tvOS 26 Brings Major Apple TV Redesign—See What’s New

12 months ago

Apple WWDC25 tvOS 26 hero 250609_big.jpg.large.

Apple today unveiled tvOS 26 at WWDC, which brings the biggest Apple TV update in years. From a sleek new look to karaoke-style singalongs and smarter profiles, Apple is pushing its set-top box further into the spotlight.

Here’s a quick rundown of what’s coming to your Apple TV this fall:

Liquid Glass Redesign

Apple TV now features Liquid Glass, a vibrant and animated UI that reflects your room’s surroundings and reacts in real time. It makes the entire experience feel more alive — from adjusting audio to starting a movie night scene.

UI stays focused on what you’re watching during interactions.
Enhanced Apple TV app shows off more shows with cinematic poster art.

CleanShot 2025-06-09 at 11.21.46.

Smarter Profiles (FINALLY!)

CleanShot 2025-06-09 at 11.21.26.

You can now set profiles to appear automatically when Apple TV wakes. This means faster access to personalized watchlists and music playlists.

Quick switching between users
Auto-loads your TV app and Apple Music recommendations

Easier App Sign-ins

Developers now have access to a new login API that links streaming app sign-ins to your Apple ID.
When you set up a new Apple TV, you’re already signed into your favorite apps — no typing in passwords over and over.

Apple Music Sing Gets Supercharged

CleanShot 2025-06-09 at 11.21.34.

Your iPhone becomes a mic for karaoke nights — with your voice amplified through Apple TV.

Queue songs with friends, use on-screen emoji
Real-time lyrics, visual effects, and even translated lyrics
New pronunciation guides help you sing along in languages you don’t speak

FaceTime Upgrades

FaceTime on Apple TV now shows Contact Posters — just like on iOS. It also gets:

Live Captions in 6 new languages (French, German, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, Spanish)
On-screen phone call alerts
Answer audio calls using HomePod or iPhone

More Screen Saver Control

Gorgeous new Aerial views from India, including Goa and Kerala
You can now choose which types of aerials (City, Earth, Ocean) you want—or turn off ones you don’t

Audio Improvements

Set any AirPlay speaker as your permanent Apple TV speaker
Makes multi-room or custom setups easier than ever

Availability

Developer beta: now
Public beta: next month
Free software update: Fall 2025
Requires Apple TV 4K (2nd gen or later)
Some features need iPhone 11+ and latest OS

Want to see more of our stories on Google?

P.S. Want to keep this site truly independent? Support us by buying us a beer, treating us to a coffee, or shopping through Amazon here. Links in this post are affiliate links, so we earn a tiny commission at no charge to you. Thanks for supporting independent Canadian media!