tvOS 26 Introduces Automatic Sign-In Feature for Apple TV Apps

Apple this week introduced a new Automatic Sign-In API, which will make it easier to sign in to apps across multiple Apple devices.

apple tv app 1
Starting with Apple's latest software releases, such as iOS 26 and tvOS 26, you will be able to sign in to a supported app on one Apple device and automatically be signed in to the app on other Apple devices. For example, if you sign in to the Disney+ app on your iPhone, you would automatically be signed in to the Disney+ app on your Apple TV. However, it will take time for developers to begin implementing this functionality.

Apple says this feature will eliminate the need to re-enter usernames and passwords across its software platforms, by linking app logins to a user's Apple Account.

tvOS 26 is currently available in beta.

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

Popular Stories

iphone 16 pro models 1

17 Reasons to Wait for the iPhone 17

Thursday June 12, 2025 8:58 am PDT 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 simultaneously, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 17 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect from Apple's 2025 smartphone lineup. If you skipped the iPhone...
iPadOS 26 App Windowing

Apple Explains Why iPads Don't Just Run macOS

Friday June 13, 2025 7:46 am PDT by
iPadOS 26 allows iPads to function much more like Macs, with a new app windowing system, a swipe-down menu bar at the top of the screen, and more. However, Apple has stopped short of allowing iPads to run macOS, and it has now explained why. In an interview this week with Swiss tech journalist Rafael Zeier, Apple's software engineering chief Craig Federighi said that iPadOS 26's new Mac-like ...
iOS 26 Screens

Here Are All the iOS 26 Features That Require iPhone 15 Pro or Newer

Thursday June 12, 2025 4:53 am PDT by
With iOS 26, Apple has introduced some major changes to the iPhone experience, headlined by the new Liquid Glass redesign that's available across all compatible devices. However, several of the update's features are exclusive to iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 models, since they rely on Apple Intelligence. The following features are powered by on-device large language models and machine...
apple beta 26 lineup

Apple 'Sherlocked' These Apps at WWDC 2025

Wednesday June 11, 2025 7:14 am PDT by
Apple at WWDC previewed a bunch of new features coming in its updated operating systems, but certain changes will have been met with dismay by third-party developers who already offer apps with equivalent or similar features. In other words, their product has been "sherlocked" by Apple. When Apple creates an app or a feature that has functionality found in a third-party app, it is referred...
iOS 26 on Three iPhones

Hate iOS 26's Liquid Glass Design? Here's How to Tone It Down

Wednesday June 11, 2025 4:22 pm PDT by
iOS 26 features a whole new design material that Apple calls Liquid Glass, with a focus on transparency that lets the content on your display shine through the controls. If you're not a fan of the look, or are having trouble with readability, there is a step that you can take to make things more opaque without entirely losing out on the new look. Apple has multiple Accessibility options that ...
maxresdefault

Everything Apple Announced at WWDC 2025 in 10 Minutes

Monday June 9, 2025 5:21 pm PDT by
At today's WWDC 2025 keynote event, Apple unveiled a new design that will inform the next decade of iOS, iPadOS, and macOS development, so needless to say, it was a busy day. Apple also unveiled a ton of new features for the iPhone, an overhauled Spotlight interface for the Mac, and a ton of updates that make the iPad more like a Mac than ever before. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel ...
CarPlay Liquid Glass Dark

Apple to Let iPhone Users Watch Videos on CarPlay Screen While Parked

Thursday June 12, 2025 6:16 am PDT by
Apple this week announced that iPhone users will soon be able to watch videos right on the CarPlay screen in supported vehicles. iPhone users will be able to wirelessly stream videos to the CarPlay screen using AirPlay, according to Apple. For safety reasons, video playback will only be available when the vehicle is parked, to prevent distracted driving. The connected iPhone will be able to...
Logitech Logo Feature

Logitech Announces Two New Accessories for WWDC

Friday June 13, 2025 7:22 am PDT by
Alongside WWDC this week, Logitech announced notable new accessories for the iPad and Apple Vision Pro. The Logitech Muse is a spatially-tracked stylus developed for use with the Apple Vision Pro. Introduced during the WWDC 2025 keynote address, Muse is intended to support the next generation of spatial computing workflows enabled by visionOS 26. The device incorporates six degrees of...

Top Rated Comments

turbineseaplane Avatar
17 hours ago at 11:03 am
I feel like we've heard this before.

As always, with this type of feature, you're counting on buy-in from other major companies with their Apps.

That buy-in is notoriously hard to get sometimes, especially since Apple directly competes with many of them via Apple TV+.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BeerDrinkerDan Avatar
16 hours ago at 11:19 am

That is good news. On the other hand, I don’t even remember when I actually had to sign in into any of the apps I’m using on the ApoleTV
Oh man, Hulu logs us out regularly (Apple 4k 3rd Wifi+Ethernet, updated TVOS). Not all the time, but I'd guess once a month or slightly more frequently. Sucks.

-bdd
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
crizzly Avatar
14 hours ago at 01:42 pm
Does this trickle down to the profile level? For example, each profile on the Apple TV could login apps (like YouTube) to their respective account or is this supposed to be more of a device level feature?
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nuckinfutz Avatar
16 hours ago at 11:19 am
I'm going to be highly pissed if developers don't support this and i'm looking at you Netflix.

Since my wife watches streaming media from a variety of platform she's always getting signed out of other device and then i've got to go digging through 1Password to find the login information.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Jgreg00 Avatar
15 hours ago at 12:27 pm

Ah yes the apple of nowadays: “We have something cool for you, but… it’s gonna take a while before you get it”.

Stop announcing stuff that isn’t ready year. FFS!
I mean, they have to announce it so that developers know about and so that users can pester those developers about adding it to their apps. Sometimes that works well and there is a lot of buy in. Sometimes it doesn't work well and there is a lot of feetdragging...like with adding drivers license in Apple Wallet. It's insane that there are still only about 10 states that let you do that.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Jeaz Avatar
14 hours ago at 02:12 pm
With Apple finally adding the profile check when you start up, I hope all the app devs also tie their user selection to the profile making it a seamless experience. One can dream at least…
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)