tvOS 14 Brings Apple TV Support for AirPods Audio Sharing and Watching YouTube Videos in 4K

tvOS 14, which Apple introduced briefly on stage while previewing HomeKit features, is bringing a few major new feature updates to the Apple TV.

appletv4k2
For ‌Apple TV‌ 4K users, with tvOS 14, you'll finally be able to watch YouTube videos in 4K resolution, something that has not been previously possible. The ‌Apple TV‌ has not supported the 4K video codec that YouTube uses, limiting viewing to 1080p.

As noted by The Verge, the Apple TV 4K website highlights new additions to tvOS, with a mention of the 4K YouTube feature.

Apple is also bringing Audio Sharing for AirPods to the ‌Apple TV‌, which means two sets of AirPods can be connected to an ‌Apple TV‌ 4K at the same time. This will let multiple users watch movies and TV shows without disturbing others in the room.

Other new features include picture in picture support, an option to view ‌HomeKit‌ video feeds, multiuser support for gaming, and the option to use additional controllers like the Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 and Xbox Adaptive Controller.

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

Popular Stories

iOS 26

15 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 26.2

Friday December 5, 2025 9:40 am PST by
Apple is about to release iOS 26.2, the second major point update for iPhones since iOS 26 was rolled out in September, and there are at least 15 notable changes and improvements worth checking out. We've rounded them up below. Apple is expected to roll out iOS 26.2 to compatible devices sometime between December 8 and December 16. When the update drops, you can check Apple's servers for the ...
Intel Inside iPhone Feature

Apple's Return to Intel Rumored to Extend to iPhone

Friday December 5, 2025 10:08 am PST by
Intel is expected to begin supplying some Mac and iPad chips in a few years, and the latest rumor claims the partnership might extend to the iPhone. In a research note with investment firm GF Securities this week, obtained by MacRumors, analyst Jeff Pu said he and his colleagues "now expect" Intel to reach a supply deal with Apple for at least some non-pro iPhone chips starting in 2028....
iPhone 14 Pro Dynamic Island

iPhone 18 Pro Leak Adds New Evidence for Under-Display Face ID

Monday December 8, 2025 4:54 am PST by
Apple is actively testing under-screen Face ID for next year's iPhone 18 Pro models using a special "spliced micro-transparent glass" window built into the display, claims a Chinese leaker. According to "Smart Pikachu," a Weibo account that has previously shared accurate supply-chain details on Chinese Android hardware, Apple is testing the special glass as a way to let the TrueDepth...
iOS 26

Apple Seeds Second iOS 26.2 Release Candidate to Developers and Public Beta Testers

Monday December 8, 2025 10:18 am PST by
Apple today seeded the second release candidate version of iOS 26.2 to developers and public beta testers, with the software coming one week after Apple seeded the first RC. The release candidate represents the final version iOS 26.2 that will be provided to the public if no further bugs are found. Registered developers and public beta testers can download the betas from the Settings app on...
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

10 Reasons to Wait for Next Year's iPhone 18 Pro

Monday December 1, 2025 2:40 am PST by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models at the same time, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 18 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. One thing worth...
Johny Srouji

Apple Chip Chief Johny Srouji Could Be Next to Go as Exodus Continues

Sunday December 7, 2025 10:41 am PST by
Apple's senior vice president of hardware technologies Johny Srouji could be the next leading executive to leave the company amid an alarming exodus of leading employees, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports. Srouji apparently recently told CEO Tim Cook that he is "seriously considering leaving" in the near future. He intends to join another company if he departs. Srouji leads Apple's chip design ...
Johny Srouji

Apple's Chipmaking Chief Johny Srouji Responds to Report About Him Potentially Leaving

Monday December 8, 2025 9:23 am PST by
Apple's chipmaking chief Johny Srouji has reportedly indicated that he plans to continue working for the company for the foreseeable future. "I love my team, and I love my job at Apple, and I don't plan on leaving anytime soon," said Srouji, in a memo obtained by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Here is Srouji's full memo, as shared by Bloomberg:I know you've been reading all kind of rumors and...
top stories 2025 12 04a

Top Stories: iOS 26.2 Coming Soon, Apple Execs Depart, and More

Saturday December 6, 2025 6:00 am PST by
You'd expect things to be starting to wind down for the holidays by now, but that doesn't seem to be the case yet in the world of Apple news, with Apple just about ready to release iOS 26.2 and other operating system updates to the public. There was also a flurry of news this week about Apple executive departures, some expected and some not so expected, while we also learned that Apple and...
maxresdefault

iPhone Fold: Launch, Pricing, and What to Expect From Apple's Foldable

Monday December 1, 2025 3:00 am PST by
Apple is expected to launch a new foldable iPhone next year, based on multiple rumors and credible sources. The long-awaited device has been rumored for years now, but signs increasingly suggest that 2026 could indeed be the year that Apple releases its first foldable device. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Below, we've collated an updated set of key details that ...

Top Rated Comments

Bandaman Avatar
71 months ago
I hope 4K YouTube works across all Mac devices ... especially Safari on macOS.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
macintologist Avatar
71 months ago
Does 4K YouTube playback mean that Apple now supports the VP9 codec?
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MysteryMii215 Avatar
71 months ago

For Apple TV 4K users, with tvOS 14, you'll finally be able to watch YouTube videos in 4K resolution
Finally! Our long (inter)national nightmare is over!
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Wackery Avatar
71 months ago
I wonder who compromised with the 4K, apple or google
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mikevangorkom Avatar
71 months ago
4K currently not showing up in tvOS 14. Must require an update on YouTube's side first. But this is huge, and easily the biggest news for AppleTV. Let's hope this carries over to iPad and Safari as well.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
weekendwarrior123 Avatar
71 months ago

It must have been Apple. If Google caved, they would need to re-encode all their 4K videos to something the Apple TV supports.
The text on Apple’s website does specify that this applies to “the latest YouTube videos,” so it could be a change on YouTube’s side.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)