Apple has today released tvOS 26, a major update for Apple TV that brings a new design, smarter profiles and an upgraded Apple Music Sing experience.
The update introduces a fresh look called Liquid Glass, designed to reflect and refract surroundings in real time. Apple says it keeps video central while fast-forwarding, rewinding, adjusting audio or setting a “Movie Night” scene in Control Center.
The Apple TV app has also been redesigned with cinematic poster art, displaying more shows and films at once to help users find something new to watch.
Profiles can now be set to appear automatically when Apple TV wakes, quickly restoring personal recommendations and playlists.
A new developer API links app logins to Apple Accounts, making it easier to sign in when setting up a new device.
Apple Music Sing gets its biggest update yet. iPhone can now be used as a handheld microphone for Apple TV, amplifying voices during sing-alongs.
Multiple people can join in, queue tracks and react with on-screen emoji. Lyrics Translation and Pronunciation expand the feature to more songs and languages, with real-time visuals lighting up the big screen.
FaceTime on Apple TV gains Contact Posters, showing a person’s customised photo and name when calls begin.
Live Captions expand to include French, German, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin and Spanish, while audio and phone call notifications now appear onscreen for the active profile.
Other notable updates include new aerial screen savers captured in India, including Goa and Kerala, users can select specific types of Aerials — Cityscape, Earth, Landscape or Underwater — or hide them, and any AirPlay-enabled speaker can now be set as a permanent speaker for Apple TV.
tvOS 26 is available to download today for all supported Apple TV models.