Apple Releases tvOS 16.4 for Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD

Apple today released tvOS 16.4, the fourth major point update to the tvOS 16 operating system that came out last September. Available for the Apple TV 4K and ‌Apple TV‌ HD, tvOS 16.4 comes two months following the release of tvOS 16.3.

apple tv 4k red image
The tvOS 16.4 update can be downloaded over the air through the Settings app on the ‌‌‌‌‌Apple TV‌‌‌‌‌ by going to System > Software Update. ‌‌‌‌‌Apple TV‌‌‌‌‌ owners who have automatic software updates turned on will be upgraded to ‌tvOS 16.4 automatically.

tvOS updates are often minor in scale, focusing on internal bug fixes and improvements rather than outward-facing changes. The 16.4 update adds a Dim Flashing Lights option that is meant to dim the display when there are flashes of light or strobe effects.

This update adds Dim Flashing Lights, an accessibility option to automatically dim the display of video when flashes of light or strobe effects are detected, and includes performance and stability improvements.

Apple shares information on tvOS releases in its tvOS support document, which is updated after each tvOS launch.

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

Popular Stories

iOS 26

When Will Apple Release iOS 26.2?

Monday December 1, 2025 4:37 pm PST by
We're getting closer to the launch of the final major iOS update of the year, with Apple set to release iOS 26.2 in December. We've had three betas so far and are expecting a fourth beta or a release candidate this week, so a launch could follow as soon as next week. Past Launch Dates Apple's past iOS x.2 updates from the last few years have all happened right around the middle of the...
ios 18 to ios 26 upgrade

Apple Pushes iPhone Users Still on iOS 18 to Upgrade to iOS 26

Tuesday December 2, 2025 11:09 am PST by
Apple is encouraging iPhone users who are still running iOS 18 to upgrade to iOS 26 by making the iOS 26 software upgrade option more prominent. Since iOS 26 launched in September, it has been displayed as an optional upgrade at the bottom of the Software Update interface in the Settings app. iOS 18 has been the default operating system option, and users running iOS 18 have seen iOS 18...
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 ...
iphone 17 cyber

iPhone 17 Demand Is Breaking Apple's Sales Records

Tuesday December 2, 2025 9:44 am PST by
Apple's iPhone 17 lineup is selling well enough that Apple is on track to ship more than 247.4 million total iPhones in 2025, according to a new report from IDC. Total 2025 shipments are forecast to grow 6.1 percent year over year due to iPhone 17 demand and increased sales in China, a major market for Apple. Overall worldwide smartphone shipments across Android and iOS are forecast to...
iOS 26

Apple Seeds iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 Release Candidates to Developers and Public Beta Testers

Wednesday December 3, 2025 10:33 am PST by
Apple today seeded the release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 updates to developers and public beta testers, with the software coming two weeks after Apple seeded the third betas. The release candidates represent the final versions of iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 that will be provided to the public if no further bugs are found during this final week of testing....
Photos App Icon Liquid Glass

John Gruber Shares Scathing Commentary About Apple's Departing Software Design Chief

Thursday December 4, 2025 9:30 am PST by
In a statement shared with Bloomberg on Wednesday, Apple confirmed that its software design chief Alan Dye will be leaving. Apple said Dye will be succeeded by Stephen Lemay, who has been a software designer at the company since 1999. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that Dye will lead a new creative studio within the company's AR/VR division Reality Labs. On his blog Daring Fireball,...
Touchscreen MacBook Feature

Here Are the Four MacBooks Apple Is Expected to Launch Next Year

Monday December 1, 2025 5:00 am PST by
2026 could be a bumper year for Apple's Mac lineup, with the company expected to announce as many as four separate MacBook launches. Rumors suggest Apple will court both ends of the consumer spectrum, with more affordable options for students and feature-rich premium lines for users that seek the highest specifications from a laptop. Below is a breakdown of what we're expecting over the next ...
iphone air camera

iPhone Air's Resale Value Has Dropped Dramatically, Data Shows

Thursday December 4, 2025 5:27 am PST by
The iPhone Air has recorded the steepest early resale value drop of any iPhone model in years, with new data showing that several configurations have lost almost 50% of their value within ten weeks of launch. According to a ten-week analysis published by SellCell, Apple's latest lineup is showing a pronounced split in resale performance between the iPhone 17 models and the iPhone Air....
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

iPhone 17 Pro Lost a Camera Feature Pro Models Have Had Since 2020

Thursday December 4, 2025 5:18 am PST by
iPhone 17 Pro models, it turns out, can't take photos in Night mode when Portrait mode is selected in the Camera app – a capability that's been available on Apple's Pro devices since the iPhone 12 Pro in 2020. If you're an iPhone 17 Pro or iPhone 17 Pro Max owner, try it for yourself: Open the Camera app with Photo selected in the carousel, then cover the rear lenses with your hand to...
chatgpt logo

Sam Altman Declares 'Code Red' for ChatGPT, Delays OpenAI Advertising Plans

Tuesday December 2, 2025 3:30 pm PST by
OpenAI is deprioritizing work on advertising as it focuses on improving the quality of ChatGPT, reports The Information. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman declared a "code red" on Monday, and told employees that the company needs to improve ChatGPT so it doesn't fall behind competitors like Google and Anthropic. Altman said that OpenAI needs to work on personalization for each user, image generation,...

Top Rated Comments

xpxp2002 Avatar
35 months ago

I hope you didn't buy the poverty version without the ethernet port.
The elimination of the Ethernet port on the Apple TV is one of the most infuriating and consumer-unfriendly "upsell" tactics I've seen Apple do to date.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Michael Scrip Avatar
35 months ago

The elimination of the Ethernet port on the Apple TV is one of the most infuriating and consumer-unfriendly "upsell" tactics I've seen Apple do to date.
On the other hand... the difference between the "normal" Apple TV and the "good" Apple TV is only $20.

In my mind that's gotta be the least-offensive upsell that Apple has ever offered. :p

For $20 you get an Ethernet port, a Thread radio, and double the storage. That's really not bad.

Though I gotta wonder why Apple even made the "normal" version in the first place. If they only offered the "good" model at $149, that's still cheaper than the previous generation which started at $179.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
xpxp2002 Avatar
35 months ago
Ever since tvOS 16.2, my TV won't turn on using HDMI-CEC and makes weird static noises when I turn it on manually after the Apple TV turns it off.

Hopefully this finally fixes it.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
melapple Avatar
35 months ago
Guys, we’ve always complained about large tv libraries taking forever to load in the movies app well, guess what, I have not yet updated my 3rd gen Apple TV HD to today’s release but I’m happy to report that my 700 plus movies library loads in about 3 secs (vs about 30 prior to today). They must have changed something server-side
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Devnul0 Avatar
35 months ago
I've only occasionally been able to control my Yamaha receiver via HDMI-CEC and the ATV remote volume buttons since 16 came out. Setup is a TiVo and the ATV going HDMI into the TV, the TV doing the input selection, then HDMI out to the receiver for eArc and CEC. For a while I thought the magic was to ensure that the TV had selected the ATV as the input before I turned on the ATV, but even that proved unreliable. The ATV remote power button wouldn't turn on the system any more, and holding the power button would turn off only the ATV not the TV or stereo.
I hope this update makes it all work again like it did with 15.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
tomnavratil Avatar
35 months ago
Hopefully they fix the annoying bug where you can't control the soundbar or HDMI CEC-connected sound device in general via the volume buttons (even after trying to learn it over and over).
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)