Apple has seeded the first beta of an upcoming tvOS 16 software update to its public beta testing group, giving non-developers a chance to try out the new Apple TV software ahead of its official release in the fall.

apple tv 4k design triad
tvOS 16 brings several new features to ‌Apple TV‌. tvOS 16 enables cross-device connectivity, a feature that allows developers to integrate ‌‌Apple TV‌‌ apps with iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch apps to unlock new experiences on the TV. Apple has also improved how multiple user profiles work in tvOS 16 by adding a shared keychain, so users won't need to sign in and choose their profile when launching an ‌‌Apple TV‌‌ app.

Game controller support has been expanded to the Nintendo Joy-Cons and Pro Controller, and HDR10+ support is available in the tvOS 16 ‌‌Apple TV‌‌ app. With tvOS 16, the ‌‌Apple TV‌‌ will support Matter, an upcoming standard that will improve interoperability between smart home accessories from different companies.

Before you rush to install the tvOS 16 beta, it's worth remembering that this is pre-release software, so don't expect things to work 100 percent trouble-free. Apple has released relatively stable beta versions of its operating systems this year, but beta software is inherently unstable, as it contains bugs and issues that have yet to be ironed out. Still interested? Then read on.

Is tvOS 16 Compatible With My Apple TV?

tvOS 16 is designed to run on the fourth and fifth-generation ‌Apple TV‌ models (‌Apple TV‌ HD and ‌Apple TV‌ 4K, respectively). It is not compatible with earlier versions of the ‌Apple TV‌, because those models do not support tvOS.

How to Enroll in the Apple Beta Software Program

To download and install the tvOS 16 beta, you must enroll in the free Apple Beta Software Program. If you're already enrolled, you can skip these steps and jump to the next section.

  1. Open Apple's Safari browser on a computer or iOS device and navigate to the Apple Beta Software Program.
  2. Tap the blue Sign up button, or, if you're already a member, click Sign in in the top-right of the webpage.
  3. beta oses

  4. Enter your Apple ID credentials and tap the Sign in button.
  5. Agree to the Apple Beta Software Program terms and conditions if necessary.

How to Download and Install tvOS 16 on Apple TV

Once you're enrolled in the Apple Beta Software Program, you'll need to carry out the following steps on your ‌Apple TV‌.

  1. From your ‌Apple TV‌, click through to Settings > Accounts.
  2. Under ‌Apple ID‌, sign into at least one of the account options (iCloud, iTunes and App Store, or Game Center) with the same ‌Apple ID‌ that you used to register for the Apple Beta Software Program.
  3. On your ‌Apple TV‌, click through to Settings > System > Software Updates.
    apple tv software updates

  4. Click Get Beta Updates to turn it on.
  5. Follow the onscreen instructions to complete the process.

Your ‌Apple TV‌ should automatically download and install the latest public beta software if you have Automatically Update turned on in the Software Updates settings, but you can always manually check for updates by clicking through to Settings > System > Software Updates > Update Software.

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

Popular Stories

Generic iOS 19 Feature Mock Light

iOS 19 Leak Reveals All-New Design

Friday January 17, 2025 2:42 pm PST by
iOS 19 is still around six months away from being announced, but a new leak has allegedly revealed a completely redesigned Camera app. Based on footage it obtained, YouTube channel Front Page Tech shared a video showing what the new Camera app will apparently look like, with the key change being translucent menus for camera controls. Overall, the design of these menus looks similar to...
iPhone 17 Air Size Feature

'iPhone 17 Air' With Rear Camera Bar Allegedly Shown in Leaked Photo

Tuesday January 21, 2025 12:46 pm PST by
A leaker known as "Majin Bu" today shared an alleged image of a component for the rumored, ultra-thin "iPhone 17 Air" model. The blurry, pixelated image shows a pair of rear iPhone shells with a pill-shaped, raised camera bar along the top. On the left side of the bar, there is a circular cutout that appears to be for a single rear camera. On the right side of the bar, there appears to be an ...
2024 App Store Awards

Apple Explains Why It Removed TikTok From the App Store in the U.S.

Sunday January 19, 2025 6:58 am PST by
Apple on late Saturday removed TikTok from the App Store in the U.S., and it has now explained why it was required to take this action. Last year, the U.S. passed a law that required Chinese company ByteDance to divest its ownership of TikTok due to potential national security risks, or else the platform would be banned. That law went into effect today, and companies like Apple and Google...
iPhone SE Dynamic Island Majin Bu

iPhone SE 4 Leak Shows Dynamic Island, Casts Doubt on Rumored 'iPhone 16E' Name

Monday January 20, 2025 9:01 am PST by
A new iPhone SE is widely rumored to launch this year, and the device has potentially been confirmed today by known leaker Evan Blass. In a private social media post, Blass shared an image of what appears to be source code mentioning an iPhone SE (4th Gen), which casts doubt on the alternative "iPhone 16E" name rumored for the device. However, the name in the source code could be a...
airtag 4 pack blue

AirTag 2 Launching This Year With These 3 New Features

Sunday January 19, 2025 8:11 am PST by
After a four-year wait, a new AirTag is finally expected to launch in 2025. Below, we recap rumored upgrades for the accessory. A few months ago, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said Apple was aiming to release the AirTag 2 around the middle of 2025. While he did not offer a more specific timeframe, that means the AirTag 2 could be announced by the end of June. The original AirTag was announced...
iOS 19 Roundup Feature

iOS 19 Rumored to Be Compatible With These iPhones

Saturday January 18, 2025 10:28 am PST by
iOS 19 will not drop support for any iPhone models, according to French website iPhoneSoft.fr. The report cited a source who said iOS 19 will be compatible with any iPhone that can run iOS 18, which would mean the following models: iPhone 16 iPhone 16 Plus iPhone 16 Pro iPhone 16 Pro Max iPhone 15 iPhone 15 Plus iPhone 15 Pro iPhone 15 Pro Max iPhone 14 iPhon...
apple power beats pro 2

Powerbeats Pro 2 Coming Soon: Apple to Announce Them 'Imminently'

Sunday January 19, 2025 8:25 am PST by
In September, Apple said that it would be launching Powerbeats Pro 2 in 2025, and it appears the wireless earbuds are coming very soon. Powerbeats Pro 2 images found in iOS 18 code In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said the Powerbeats Pro 2 are "due imminently." In addition to Apple filing the Powerbeats Pro 2 in regulatory databases last month, Gurman said Apple is...
ipad pro 2024

New iPad Pro Reportedly Launching This Year

Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:40 am PST by
Apple plans to release at least one new iPad Pro model this year, according to a supplier-focused report today from Korean website The Elec. It is likely that the 11-inch and 13-inch iPad Pro models would be updated simultaneously. After receiving an OLED display last year, the report said the iPad Pro will receive only "minor" changes this year. Overall, the next iPad Pro is expected to...
Generic iOS 18

Everything New in iOS 18.3 Beta 3

Thursday January 16, 2025 12:39 pm PST by
Apple provided the third beta of iOS 18.3 to developers today, and while the betas have so far been light on new features, the third beta makes some major changes to Notification Summaries and also tweaks a few other features. Notification Summary Changes Apple made multiple changes to Notification Summaries in response to complaints about inaccurate summaries of news headlines. For...