If you have ever used an Apple TV, you are likely familiar with the device's linear keyboard, which can be tedious to use if you have a lot of text to enter.
Fortunately, if you are tired of swiping back and forth while entering a long password, the keyboard's layout can easily be changed. To do so, open the Settings app on the Apple TV, select General → Keyboard Layout, and choose Grid instead of Linear.
The on-screen keyboard will then have a square layout by default.
Stephen Robles highlighted this simple but oft-overlooked setting in a recent YouTube video, alongside many other useful Apple TV tips and tricks.
You can also enter text on an Apple TV with Siri or by using a nearby iPhone or iPad that is signed into the same Apple Account as the Apple TV. But, when you want or need to use the Apple TV's on-screen keyboard, this can be a life-changing tip to know about.
Tuesday September 15, 2026 1:43 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
Apple today announced a new subscription initiative that turns paid iCloud+ subscriptions into a broader services bundle in more than 100 countries.
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The next Apple TV 4K will be equipped with an A19 or A19 Pro chip, according to evidence in Apple's code uncovered by MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris. In particular, the device's model identifier points towards the A19 generation of chips.
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Apple today released the sixth public betas of iOS 27, iPadOS 27, tvOS 27, and macOS Golden Gate, allowing anyone with a compatible device to download and test the new software. The sixth betas come a week after Apple seeded the fifth betas and a few hours after the eighth developer betas.
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One of the great benefits of the Apple TV is that you almost never have to use the on-screen keyboard at all. I either dictate by voice or type on the on-screen keyboard that pops up on my iPhone.
QR code logins is the greatest thing to come to streaming logins. Also, using voice works shockingly well with usernames/passwords where a QR code is not an option.
I have to try this, but in my opinion there should be the option to use the QWERTY format. However, one cool thing that I do is when the TV prompts for text, if my iPhone is on the same network as the TV, a prompt comes up on my phone to use its keyboard to type input into the Apple TV. So I just use that. much faster.
How about a FINGERPRINT READER on the remote? They have them on the wireless keyboards now... Tie it into the Passwords app... It's pretty crappy that AppleTV is the only device that doesn't autofill passwords.
