Apple’s latest tvOS 26 update brings a fresh design, fun new features, and smarter ways to enjoy entertainment at home.

Apple has officially introduced tvOS 26, and it’s bringing a major visual and functional upgrade to Apple TV. The update introduces a sleek new look called Liquid Glass, more intuitive user profiles, better ways to log in, a karaoke-like experience through Apple Music Sing, and even more beautiful screen savers.

A Fresh Look with Liquid Glass

The standout feature in tvOS 26 is the Liquid Glass design — a vibrant, fluid UI element that reflects your surroundings in real time. It adds depth and polish to your TV interface without distracting from what you’re watching. Whether you're fast-forwarding, adjusting audio, or enabling a scene like "Movie Night," the content always stays center stage.

Discovering Content Just Got Easier

The Apple TV app has been redesigned to make finding something to watch more exciting. Cinematic poster art now fills the screen, making your browsing experience feel like flipping through a modern, interactive movie shelf.

When Apple TV wakes up, you can now choose to have user profiles automatically pop up, giving each person quick access to their personalized Watchlist, TV recommendations, and Apple Music playlists.

Smarter Logins with Apple Account

Developers now have access to a new API that connects logins to a user’s Apple Account. That means setting up your favorite apps on a new Apple TV is now faster and easier — no more typing long passwords with the remote.

Turn Your iPhone into a Microphone

tvOS 26 takes Apple Music Sing to the next level. You can now use your iPhone as a microphone—your voice will be amplified through the TV for a true karaoke experience. Want to turn it into a party? Friends can join in using their own iPhones to queue up songs or react with emojis. Real-time lyrics and colorful on-screen visuals add to the fun.

New features like Lyrics Translation and Pronunciation also make it easier to sing along to international hits, even if you don’t know the language.

FaceTime Becomes More Personal

FaceTime on Apple TV gets better, too. Now, when someone calls, their Contact Poster appears on screen with their photo and name, just like on iPhone. Live Captions now support more languages, including French, German, Spanish, Japanese, and more, making conversations easier for more people.

If you get a FaceTime or phone call while using Apple TV, the notification will show up on screen for the active profile, and you can choose to answer from your iPhone or HomePod.

Stunning New Screen Savers from India

Apple is adding breathtaking Aerial screen savers from various locations across India, including Goa and Kerala. Users can now even choose specific types of screen savers, like Cityscape, Earth, Landscape, or Underwater, or hide ones they don’t want to see.

More Sound Control

Now you can set any AirPlay-enabled speaker as your default speaker for Apple TV. That means less switching around and more consistent audio, whether you’re watching movies or listening to music.

Availability

tvOS 26 is available for developers starting today via the Apple Developer Program. A public beta is launching next month through Apple’s Beta Software Program, and the full release is expected this fall as a free update.