new Siri Remote and the built in support for HDMI CEC in tvOS.
Third-party controllers
Adds support for pairing third-party Bluetooth game controllers in order to play games.
Apple Music
Adds Apple Music support for Apple TV.
9.0.1
13T402
November 9, 2015
General performance and stability improvements.
9.1
13U85
December 8, 2015
Adds support for controlling Apple Music with Siri.
Adds support for controlling the Apple TV with the Remote app for iOS and Apple Watch.
Improvements to networking and scrolling.
9.1.1
13U717
January 25, 2016
General performance and stability improvements
Adds the Podcasts app to the Apple TV
9.2
13Y234
March 21, 2016
Adds support for folders on the Apple TV.
A folder can be made by selecting an app, clicking and holding on the touchpad, clicking the Play/Pause button, and then choosing "New Folder" from the popup menu.
Adds the ability to pair Bluetooth keyboards
Adds a redesigned application switcher similar to the one found in iOS 9 rather than the one found in iOS 8 as tvOS 9.1 contained.
Adds support for iCloud Photo Library and Live Photos
Enables developers to add maps to their applications with the use of the MapKit API.
Siri/Voice dictation
Adds support for Voice Dictation to enable users to enter text in text fields using their voice. Voice Dictation can be invoked by selecting the text field and pressing the Siri button on the Siri Remote.
Adds Support for searching the App Store on the Apple TV using Siri.
Adds support for new Siri languages which include Spanish(United States), French(Canada), and English(United Kingdom and Australia).
Remote operability improvements
In order to rewind/fast forward the video in tvOS 9.2, it is now necessary to click the touchpad before swiping left or right.[48]
Updates the remote firmware which includes improved motion sensor performance and support for additional sound bar and receiver hardware.[49]
Adds the option for users to select between a light mode or a new dark mode.[50]
Adds support for app notification badge icons on the tvOS home screen.
Siri
Support for searching YouTube for content using Siri.
Support for searching for content by topic.
Photos
Adds support for the new Photos app available in iOS 10 which adds a new feature called Memories
Music
Update the UI of Apple Music to match the UI of Apple Music on iOS 10 and macOS Sierra.
Control
When users start typing on the Apple TV using the Siri Remote, their iPhone on iOS 10 or later gives them a lockscreen notification that allows for text entry, even without the remote app installed on the iOS device.
No longer requires developers to provide support for the Siri Remote in games. A game can now make a third-party MFI controller required for gameplay.
HomeKit
Allows the control of HomeKit accessories from the Apple TV.
Developer Tools
Adds many new APIs that developers can take advantage of on tvOS such as ReplayKit, SpriteKit, SceneKit, and more.
Adds option to reprogram the TV button onSiri remote to open the TV app or to return to the home screen.
Adds support for controlling via Control Center from devices runningiOS 11.
Experience
Apple AirPods automatically connect when paired with a device signed in with the sameiCloud account.
Option for automatic switching between light and dark mode based on time of day.
Adds Home Screen Sync option that synchronizes apps and home screens across Apple TVs signed in with the same iCloud account.
Double tapping Siri remote will zoom in onpillarboxed orletterboxed video to fill frame.
Tapping timeline a second time will switch to a time-of-day display.
Developer tools
Increases maximum On-Demand Resource bundle size to 4 GB from 200 MB.
Adds support forHEVC andHEIF, hardware decoding on Apple TV 4K and software decoding on Apple TV (4th generation).
11.1
15J582
October 31, 2017
Includes bug fixes and security improvements
11.2
15K106
December 4, 2017
The update includes support for switching the Apple TV 4K display output to SDR for apps that are GPU-bound when running in HDR and it re-introduces the Unwatched category in Home Sharing for Movies, TV Shows, and Home Videos.
11.2.1
15K152
December 13, 2017
Includes bug fixes and security improvements
11.2.5
15K552
January 23, 2018
Includes bug fixes and security improvements
11.2.6
15K600
February 19, 2018
Includes bug fixes and security improvements
11.3
15L211
March 29, 2018
tvOS 11.3 beta provides Dolby Vision support for certain Sony 2017 4K HDR televisions with the X1 Extreme processor.
11.4
15L577
May 29, 2018
AirPlay 2
Listen to your favorite 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.
Adds support forFaceTime on Apple TV 4K (2nd generation and newer) with a paired iPhone or iPad runningiOS 17/iPadOS 17, with support for Center Stage and Split View with iPhones and iPads with anApple A13 chip or newer
Adds a new favoriting option to the Music app, along with some other minor Music changes.
17.2
21K365
December 11, 2023
Redesigned TV app including a new sidebar menu and the ability to switch between profiles within the app[79]
FaceTime:
Adds the ability to answer FaceTime calls directly on Apple TV 4K
FaceTime Audio calls are now supported on Apple TV 4K
Adds the ability to move a FaceTime call from an iPhone or iPad to an Apple TV 4K
Dolby Atmos and Dolby Digital surround sound are now supported when using SharePlay
Adds audio focus to Apple Fitness+
Adds the ability to start voice search from anywhere in supported apps with the Siri button on the Siri Remote
Deprecates the iTunes Movies and iTunes TV Shows apps, with both apps now redirecting users to the TV app to access their purchased Movies and TV shows.
Third-generation Apple TV 4K only. Fixes a streaming playback issue.
Unsupported: 18.4
22L254
March 31, 2025
The ability to set photo (screen saver) durations has returned. Settings / Screen Saver / Memories & Slideshows / Style / Classic / Time Per Slide. This setting disappeared with 18.0.
Adds ability to use an iPhone runningiOS 26 as a microphone.
Adds ability for multiple users to queue songs and react with emojis using an iPhone running iOS 26 on the same Wi-Fi network.
Adds lyrics translation for select songs.
FaceTime: adds incoming call notifications, contact posters and live captions in French, German, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, and Spanish with Apple TV 4K (2nd generation or later)
Adds option to automatically select user profile when Apple TV wakes
Adds Automatic Sign-In API with ability to link login information saved with an Apple account and automatically sign in with supported apps.
Adds ability to set any AirPlay speaker as the permanent speaker for Apple TV
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