Apple Releases tvOS 26.2 With New TV Profiles, Dedicated Kids Mode - MacRumorsOpen MenuShow RoundupsShow Forums menuVisit ForumsOpen Sidebar
Skip to Content

Apple Releases tvOS 26.2 With New TV Profiles, Dedicated Kids Mode

Apple today released tvOS 26.2, an update to the tvOS 26 operating system that came out in September. tvOS 26.2 is available on the Apple TV 4K and the ‌Apple TV‌ HD models, and it comes a month after Apple released tvOS 26.1.

tvOS 26 Feature
tvOS 26.2 can be downloaded using the Settings app on the ‌‌‌Apple TV‌‌‌. Open up Settings and go to System > Software Update to get the new software. ‌‌‌Apple TV‌‌‌ owners who have automatic software updates activated will be upgraded to tvOS 26.2 automatically.

The tvOS 26.2 update changes the way that profiles work on the ‌Apple TV‌, adding an option to create a profile without an Apple Account. With no need for an Apple Account, profiles can be created for guests and children.

For profiles made for children, there is an age-restricted mode that limits the content that kids can access in the ‌Apple TV‌ app. The ‌‌Apple TV‌‌ app will only show content that is appropriate for the limits that have been established for the account, and rating options include TV-G, TV-PG, TV-14, and more.

Apple shares full release notes for tvOS in its tvOS support document when new versions are released, so check that out for additional details.

Related Roundup: Apple TV
Buyer's Guide: Apple TV (Buy Now)

Popular Stories

Apple TV 4K HomeView HomePod Mini tweaked

New Apple TV 4K, HomeView, and HomePod Mini: 16 Details Just Leaked

Sunday October 11, 2026 12:56 pm PDT by
Just two days before Apple's "Welcome home" experience in New York, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has leaked several details about the new products set to be unveiled, including an all-new smart home hub, a HomePod mini 2, and a new Apple TV 4K. Here is an all-in-one summary of the details shared by Gurman:Apple's home hub with a touch-enabled display will be named HomeView, seemingly confirming a ...
Apple TV 4K 4th Generation Top View5

New Apple TV 4K Announced With A19 Chip, Updated Siri Remote, More

Tuesday October 13, 2026 6:08 am PDT by
Apple today announced the fourth-generation Apple TV 4K, with key features including an A19 chip, Siri AI support, an updated Siri Remote that has Find My support with Precision Finding, built in far-field microphones, support for surround sound with four HomePods in front and rear pairs, and more. The A19 chip in the new Apple TV 4K delivers up to 50% faster CPU performance and up to twice...
iPad mini 7 Review Thumb 1 sans text

Apple Expected to Release New Products on Next Four Fridays

Sunday October 18, 2026 11:01 am PDT by
Apple likely plans to release MacBook Pro models with OLED displays, 14-inch MacBook Pro and iMac models with M6 chips, and/or an iPad mini 8 with an OLED display on Friday, November 6, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The devices are expected to be announced on Tuesday, October 27 or Wednesday, October 28. If this timeframe proves to be accurate, then Apple will be releasing new...

Top Rated Comments

12 months ago
Wish the other users had their own app instances. It’s annoying when you open your profile on Apple TV and then open an app, but the app is still logged in on another persons in-app profile. Kinda defeats the purpose of having my own Apple profile, when every app has their own profile system and you have to change all of those individually.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
12 months ago
Why can't Apple give users a way to group movies / tv shows in their Library in tvOS?!?

I bought a bunch of Mystery Science Theater 3000 episodes (in the 99 for $50 sale). But, they are dispersed throughout my movie listings. Would love to put them in a group that can consolidate them down to one item in the main list.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
12 months ago

Anyone else seeing series missing from AppleTV?

Movies show fine just not series, when manually searching for Slow Horses or Down Cemetery Road I get

“Content unavailable

This content is no longer available”,

This also impacts the App on webOS but is fine on iOS 26 🤯
Nope. No issues here.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
co.ag.2005 Avatar
12 months ago
Can I PIN protect the main profile? and have a guest and kids profile separately?
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
12 months ago

Apple today released tvOS 26.2, an update to the tvOS 26 operating system that came out in September. tvOS 26.2 is available on the Apple TV 4K and the Apple TV HD models, and it comes a month after Apple released tvOS 26.1.

MacRumors content image

tvOS 26.2 can be downloaded using the Settings app on the ‌‌Apple TV‌‌. Open up Settings and go to System > Software Update to get the new software. ‌‌Apple TV‌‌ owners who have automatic software updates activated will be upgraded to tvOS 26.2 automatically.

The tvOS 26.2 update changes the way that profiles work on the Apple TV, adding an option to create a profile without an Apple Account. With no need for an Apple Account, profiles can be created for guests and children.

For profiles made for children, there is an age-restricted mode that limits the content that kids can access in the Apple TV app. The ‌Apple TV‌ app will only show content that is appropriate for the limits that have been established for the account, and rating options include TV-G, TV-PG, TV-14, and more.

Apple shares full release notes for tvOS in its tvOS support document ('https://support.apple.com/en-us/106336') when new versions are released, so check that out for additional details.

Article Link: Apple Releases tvOS 26.2 With New TV Profiles, Dedicated Kids Mode ('https://www.macrumors.com/2025/12/12/apple-releases-tvos-26-2/')
Since Apple started crippling the experience of the bought film library, they have reached a point, where buying anything in Apple‘s films store feels like a total waste of money. At least if you are into owning things and not renting:


* The library stopped showing titles and most of the info is stripped too.
* Artwork is changed frequently, and the artwork lacks a readable title (so you cannot find titles visually either)
* The library‘s content is notoriously unreliable (missing owned titles).
* Apple wants you to go through the subscription-based TV interface which is polluted such that you don’t see your owned stuff at all. This is like having a news paper, where content makes up minuscule fraction of a percent of the page filled with commercials otherwise.
* Ordering keys are strangely fixed (i.e. sometime initial „The“ is part of the key, sometimes not) and may change

This is not an oversight. This is strategy.

I am royally brassed off. I’ll find a way to move away from this app entirely.

P.S. oh, and I hate iOS autocorrect too..
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TFrank2 Avatar
12 months ago

Anyone else seeing series missing from AppleTV?

Movies show fine just not series, when manually searching for Slow Horses or Down Cemetery Road I get

“Content unavailable

This content is no longer available”,

This also impacts the App on webOS but is fine on iOS 26 🤯
Having the same issue. App is barely usable. Only thing that loads for me is my library. Otherwise everything else is content unavailable
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Latest Stories
Siri AI Rumored to Become 'More Like an Agent' as Early as Next Year
Siri AI Rumored to Become 'More Like an Agent' as Early as Next Year
10 hours ago
Apple Taking New Approach to Developing iOS 28 and macOS 28
Apple Taking New Approach to Developing iOS 28 and macOS 28
12 hours ago
Early Apple Black Friday Deals on Apple Watch, MacBook Air, and More
Early Apple Black Friday Deals on Apple Watch, MacBook Air, and More
1 day ago
'Backglow' Lets You Customize New MacBook Pro's Glowing Apple Logo
'Backglow' Lets You Customize New MacBook Pro's Glowing Apple Logo
1 day ago
Top Stories: Apple Product Launches, iOS 27.3 Beta, and More
Top Stories: Apple Product Launches, iOS 27.3 Beta, and More
2 days ago
More Fun iPhone Duo Apps: 30 New Picks to Try
More Fun iPhone Duo Apps: 30 New Picks to Try
2 days ago
Hands-On With Apple's New OLED Touchscreen MacBook Pro
Hands-On With Apple's New OLED Touchscreen MacBook Pro
2 days ago
Apple Store With All-New Design Opening Soon in Southern California
Apple Store With All-New Design Opening Soon in Southern California
2 days ago
Control the Glowing Apple Logo on Your New MacBook Pro
Control the Glowing Apple Logo on Your New MacBook Pro
2 days ago
Apple Shares New 'Apple Card: Apply and Use in Minutes' Ad
Apple Shares New 'Apple Card: Apply and Use in Minutes' Ad
2 days ago
Apple Says More Than 100,000 Apps Optimized for iPhone Duo, Here's What's Still Missing
Apple Says More Than 100,000 Apps Optimized for iPhone Duo, Here's What's Still Missing
2 days ago
Early Black Friday Deals Kickoff With Steep Discounts on Apple Watch Ultras and More
Early Black Friday Deals Kickoff With Steep Discounts on Apple Watch Ultras and More
2 days ago
The MacRumors Show: iOS 27.3 Looks Like a Huge Update
The MacRumors Show: iOS 27.3 Looks Like a Huge Update
2 days ago
Best Buy's Black Friday Event Begins With Sitewide Savings on Apple, TVs, More
Best Buy's Black Friday Event Begins With Sitewide Savings on Apple, TVs, More
3 days ago
Apple Releasing Yet Another Two New Products Next Week
Apple Releasing Yet Another Two New Products Next Week
3 days ago
MacBook Air Drops to Lowest Price in Months With Amazon's $250 Discount
MacBook Air Drops to Lowest Price in Months With Amazon's $250 Discount
3 days ago
Apple Rumored to Drop the iPhone's Action Button Next Year
Apple Rumored to Drop the iPhone's Action Button Next Year
3 days ago
Apple's Extended Return Policy Now in Effect for 2026 Holiday Season
Apple's Extended Return Policy Now in Effect for 2026 Holiday Season
3 days ago
Apple Music Classical Updated With New Icon and Refreshed Design
Apple Music Classical Updated With New Icon and Refreshed Design
3 days ago
OLED iPad Mini, M6 iMac, and New MacBook Pros Available From Today
OLED iPad Mini, M6 iMac, and New MacBook Pros Available From Today
3 days ago
Apple Surveys iPhone Duo Buyers About Crease and Camera
Apple Surveys iPhone Duo Buyers About Crease and Camera
3 days ago
Apple's First Touchscreen Mac is Now Arriving to Customers
Apple's First Touchscreen Mac is Now Arriving to Customers
3 days ago
Claude Gets Personal Finance Feature With Bank Account Linking
Claude Gets Personal Finance Feature With Bank Account Linking
3 days ago
Apple Arcade Adds Crossy Road Rush and NBA 2K27
Apple Arcade Adds Crossy Road Rush and NBA 2K27
3 days ago
Apple's New HomeView Smart Home Hub: Here's How Much RAM It Has
Apple's New HomeView Smart Home Hub: Here's How Much RAM It Has
3 days ago
iPad Mini vs. iPad Air Buyer's Guide: Now Just $50 Apart
iPad Mini vs. iPad Air Buyer's Guide: Now Just $50 Apart
3 days ago
First iOS 27.3 and macOS Golden Gate 27.3 Public Betas Now Available
First iOS 27.3 and macOS Golden Gate 27.3 Public Betas Now Available
3 days ago
Apple Announces a New Mac Sales Record
Apple Announces a New Mac Sales Record
3 days ago
Paid $200 for Logic Pro? Apple Says You Won't Get This New Feature
Paid $200 for Logic Pro? Apple Says You Won't Get This New Feature
3 days ago
Instagram's Edits Video Editor is Now Available on Mac
Instagram's Edits Video Editor is Now Available on Mac
3 days ago