Apple Releases tvOS 16 With Expanded Game Controller Support, Cross-Device Connectivity, User Switching Improvements and More

Apple today released tvOS 16, the newest version of the tvOS operating system that is available for the Apple TV 4K and the ‌Apple TV‌ HD.

apple tv 4k design blue
The tvOS 16 update can be downloaded over the air through the Settings app on the ‌‌‌‌Apple TV‌‌‌‌ by going to System -> Software Update. ‌‌‌‌Apple TV‌‌‌‌ owners who have automatic software updates turned on will be upgraded to ‌tvOS 16 automatically.

‌Apple TV‌ software updates are more minor in scale than updates for other platforms like the iPhone, iPad, and Mac, but there are a few new features in tvOS 16 to be aware of.

The update brings game controller support for the the Nintendo Joy-Cons and the Nintendo Pro Controller. When Matter launches, the ‌Apple TV‌ with tvOS 16 installed will support it, for improved interoperability between smart home accessories from different companies.

tvOS 16 brings cross-device connectivity, a feature that lets developers integrate ‌Apple TV‌ apps with ‌iPhone‌, ‌iPad‌, and Apple Watch apps to unlock new experiences on ‌Apple TV‌. Multi-user profiles have also been improved through the use of a shared keychain, which means users won't need to sign in and choose their profile when launching an ‌Apple TV‌ app.

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

Popular Stories

Apple Logo Zoomed

Tim Cook Teases Plans for Apple's Upcoming 50th Anniversary

Thursday February 5, 2026 12:54 pm PST by
Apple turns 50 this year, and its CEO Tim Cook has promised to celebrate the milestone. The big day falls on April 1, 2026. "I've been unusually reflective lately about Apple because we have been working on what do we do to mark this moment," Cook told employees today, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. "When you really stop and pause and think about the last 50 years, it makes your heart ...
wwdc sans text feature

Apple Rumored to Announce New Product on February 19

Thursday February 5, 2026 12:22 pm PST by
Apple plans to announce the iPhone 17e on Thursday, February 19, according to Macwelt, the German equivalent of Macworld. The report, citing industry sources, is available in English on Macworld. Apple announced the iPhone 16e on Wednesday, February 19 last year, so the iPhone 17e would be unveiled exactly one year later if this rumor is accurate. It is quite uncommon for Apple to unveil...
Finder Siri Feature

Why Apple's iOS 26.4 Siri Upgrade Will Be Bigger Than Originally Promised

Friday February 6, 2026 3:06 pm PST by
In the iOS 26.4 update that's coming this spring, Apple will introduce a new version of Siri that's going to overhaul how we interact with the personal assistant and what it's able to do. The iOS 26.4 version of Siri won't work like ChatGPT or Claude, but it will rely on large language models (LLMs) and has been updated from the ground up. Upgraded Architecture The next-generation...
iOS 26

iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Tuesday February 3, 2026 7:47 am PST by
While the iOS 26.3 Release Candidate is now available ahead of a public release, the first iOS 26.4 beta is likely still at least a week away. Following beta testing, iOS 26.4 will likely be released to the general public in March or April. Below, we have recapped known or rumored iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 features so far. iOS 26.3 iPhone to Android Transfer Tool iOS 26.3 makes it easier...
iphone 17 pro dark blue 1

iPhone 18 Pro Max Rumored to Deliver Next-Level Battery Life

Friday February 6, 2026 5:14 am PST by
The iPhone 18 Pro Max will feature a bigger battery for continued best-in-class battery life, according to a known Weibo leaker. Citing supply chain information, the Weibo user known as "Digital Chat Station" said that the iPhone 18 Pro Max will have a battery capacity of 5,100 to 5,200 mAh. Combined with the efficiency improvements of the A20 Pro chip, made with TSMC's 2nm process, the...

Top Rated Comments

Think|Different Avatar
45 months ago
And the crowd goes mild! Shame they didn't do much with this one.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Benjamin Nabulsi Avatar
45 months ago
Wish Apple allows AppleTV to become home update server; it would download the latest version of iOS, WatchOS etc and let all devices update locally, I will never use the 32GB onboard to the fullest and it's a shame.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
daniel_rodrigues Avatar
45 months ago
Anyone try the iOS 16 remote with TVos16? I’m unable to change TV volume using my iPhone volume buttons. It worked perfectly with iOS15/ TVOS15 before…
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
_Spinn_ Avatar
45 months ago
I can't wait for Matter to launch.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Pezimak Avatar
45 months ago
Apparently this update fixes the audio problems the device has, where if you fast forward a video the audio stops and you have to restart the device sometimes to get it back. Their is a long thread related to the issue in Apples support forums, I'm affected so hope this fixes it as it's very annoying.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Subvet771 Avatar
45 months ago

Anyone try the iOS 16 remote with TVos16? I’m unable to change TV volume using my iPhone volume buttons. It worked perfectly with iOS15/ TVOS15 before…
I can change using the volume buttons with iOS 16 remote on tvOS 16 but I do so from the Lock Screen on my iPhone. Last resort there’s one more way; hold over the volume bar and you can get toggle it back and forth to change the volume.

Hope this helps!
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)