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

Monday, September 12, 2022 3:46 PM


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.


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.