Apple's tvOS typically joins the likes of iOS, iPadOS, and macOS to receive new features and a host of changes at the company's annual developer keynote, and this year was no different. The company didn't push too many changes to tvOS this year, but there are a few new features that are worth looking forward to. The new tvOS update won't be here officially until later this year, but you can download the developer beta that's available through the Apple Developer Program to experience it now.

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These are the devices that will get iOS 18, iPadOS 18, watchOS 11, and macOS Sequoia

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List of Apple TV devices compatible with tvOS 18

Is your device on the list?

  • Apple TV HD (also known as Apple TV 4th generation)
  • Apple TV 4K (all three models)

How to install tvOS 18

A step-by-step guide

Here's the tricky part of installing beta software on an Apple TV: it doesn't have a web browser. That means that there's no way to get the configuration profile on your device without connecting it to a Mac.

If you wait for the public beta, you can just turn on beta releases through Settings.

Using the configuration profile

  1. Go to Apple Developer -> Develop -> Downloads and click the Install Profile next to tvOS 18.
    An image showing a highlighted Install Profile button next to tvOS 18 beta listing on Apple's Developer website.
  2. Make sure you have Xcode installed; you can get it for free from the Mac App Store, or you can get the new beta from Apple Developer. You'll also need Apple Configurator.
    A screenshot showing the Xcode download page on App Store.
  3. Make sure that your Apple TV is on and connected to the same Wi-Fi network as your Mac.
  4. In Xcode, go to Windows -> Devices and Simulators -> Devices.
    Xcode devices page, empty
  5. On the Apple TV, go into Settings -> Remotes and Devices -> Remote App and Devices, to search for devices to pair with.
  6. Back in Xcode, you'll see a Discovered section where you can select your Apple TV.
    Xcode devices page with Apple TV
  7. You're going to see a verification code, which you'll need to enter.
    Xcode devices page with Apple TV
  8. Open Apple Configurator and follow the instructions to set up the Apple TV, if it's not already done.
    Apple TV in Apple Configurator
  9. Click Add -> Profiles, and then add the configuration profile.
    Apple TV in Apple Configurator
  10. Check for updates on your Apple TV as you normally would.

Using the Restore Image

Just like with iOS 18, you can flash an image on your Apple TV. Strangely, Apple only makes this available for the Apple TV (4th generation). This is probably because the Apple TV 4K doesn't actually have a USB port on it.

  1. Go to Apple Developer -> Develop -> Downloads and download the Restore Image for the Apple TV HD.
  2. Connect your Apple TV to a Mac using a USB Type-C cable.
  3. In Finder, select your Apple TV.
  4. While holding the Option button, click Restore Apple TV. Unlike with iOS, there's no option to check for updates, so this will do a factory reset.
  5. Navigate to the image that you downloaded and open it.

Installing the beta can be a bit tricky on Apple TV

That's how you can download and install the first developer beta build of tvOS 18 on your Apple TV devices. Installing the tvOS beta isn't as straightforward as installing the beta on, say, an iPhone, but it shouldn't have any trouble if you follow the steps highlighted below. A public beta build will also be available to download soon, so you might want to wait for that one if you find all these steps a bit overwhelming.

The public beta builds are known to be more stable, and they're a better representation of the release candidate before it's released to the public. You can head over to beta.apple.com and sign up to be among the first ones to test the public beta software that's also relatively easier to install on your Apple TV devices.