YouTube Apple TV App Updated With Streamlined Interface, Video Advertisements

As noted by Re/code, YouTube today updated its app for the Apple TV, improving its appearance and expanding the content available to stream. With this update, the Apple TV version catches up to the Xbox, PlayStation and other similar streaming devices.

Besides a refreshed design, the new YouTube Apple TV update adds features such as personalized recommendations, channel subscriptions and predictive search. It also now supports all YouTube content, including music videos, vlogs and even advertisements.


The new YouTube experience should be rolling out today for all Apple TV owners. It follows several recent notable updates that added new channels such as today's addition of UFC.TV, The Scene, Fusion, and Dailymotion, as well as earlier additions of FXNOW, Beats Music, Showtime Anytime and more in recent months.

Related Roundup: Apple TV
Buyer's Guide: Apple TV (Don't Buy)

Popular Stories

imac video apple feature

Apple Unveils First New Products of 2026

Monday January 26, 2026 1:55 pm PST by
Apple today introduced its first two physical products of 2026: a second-generation AirTag and the Black Unity Connection Braided Solo Loop for the Apple Watch. Read our coverage of each announcement to learn more:Apple Unveils New AirTag With Longer Range, Louder Speaker, and More Apple Introduces New Black Unity Apple Watch BandBoth the new AirTag and the Black Unity Connection Braided...
iPhone 5s

iPhone 5s Gets New Software Update 13 Years After Launch

Monday January 26, 2026 3:56 pm PST by
Alongside iOS 26.2.1, Apple today released an updated version of iOS 12 for devices that are still running that operating system update, eight years after the software was first released. iOS 12.5.8 is available for the iPhone 5s and the iPhone 6, meaning Apple is continuing to support these devices for 13 and 12 years after launch, respectively. The iPhone 5s came out in September 2013,...
Second Generation AirTag Feature

Apple Unveils New AirTag With Longer Range, Louder Speaker, and More

Monday January 26, 2026 6:07 am PST by
Apple today introduced the second-generation AirTag, with key features including longer range for tracking items and a louder speaker. For those who are not familiar, the AirTag is a small accessory that you can attach to your backpack, keys, or other items. Then, you can track the location of those items in the Find My app on the iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and iCloud.com. The new...
Apple Creator Studio

Apple's Next Launch is Today

Tuesday January 27, 2026 2:39 pm PST by
Update: Apple Creator Studio is now available. Apple Creator Studio launches this Wednesday, January 28. The all-in-one subscription provides access to the Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro, Pixelmator Pro, Motion, Compressor, and MainStage apps, with U.S. pricing set at $12.99 per month or $129 per year. A subscription to Apple Creator Studio also unlocks "intelligent features" and "premium...
Apple Logo Spotlight

Apple to Launch These 20+ Products This Year

Sunday January 25, 2026 6:02 pm PST by
2026 promises to be yet another busy year for Apple, with the company rumored to be planning more than 20 product announcements over the coming months. Beyond the usual updates to iPhones, iPads, Macs, and Apple Watches, Apple is expected to release its all-new smart home hub, which was reportedly delayed until the more personalized version of Siri is ready. Other unique products rumored for ...

Top Rated Comments

drewsof07 Avatar
145 months ago
Wahoo!!! something new in Apple TV world!!!

Advertisements... New is not always better
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
decimortis Avatar
145 months ago
The ensuing meltdown from my toddlers should be interesting. I wonder if they'll understand why they suddenly need to watch 30 seconds of ******** before Elsa sings Let It Go for them.

D.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
c.s. Avatar
145 months ago
Keep in mind that advertisements are how youtube creators get paid. If you have Adblock enabled, they don't get paid for those views.
It's a dinosaur business model. The technology exists for anyone who wants to avoid online advertising. I'm all for content creators making money -- just not with annoying interruption marketing. 30% of Americans have AdBlock installed -- people are figuring this out. You can avoid advertising. Cat is out of the bag. There has to be a better way.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DaveN Avatar
145 months ago
Advertisements... New is not always better

The lack of intrusive advertising was the reason I used AppleTV to watch YouTube videos. Time to allow third party apps on Apple TV so we can get some apps without requiring the viewer sit through a sixty second commercial to watch a 15 second video.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dXTC Avatar
145 months ago
The lack of intrusive advertising was the reason I used AppleTV to watch YouTube videos. Time to allow third party apps on Apple TV so we can get some apps without requiring the viewer sit through a sixty second commercial to watch a 15 second video.

Hear, hear, DaveN! YouTube on the Apple TV has just lost its luster for me as well. I don't want to bring up a music video, just to have ANOTHER music video show itself in its entirety as an unskippable "ad" first. YouTube does this on the Website version, and it's annoying as [bleep]. Time to fire up the ol' Firefox YT download plugin...
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Rogzilla Avatar
145 months ago
Pardon my lack of concern, but what makes my time any less valuable than theirs?

You're right, content creators don't deserve compensation for their hard work. I mean, if you try to charge people for content, they will just find a way to steal it so advertisements allow them to offer free content. It only takes a few seconds usually, with longer ads usually skipable after 5 seconds.

What do you do for a living? Do you do it for free? No? Then accept that, if you are watching original content on YouTube, you have to sit through a small ad sometimes so you don't have to pay anything yourself.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)