Apple Seeds Fourth Beta of Upcoming tvOS 13 Update to Developers - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Apple Seeds Fourth Beta of Upcoming tvOS 13 Update to Developers

Apple today seeded fourth beta of an upcoming tvOS 13 update to developers, two weeks after seeding the third beta and more than a month after unveiling the tvOS 13 software at the Worldwide Developers Conference.

Designed for the fourth and fifth-generation Apple TV, the new tvOS 13 developer beta can be downloaded onto the ‌Apple TV‌ via a profile that's installed using Xcode.

tvos13
tvOS 13 introduces an updated Home screen aimed at making it easier to discover new content. Apps are now able to play full-screen video previews right on the Home screen, similar to Netflix.

Multi-user support is available for the first time, letting more than one profile exist on the ‌Apple TV‌ so each family member can have their own customized ‌Apple TV‌ interface with separate recommendations, music playlists, and Watch Now lists.

Switching between profiles can be done with the new Control Center, which offers up profiles, the time and date, search, a Now Playing widget, AirPlay controls, and a sleep option.

tvOS 13 gets the ‌Apple TV‌ ready for Apple Arcade, Apple's new gaming service that's coming to the ‌Apple TV‌, iOS, iPadOS, and macOS later this year. ‌Apple Arcade‌ will offer unlimited access to more than 100 new and exclusive games, for one subscription fee.

As part of the ‌Apple Arcade‌ preparations, Apple has implemented support for the Xbox Wireless Bluetooth Controller and the PlayStation DualShock 4 Controller, both of which can be connected to an ‌Apple TV‌ over Bluetooth.

There are new under the sea themed screensavers created in partnership with the BBC Natural History Unit, which also created "Blue Planet." There's also a new Picture-in-Picture feature. Picture-in-Picture lets you continue to watch TV shows or movies while using a different app, adjusting settings, or otherwise navigating through the tvOS 13 operating system.

tvos13pictureinpicture
tvOS 13 is available to registered developers and public beta testers at this time and will see an official public launch this fall alongside iOS 13, iPadOS, macOS Catalina, and watchOS 6.

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

Popular Stories

tvOS 27 Feature

Apple Seeds tvOS 27 Beta 5 to Developers

Monday August 10, 2026 10:07 am PDT by
Apple today seeded the fifth beta of tvOS 27 to developers for testing purposes, with the update coming two weeks after Apple released the fourth beta. The beta can be downloaded and installed through the Settings app on the Apple TV. A free developer account is required. tvOS 27 has few new features compared to the other 27 software updates, but it does add a redesigned Podcasts app,...
watchos 27

tvOS 27 and watchOS 27 Third Public Betas Now Available

Tuesday August 11, 2026 10:20 am PDT by
Apple today released the third public betas of tvOS 27 and watchOS 27, giving Apple TV and Apple Watch users a chance to try the new software ahead of its fall launch. There's also a new HomePod Software 27 beta for the HomePod and HomePod mini. You can sign up for Apple's public beta testing program on the beta website, and then download the updates through the Settings app on each device. ...
Ted Lasso

Ted Lasso Season 4 Now Streaming on Apple TV

Wednesday August 5, 2026 1:51 pm PDT by
Comedy series Ted Lasso is back, with the first episode of season 4 available to stream as of today. It's been three years since the season 3 finale aired, and many expected it to be the last. The show returns to its underdog roots in season 4, with titular character Ted Lasso (played by Jason Sudeikis) moving back to Richmond to coach a second-division women's football team. Fan-favorite ...

Top Rated Comments

93 months ago
Got the public beta installed on one of my Apple TVs and it refuses to wake from sleep, forcing me to pull the power plug each time. Hoping this is fixed in beta 4/pb3.
Hold the home and menu buttons together on the Siri remote, until the power light on the Apple TV starts blinking. That will also force the Apple TV to restart without pulling the plug, even if the device is stuck in sleep mode.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Michary Avatar
93 months ago
Finally, the new beta supports autoplay for the TV app

Attachment Image
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
93 months ago
I also made the mistake of downloading TVOSls 13. Its horrible to say the least. Lots of apps aren't working well. Heck, Trailers doesn't even load! Can't wait for the update. Hurry Apple!
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AlyMourad Avatar
93 months ago
Buggiest beta ever! So far, I mean. As far as tvOS 13 goes. Hopefully, this release fixes something.
Yeah. And Apple TV 4K doesn’t have a USB port to restore if something goes wrong. I learned that the hard way. Now I have a paperweight Apple TV and a new one arriving in a few days
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
93 months ago
Buggiest beta ever! So far, I mean. As far as tvOS 13 goes. Hopefully, this release fixes something.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)