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 (Don't Buy)

Top Rated Comments

16 weeks 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)
16 weeks 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)
16 weeks 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
16 weeks ago
Can I PIN protect the main profile? and have a guest and kids profile separately?
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
16 weeks 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.



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
16 weeks 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)
Related Apple News: Apple Event | Macbook Pro | News | Tiktok | Iphone 18 Pro