Apple Seeds Third Beta of tvOS 17.1 to Developers

Apple today seeded the third beta of an upcoming tvOS 17.1 to developers for testing purposes, with the beta coming a week after the launch of the second tvOS 17.1 beta.

Apple TV 2022 Feature Blue
Registered developers can download the tvOS 17.1 update by opting in to the beta through the Settings app on the Apple TV. A registered developer account is required.

tvOS updates are often minor in scale compared to other operating system updates, focusing primarily on bug fixes and smaller improvements rather than notable outward-facing changes. tvOS 17.1 adds a new favoriting option to the Music app on the ‌Apple TV‌, along with some other minor Music changes.

Apple shares some information on tvOS releases in its tvOS support document, which is updated after each tvOS launch, but Apple does not provide notes during beta testing.

Though we don't often know much about what's new in tvOS betas, we let MacRumors readers know when new updates are available so those who are developers can download new software upon release. Apple has also seeded a new beta of HomePod 17.1 software for developers.

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

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro on Desk Centered 1

iPhone 17 Pro Launching in Two Months With These 16 New Features

Thursday July 17, 2025 8:33 am PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are less than two months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models.Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone X through iPhone 14 Pro ...
ios 19 messages app

Apple Sues Jon Prosser Over iOS 26 Leaks

Thursday July 17, 2025 8:40 pm PDT by
Earlier this year, YouTuber Jon Prosser shared multiple videos showing off what he claimed to be re-created renderings of what was then presumed to be called iOS 19 and which was eventually unveiled by Apple as iOS 26 at WWDC in June. In his first video back in January, Prosser showed off a Camera app redesign with a simpler set of buttons for moving between photo and video modes, and he...
iOS 26 on Three iPhones

iOS 26 Public Beta Expected This Week as First iOS 27 Rumor Surfaces

Sunday July 20, 2025 7:36 am PDT by
The first iOS 26 public beta should arrive this week, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. "All indications are that iOS 26 should go into the public beta phase this coming week," said Gurman, in his Power On newsletter today. In a social media post last week, Gurman said that the iOS 26 public beta would likely be released on or around Wednesday, July 23. Apple previously announced...
Generic iPhone 17 Feature With Full Width Dynamic Island

iPhone 17 Series Is Less Than Two Months Away: Everything We Know

Friday July 18, 2025 4:23 am PDT by
Apple is expected to hold its annual iPhone announcement event during the week of September 8, 2025, with September 9 or 10 emerging as the most likely dates. Like the iPhone 16 series, this year's lineup is expected to include four models – but with a twist. The ‌Plus device is being replaced with an all-new ultra-thin model, while the iPhone 17 Pro and ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ Max are set to...
iPhone 17 Air Thumb 2 Blue Electric Boogaloo

iPhone 17 Air's Limited Battery Capacity Leaked

Friday July 18, 2025 12:03 pm PDT by
The battery capacity of Apple's rumored iPhone 17 Air will be below the 3,000 mAh mark, according to a recent post from Instant Digital, an account with more than 1.4 million followers on Chinese social media platform Weibo. Thanks to iOS 26's new Adaptive Power Mode, though, the account said that the iPhone 17 Air should achieve full-day battery life. A previous rumor pegged the iPhone...
iPhone 17 Pro Dark Blue and Orange

Ranked: The Best Features Rumored for the iPhone 17 Lineup

Wednesday July 16, 2025 4:17 pm PDT by
We have just under two months to go until the debut of Apple's iPhone 17 models, and rumors have been ramping up in recent weeks. We went through everything we know so far, pulling out the most exciting rumors and highlighting some other changes that aren't going to be so great. Top Tier Ultra Thin iPhone 17 Air - The iPhone 17 Air is 2025's most exciting iPhone rumor, because it's the...
CarPlay Liquid Glass Dark

iOS 26's Biggest CarPlay Feature Was Quietly Hiding on Apple's Website

Monday July 21, 2025 7:45 am PDT by
Apple recently announced that iPhone users will soon be able to watch videos right on the CarPlay screen in supported vehicles. This is arguably the biggest new CarPlay feature coming with the iOS 26 update later this year, and yet Apple did not even mention it during its WWDC 2025 keynote last month. Instead, it was buried on Apple's developer website. iPhone users will be able to...
CarPlay Ultra Climate Controls

Apple Says These Automakers Will Offer CarPlay Ultra

Friday July 18, 2025 1:47 pm PDT by
A few months ago, Apple announced the launch of CarPlay Ultra, the long-awaited next-generation version of CarPlay. CarPlay Ultra is currently limited to newer Aston Martin vehicles in the U.S. and Canada. Fortunately, if you cannot afford a $250,000 luxury vehicle, the software system will eventually be available in more affordable vehicles. Apple said "many" other automakers around...
watchOS 26 New Features

watchOS 26: 10 New Things Your Apple Watch Can Do

Friday July 18, 2025 8:12 am PDT by
Along with the launch of new Apple Watch models, Apple is releasing watchOS 26 in just under a couple of months, and the software update is bringing several new features that should make all compatible Apple Watch models smarter and more helpful. Provided you own a model that supports watchOS 26, here are 10 new things you'll be able to do with your Apple Watch when the software rolls...

Top Rated Comments

Danilo - Italy Avatar
23 months ago

I was confused why the icons were smaller. I agree with you. Is this another case of Apple not doing adequate user testing, and making assumptions based on their own well-financed setups?
The new six mode works well only if you have a big screen, from 55 inch and up. I my opinion the clock is really small too. Maybe at Apple they have only 65/85 inch screens.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
GaryMumford Avatar
23 months ago

The new six mode works well only if you have a big screen, from 55 inch and up. I my opinion the clock is really to small. Maybe at Apple have 65/85 inch screens.
Maybe it's just me, But I only have a 49" TV and think the 6 icons are so much better than the 5. I think 5 icons are way too big!!!
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bobscape Avatar
23 months ago

tvOS 17.1 DB3 broke the ability to swipe using my iPhone (running 17.1 DB3) as the remote.

Restart hasn’t fixed it.
Works fine on both my iPad and iPhone, both running 17.1. Just to be clear, the remote app has benn deprecated. Functionality has been migrated to the control panel.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
coolfactor Avatar
23 months ago

Hopefully 17.1 adds a way to switch back to the 5 column grid .. (is there a setting that I'm missing?) the 6 column grid icons are too small on my parents TV..

Why isn't this a user-adjustable setting? Not everyone has a 75"+ TV FFS...
I was confused why the icons were smaller. I agree with you. Is this another case of Apple not doing adequate user testing, and making assumptions based on their own well-financed setups?
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
melapple Avatar
23 months ago

Maybe it's just me, But I only have a 49" TV and think the 6 icons are so much better than the 5. I think 5 icons are way too big!!!
Agree, and I own a 43” TV. What do people need huge tvOS app icons for? With 6 apps per row there’s less scrolling needed.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
RGPphotog Avatar
23 months ago
I'm just gonna drop a ProTip™ in here, that as a replacement to an actual remote App, a Shortcuts "app" button works quite well. I find that's easier/faster to get to than the control panel. I keep it in a "Favorites" folder on my dock.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)