Apple Releases tvOS 13 With Multi User Support, Control Center, Ocean Screensavers and More

Apple today released tvOS 13, the latest operating system designed for the fourth and fifth-generation Apple TV models. tvOS 13 comes after several months of beta testing.

tvOS 13 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 13 automatically. Apple has also released an ‌Apple TV‌ Software 7.4 update (actually version 8.4.3) for the third-generation ‌Apple TV‌.

tvos13
The tvOS 13 update brings an updated Home screen aimed at making it easier to discover new content. Apps are now able to play full-screen video previews on the Home screen, similar to Netflix, once developers have implemented support.

Multiple users are supported for the first time, letting more than one profile exist on the ‌Apple TV‌ so each family member can have their own customized ‌Apple TV‌ interface with separate recommendations, music playlists, and Watch Now lists.

Switching between profiles can be done with the new Control Center, which offers up profiles, the time and date, search, a Now Playing widget, AirPlay controls, and a sleep option.

tvos13controlcenter
tvOS 13 brings Apple Arcade, Apple's new gaming service that's already available for the iPhone. ‌Apple Arcade‌ will offer unlimited access to more than 60 new and exclusive games, for one $4.99 per month subscription fee.

tvos13applearcade
For ‌Apple Arcade‌, Apple has implemented support for the Xbox Wireless Bluetooth Controller and the PlayStation DualShock 4 Controller, both of which can be connected to an ‌Apple TV‌ over Bluetooth.

game controllers ps4 xbox
Sign in with Apple, a feature also available on the ‌iPhone‌, iPad, and coming to Macs, is included in tvOS 13. With tvOS 13, apps that support Sign in with Apple will let you sign in with your Apple ID rather than requiring you to create a user name and password.

signinwithapple
Apple can even obscure your real email address and provide a fake one, which keeps your data and information safer than ever.

There are new under the sea themed screensavers created in partnership with the BBC Natural History Unit, which also created "Blue Planet."

tvos 13 underwater
With a new Picture-in-Picture feature, you can continue to watch TV shows or movies while using a different app, adjusting settings, or otherwise navigating through the tvOS 13 operating system.

For more on what's new in the tvOS 13 update, make sure to check out our tvOS 13 roundup.

Related Roundup: Apple TV
Buyer's Guide: Apple TV (Don't Buy)

Popular Stories

Aston Martin CarPlay Ultra Screen

Apple's CarPlay Ultra to Expand to These Vehicle Brands Later This Year

Sunday February 1, 2026 10:08 am PST by
Last year, Apple launched CarPlay Ultra, the long-awaited next-generation version of its CarPlay software system for vehicles. Nearly nine months later, CarPlay Ultra is still limited to Aston Martin's latest luxury vehicles, but that should change fairly soon. In May 2025, Apple said many other vehicle brands planned to offer CarPlay Ultra, including Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis. In his Powe...
Apple Logo Black

Apple's Next Launch is 'Imminent'

Sunday February 1, 2026 12:31 pm PST by
The calendar has turned to February, and a new report indicates that Apple's next product launch is "imminent," in the form of new MacBook Pro models. "All signs point to an imminent launch of next-generation MacBook Pros that retain the current form factor but deliver faster chips," Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said on Sunday. "I'm told the new models — code-named J714 and J716 — are slated...
Apple MacBook Pro M4 hero

New MacBook Pros Reportedly Launching Alongside macOS 26.3

Sunday February 1, 2026 5:42 am PST by
Apple is planning to launch new MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips alongside macOS 26.3, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. "Apple's faster MacBook Pros are planned for the macOS 26.3 release cycle," wrote Gurman, in his Power On newsletter today. "I'm told the new models — code-named J714 and J716 — are slated for the macOS 26.3 software cycle, which runs from...
iOS 26

iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Tuesday February 3, 2026 7:47 am PST by
We are still waiting for the iOS 26.3 Release Candidate to come out, so the first iOS 26.4 beta is likely still at least a week or two away. Following beta testing, iOS 26.4 will likely be released to the general public in March or April. Below, we have recapped known or rumored iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 features so far. iOS 26.3 iPhone to Android Transfer Tool iOS 26.3 makes it easier...
14 inch MacBook Pro Keyboard

Apple Changes How You Order a Mac

Saturday January 31, 2026 10:51 am PST by
Apple recently updated its online store with a new ordering process for Macs, including the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac, Mac mini, Mac Studio, and Mac Pro. There used to be a handful of standard configurations available for each Mac, but now you must configure a Mac entirely from scratch on a feature-by-feature basis. In other words, ordering a new Mac now works much like ordering an...

Top Rated Comments

pooryou Avatar
83 months ago
I don’t want “Netflix-like” forced video previews!

Sure hope we can disable that nonsense.
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Solomani Avatar
83 months ago
Xbox and DualShock controller support for Apple TV! A step in the right direction, Apple.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Rigby Avatar
83 months ago

Did you check under Accessibility? Sometimes they hide stuff like that there.
You, Sir, are a genius. ;) Under Accessibility/Motion the video previews can be turned off. The apps still rotate through still images, but that’s less annoying.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Rigby Avatar
83 months ago
Just updated one of my ATVs and encountered the first UI annoyance already: in the previous version, the "top shelf" of the TV app on the home screen would show the first few entries of may watch list. Now it shows some random movie poster fullscreen in the background (essentially an ad), so I can no longer directly jump to an item on the watchlist. Is there any way to configure this? Not a fan of the new home screen so far.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
unfunfionn Avatar
83 months ago
I've been on the public beta for a couple of months. When I first saw the top shelf ads, I thought it can't be serious, but surely they'll make it optional by the GM. Turns out they were serious and they didn't listen. I'm sure some users will like this feature, but there is an ethical concern that makes me a little worried. This is a €200 device, the premium device in this market, and they're putting advertisements on the home screen. As long as that content is stuff you have to spend additional money on, they're ads. I was already annoyed that my Samsung TV makes it impossible to remove TV Plus (and keeps pinning it to my Home menu no matter how often I remove it), but it mostly stays out of the way. The tvOS ads are far worse.

But honestly it annoys me with the Music app more than the TV app. The TV app was barely useful to begin with. Its only useful feature for me was Up Next in the top shelf. Now it can just go into a folder and die. But I use Music heavily and instead of having a shortcut into albums I deliberately added to my library, I get video previews for Taylor Swift, the Jonas Brothers and Ariana Grande. I don't listen to any of those artists and have no intention to. They're not recommendations based on my listening behaviour either.

It's business goals being brute-forced onto a paying customer base. Yes, worse things can happen in an OS update, but this approach feels quite concerning.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
gaspitsjesse Avatar
83 months ago

So we’re going to lose all of the birds eye videos? I love the NY and Dubai videos! And I can’t tell you how much time I’ve spent waiting to see the Santa Monica amusement pier. Or wondered why the light over France is a different color than that over England.
I really wish Apple would let us pick and choose (up to ten?) Aerials screensavers to cycle, rather than get completely random ones, often times overwriting one's favorites.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)