In comparison with the iPhone and its complicated features, the Apple TV 4K is a comparatively easy machine. You’ve bought a easy Dwelling Display screen with giant icons, a number of menus throughout apps, and simply not a lot to arrange, actually.
However, tvOS permits energy customers to customise sure UI components, system habits, 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 need 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 pace up or flip off the distant’s contact floor after testing its default sensitivity.
If you happen to don’t typically watch Apple TV+ content material, you may additionally need to remap the Siri Distant’s TV button. By default, clicking it would launch the TV app, which homes TV+ and different appropriate streaming companies. When remapped by way of the identical Settings part, it’ll take you to the Dwelling Display screen as an alternative. This makes it quicker to depart apps or swap between them.
On the identical web page, scroll right down to the Dwelling Theater Management part and allow the Flip On Your TV with Your Distant toggle. This can allow you to management a appropriate show utilizing the Siri Distant, sparing you from needing separate remotes in your Apple TV 4K and the display screen itself.
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2. Join streaming companies (and never simply Apple’s)
As talked about above, the built-in TV app helps a variety of third-party streaming companies, together with Disney+, Paramount+, Max (sorry, HBO Max), Hulu, and extra. Some companies allow you to subscribe immediately from the TV app utilizing Apple’s billing, whereas others can hyperlink your current accounts. Regardless, by including your streaming companies to the TV app, you may get pleasure from a common queue that surfaces all your favourite films and collection.
3. Improve your setup with a HomePod (or two)
Apple is understood for its easily built-in ecosystem, and this may 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 robotically seem as an out there possibility. Merely set it because the default audio output machine.
Not solely will this improve the sound high quality of content material you devour, however it’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 millions of distinctive TVs and audio system in the marketplace, providing varied specs and expertise. Naturally, the outputted colours and audio received’t essentially be an identical throughout the totally different fashions. That’s why we advise you to calibrate the colour steadiness 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. Deliver your iPhone near your Apple TV 4K and comply with the straightforward on-screen directions. The primary of these choices helps show correct colours when watching films and reveals, whereas the second minimizes latency when counting on AirPlay or Bluetooth audio system for audio output.
5. Make the Dwelling Display screen give you the results you want
Like iOS, tvOS has a Dwelling Display screen 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. It’s also possible to place an app icon on prime of one other to create a brand new folder housing each.
If you happen to discover it laborious to establish which app is chosen when navigating by the dock, there’s a fast, everlasting repair. Go to Settings and choose Accessibility > Show. Below the Distinction part, you’ll discover a Focus Model menu. Choose the Excessive Distinction possibility. This can add a white border round chosen apps on the Dwelling Display screen to make recognizing them much less difficult.
Now head again to the principle Settings web page and go to Customers and Accounts > [your name]. Below the iCloud part, toggle One Dwelling Display screen on. This can sync your present Dwelling Display screen format to iCloud and apply it to current and future Apple TVs linked to your account.
Mahmoud Itani / Foundry
6. Keep away from that syncing feeling
If you happen to reside with relations or flatmates, then you might need to watch out which iCloud photographs and movies sync to your Apple TV.
Head to Settings and choose Customers and Accounts > [your name]. Below iCloud, go to Pictures. There you may determine 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 price 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 disguise 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 provides 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 screen Saver, then choose one of many 4 choices.
Aerials options movies taken in varied nations and from outer house. In the meantime, the Reminiscences & Slideshows and Portraits choices allow you to show photographs out of your synced library. Lastly, Snoopy showcases customized animations of basic cartoon characters.
It’s also possible to alter different display screen saver preferences by way of the identical Settings web page.
8. Lock out intruders
It could be an actual disgrace if somebody have been to take over your Apple TV 4K’s display screen and solid undesirable audio or video. Luckily, tvOS enables you to set mirroring boundaries effortlessly.
Open Settings and go to AirPlay and HomeKit > Enable Entry. The setting Everybody will let any close by iOS consumer detect and solid content material to your TV. Choosing it lets you optionally add a password to limit malicious customers close by.
Anybody on the Identical Community requires the caster’s iPhone to be linked to the identical router and equally helps password safety. Solely Folks Sharing This Dwelling is the most secure setting, as your Apple TV will solely be accessible to these you’ve added to your Dwelling app.
