Apple tvOS 26 brings Liquid Glass, karaoke nights, and a big sound boost

Apple TV

Apple TV has finally caught up with the rest of the Apple ecosystem. With tvOS 26, Apple isn’t just polishing its set-top box—it’s giving it a full makeover, complete with the Liquid Glass design language, smarter features, and some surprising additions like karaoke and advanced audio support.

A shiny new interface

The biggest visual change is Liquid Glass, Apple’s latest UI style. It introduces translucent buttons, reflective accents, and a more unified design that matches what users now see on iOS and iPadOS. Control Center has also been simplified with clearer tabs for profiles, Home controls, and VPN access.

Profiles themselves are smarter too. Apple TV can now prompt you to pick a profile when waking, making switching seamless for families. Even better, streaming apps linked to your Apple ID sign in automatically, no endless password typing required.

Music goes karaoke

The Music app isn’t just prettier—it’s interactive. A new karaoke mode lets you use your iPhone as a microphone, while friends can cheer you on with live emoji reactions from their devices. Apple has even built in automatic lyric translation and phonetic guides, so singing in another language isn’t just guesswork anymore.

Audio upgrades that matter

tvOS 26 is serious about sound. You can now lock an AirPlay-enabled speaker as your permanent output, avoiding the frustration of re-pairing. Passthrough audio delivers pure, unprocessed sound straight to receivers for audiophiles, and new Dolby Atmos 9.6.1 support adds overhead and front channels for cinema-style immersion.

FaceTime, Apple-style

FaceTime on Apple TV also gets a boost. Contact Posters now appear on screen, Live Captions expand to more languages, and incoming audio or phone calls show up for the active profile, with the option to answer through a HomePod or iPhone.

The small touches

There are refinements too: a cleaner TV app layout, customisable screen savers down to individual aerial shots, and support for Thread 1.4, making smart home networking smoother.