Apple Seeds First Beta of tvOS 16.5 to Developers - MacRumorsOpen MenuShow RoundupsShow Forums menuVisit ForumsOpen Sidebar
Skip to Content

Apple Seeds First Beta of tvOS 16.5 to Developers

by

Apple today seeded the first beta of an upcoming tvOS 16.5 update to developers for testing purposes, with the beta coming a day after the launch of tvOS 16.4.

Apple TV 2022 Feature Orange
Registered developers are able to download the tvOS 16.5 update by downloading a profile on the Apple TV using Xcode.

tvOS updates are usually minor, focusing on internal bug fixes and improvements rather than notable outward-facing changes. There is no word as of yet what's included in the tvOS 16.5 update, but we'll update this article if we find anything new.

Apple shares some information on tvOS releases in its tvOS support document, which is updated after each tvOS launch.

Though we don't often know what's new in tvOS during the beta testing process, we let MacRumors readers know when new updates are available so those who are developers can download it upon release.

Related Roundup: Apple TV
Buyer's Guide: Apple TV (Don't Buy)
Related Forum: Apple TV and Home Theater

Popular Stories

General visionOS watchOS and tvOS Betas Feature Redux

Apple Releases Third watchOS 26.6, tvOS 26.6 and visionOS 26.6 Betas

Monday June 29, 2026 10:08 am PDT by
Apple today provided developers with the third betas of upcoming watchOS 26.6, tvOS 26.6, and visionOS 26.6 betas for testing purposes. The software comes two weeks after Apple seeded the second betas. The software updates are available through the Settings app on each device, and because these are developer betas, a free developer account is required. There's no word on what's in the...
Read Full Article • 1 comments
Apple TV 2025 Thumb 2 Sans Text

iOS 27 Lets You Update Your Apple TV Using Your iPhone

Tuesday June 23, 2026 9:09 am PDT by
If the idea of digging out your Siri Remote to install a tvOS update on your Apple TV sounds like too much effort, Apple's upcoming iOS 27 software will have a new feature you'll surely welcome. Based on the latest iOS 27 beta 2, you can push Apple TV software updates straight from your iPhone, and you don't even need to turn the Apple TV on first. Apple's set-top box now appears in the...
Read Full Article
Chase Sapphire Reserve Apple Perk Feature

Chase Sapphire Credit Cards Offering New Apple TV and Apple One Perks

Wednesday June 24, 2026 7:00 am PDT by
Chase recently introduced new Apple TV and Apple One perks for its Sapphire Preferred and Sapphire Reserve credit cards in the United States. Sapphire Preferred cardholders ($95 annual fee) are now eligible to receive a complimentary one-year Apple TV streaming subscription, or a $7.50/month discount on an active Apple One subscription for 12 months instead. Sapphire Reserve cardholders...
Read Full Article

Top Rated Comments

S
_Spinn_
43 months ago
I wish Apple would let us update the Apple TV from the Home app.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
M
munpip214
43 months ago
Bitstream please! (I know it will probably never happen 😭)
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Surf Monkey Avatar
Surf Monkey
43 months ago

Update? You can't even turn it on/off from the Home app.
Exactly. This is another example of an obvious, GAPING hole in Apple’s software platform right now. The ability to control an ATV via Home should have been added years ago. The commands should be easy to send over wi-fi, yet Apple neglects this simple functionality… while hyping their fundamentally broken smart home strategy. You can’t even turn it on and off via shortcuts. Lame.

Tim Cook’s Apple simply isn’t interested in the software side and it’s severely damaging the whole Apple experience.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
S
sparky672
43 months ago

I wish Apple would let us update the Apple TV from the Home app.
Update? You can't even turn it on/off from the Home app.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Realityck Avatar
Realityck
43 months ago

Glad I am reading this. No reason to change from Google (my house) or Fire stick (parents) if Apple have degraded this into a bug-ridden advertising mess. I already endure that. Don't need to pay 3x as much for the privilege.
None of the streaming apps show any advertisement unless time taking about within the Apple TV app that acts as Apple TV + access also. There is no advertisement mess if you use this as a streaming digital receiver. The only way you will get ads is your using a low-cost subscription like Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max w/ads or free registered used that ads are part of the playback like Tubi.

Some confusion comes from the digital streaming receiver ID is Apple TV 4K. Then you have the Apple TV app. Then you have Apple TV + VoD (paid subscription)
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Surf Monkey Avatar
Surf Monkey
43 months ago

Homekit is still buggy after 16.4 release. It's really sad.
It’s more than HomeKit. The TV app is broken too. For shame, Apple. These updates have consistently failed to address obvious problems while choking the TV app’s interface with egregious ads for Apple TV shows and movies.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Read All Comments