Starting with the upcoming tvOS 26.2 update, currently in beta, additional profiles created on the Apple TV no longer require their own Apple Account.
In the Settings app on the Apple TV, under Profiles and Accounts, anyone can create a new profile by simply entering a name and indicating whether the profile is for a kid. The profile will be associated with the primary user's Apple Account, whereas each profile required its own separate Apple Account on tvOS 26.1 and earlier.
If the profile is for a kid, the Apple TV app will only display content with up to a PG rating by default. This essentially means that the Apple TV app now has a dedicated kids mode, a long-requested feature. You can adjust the rating limit while setting up the profile, or later in the Settings app, under Apps → TV → Content Restrictions.
For a kid's profile, content restrictions only apply to the Apple TV app. Parental controls for other apps can be set in the Settings app, under General → Restrictions.
A profile created in this manner can be upgraded to its own Apple Account in the Settings app, under Profiles and Accounts, with approval from the primary user. When a profile is upgraded, information about what that profile watched will be transferred to the new Apple Account, and it will no longer be associated with the primary user's profile. However, Apple says any purchases, rentals, and subscriptions will remain associated with the primary user's profile and will not be transferred to the new Apple Account.
Read our earlier story to learn more:
tvOS 26.2 will be released to all users in December. The update is compatible with all Apple TV HD and Apple TV 4K models released in 2015 and later.
