In comparison with the iPhone and its advanced capabilities, the Apple TV 4K is a comparatively easy gadget. You’ve obtained a easy Residence Display with massive icons, a number of menus throughout apps, and simply not a lot to arrange, actually.
However, tvOS allows energy customers to customise sure UI components, system conduct, the Siri Distant, and extra. Listed below are a number of the important settings tweaks that may make it easier to personalize your Apple TV expertise in as little as quarter-hour.
1. Customise the Siri Distant
Earlier than getting began, you’ll wish to make sure that your Apple TV’s bundled Siri Distant behaves as anticipated. Head to the Settings app and go to the Remotes and Gadgets part. There, you may optionally velocity up or flip off the distant’s contact floor after testing its default sensitivity.
If you happen to don’t usually watch Apple TV+ content material, you may additionally wish to remap the Siri Distant’s TV button. By default, clicking it’s going to launch the TV app, which homes TV+ and different suitable streaming providers. When remapped by way of the identical Settings part, it’ll take you to the Residence Display as an alternative. This makes it sooner to go away apps or swap between them.
On the identical web page, scroll right down to the Residence Theater Management part and allow the Flip On Your TV with Your Distant toggle. This can allow you to management a suitable show utilizing the Siri Distant, sparing you from needing separate remotes on your Apple TV 4K and the display screen itself.
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2. Join streaming providers (and never simply Apple’s)
As talked about above, the built-in TV app helps a variety of third-party streaming providers, together with Disney+, Paramount+, Max (sorry, HBO Max), Hulu, and extra. Some providers allow you to subscribe straight from the TV app utilizing Apple’s billing, whereas others can hyperlink your present accounts. Regardless, by including your streaming providers to the TV app, you may get pleasure from a common queue that surfaces your whole favourite films and collection.
3. Improve your setup with a HomePod (or two)
Apple is thought for its easily built-in ecosystem, and this will help us to get next-level audio with the Apple TV.
If you happen to’re unhappy along with your TV’s built-in audio system and occur to have a HomePod or two mendacity round, you may set them as much as wirelessly output Apple TV audio. Simply go to the Settings app and choose Video and Audio > Audio Output. On this web page, your HomePod or HomePod stereo pair ought to routinely seem as an out there choice. Merely set it because the default audio output gadget.
Not solely will this improve the sound high quality of content material you eat, but it surely’ll additionally allow you to management Apple TV media utilizing the HomePod’s touchscreen.
Mahmoud Itani / Foundry
4. Get extra correct audio and video
There are literally thousands of distinctive TVs and audio system available on the market, providing varied specs and expertise. Naturally, the outputted colours and audio received’t essentially be similar throughout the completely different fashions. That’s why we advise you to calibrate the colour stability and wi-fi audio sync on tvOS.
To take action, go to the Video and Audio web page within the Settings app. Towards the underside, you’ll discover a Calibration part housing the Shade Steadiness and Wi-fi Audio Sync choices. Convey your iPhone near your Apple TV 4K and observe the simple on-screen directions. The primary of these choices helps show correct colours when watching films and exhibits, whereas the second minimizes latency when counting on AirPlay or Bluetooth audio system for audio output.
5. Make the Residence Display be just right for you
Like iOS, tvOS has a Residence Display the place you may see icons for each put in and offloaded apps. You may faucet and maintain on an app icon to make it jiggle, then swipe in your Siri Distant’s contact floor to relocate it. You can even place an app icon on prime of one other to create a brand new folder housing each.
If you happen to discover it exhausting to establish which app is chosen when navigating by means of the dock, there’s a fast, everlasting repair. Go to Settings and choose Accessibility > Show. Underneath the Distinction part, you’ll discover a Focus Fashion menu. Decide the Excessive Distinction choice. This can add a white border round chosen apps on the Residence Display to make recognizing them much less difficult.
Now head again to the primary Settings web page and go to Customers and Accounts > [your name]. Underneath the iCloud part, toggle One Residence Display on. This can sync your present Residence Display format to iCloud and apply it to present and future Apple TVs linked to your account.
Mahmoud Itani / Foundry
6. Keep away from that syncing feeling
If you happen to dwell with relations or flatmates, then chances are you’ll wish to watch out which iCloud pictures and movies sync to your Apple TV.
Head to Settings and choose Customers and Accounts > [your name]. Underneath iCloud, go to Pictures. There you may resolve whether or not the Pictures app on tvOS syncs your whole iCloud picture and video library, solely shared albums, or nothing in any respect.
It’s value noting that the Apple TV’s Pictures app received’t present the Hidden album it doesn’t matter what setting you go for. If you happen to’re involved about a number of questionable pictures, you may simply cover them utilizing your iPhone and show the remainder on the massive display screen.
7. Get pleasure from Apple’s lovely display screen savers
Like macOS, tvOS gives a wealthy library of display screen savers for when your Apple TV 4K is idle. To customise this function, launch Settings and go to Display Saver, then decide one of many 4 choices.
Aerials options movies taken in varied international locations and from outer house. In the meantime, the Reminiscences & Slideshows and Portraits choices allow you to show pictures out of your synced library. Lastly, Snoopy showcases customized animations of traditional cartoon characters.
You can even regulate different display screen saver preferences by way of the identical Settings web page.
8. Lock out intruders
It might be an actual disgrace if somebody have been to take over your Apple TV 4K’s display screen and solid undesirable audio or video. Happily, tvOS enables you to set mirroring boundaries effortlessly.
Open Settings and go to AirPlay and HomeKit > Permit Entry. The setting Everybody will let any close by iOS consumer detect and solid content material to your TV. Choosing it allows you to optionally add a password to limit malicious customers close by.
Anybody on the Similar Community requires the caster’s iPhone to be related to the identical router and equally helps password safety. Solely Individuals Sharing This Residence is the most secure setting, as your Apple TV will solely be accessible to these you’ve added to your Residence app.
