In order to get the most out of your Apple TV devices, it is important that you regularly update tvOS, Apple’s TV operating system. This will ensure you get the latest features for your apps and patches that fix glitches and security issues. Here’s how to manually update your Apple TV device and turn on automatic updates for your apps, no matter how old your device is.
How to Manually Update Your Apple TV
To update your Apple TV 4K or Apple TV HD device, go to Settings > System > Software Updates. Then select Update Software. If an update is available, select Download and Install. Finally, wait for your Apple TV to restart.
- Open the Settings app on your Apple TV. This is the app with the gear-shaped icon on your home screen. You can access it by pressing the Menu button on your remote and then scrolling down.
- Then select System.
- Next, go to Software Updates.
- Then, select Update Software.
Note: Before You manually updating your Apple TV, you can choose to turn on automatic updates by selecting Automatically Update.
Note: If you want to get the latest features, you can also select Get Beta Updates and then follow the on-screen instructions to enroll in the Apple Beta Software Program.
- Next, select Download and Install if an update is available. If there are no updates available, you will see a message on your screen that says Your Apple TV is up to date.
- Finally, wait for your Apple TV to update. Your device will restart during the update process. Make sure not to unplug it until the update is finished. This process usually takes a few minutes.
These steps will only work if you have an Apple TV 4K or Apple TV HD device. If you have an older device, here’s how to update it:
How to Update a 3rd-Generation Apple TV Or Older
To update your Apple TV 3rd Generation or older, go to Settings > General > Software Updates. Then select Update Software. Next, if an update is available, select Download and Install.
Note: If you don’t know what kind of Apple TV device you have, check out this guide on how to tell the difference between Apple TV devices from Apple.
- Go to Settings > General > Software Updates.
- Then select Update Software.
- Next, select Download and Install if an update is available.
- Finally, wait for your Apple TV to restart.
After you update your device, you might also want to update your apps. Here’s how:
How to Set Up Automatic Updates for Your Apple TV Apps
To set up automatic updates for apps on your Apple TV, go to Settings > Apps. Then select Automatically Update Apps to turn it On. From here, you can also choose to automatically install apps on your Apple TV that you download on your other Apple devices.
- Open the Settings app on your Apple TV.
- Then select Apps.
- Finally, turn on the Automatically Update Apps.
Note: You can also turn Automatically Install Apps on to get apps on your Apple TV after you download them on your other Apple devices, such as your iPhone or iPad. However, this will only work for newly purchased apps that have an Apple TV version, and you will have to be signed in to your Apple ID on both devices.
If your apps are not updating properly, you can also manually update them through the App Store. Here’s how:
How to Manually Update Apple TV Apps
To manually update apps on your Apple TV device, go to the App Store and search for the app you want to update. Then select the app and choose Update.
- Open the App Store app on your Apple TV. This is the app on your home screen that looks like a blue “A.”
- Then scroll up and select the magnifying glass icon.
- Next, search for the app you want to update. You can do this by entering the name of the app letter-by-letter. If you have a voice remote, you can also press the microphone button and say the name of the app you want to update.
- Then select the app.
- Finally, select Update. If you don’t see this option, it means the app is up to date.
If you want to make sure that your apps are up to date, check out our guide on how to turn your Apple TV off and on. Then you can check for updates again.
HelloTech editors choose the products and services we write about. When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission.
