10 tvOS tricks that will make you an Apple TV expert

Nowadays, a device like the Apple TV may go a little more unnoticed than it did a few years ago. Once you have a relatively new TV, you’ll have streaming apps built into the TV itself, so why have an external device that does the same job? Well, it does that job and many more. But it also has great image quality. However, we don’t want to talk about the reasons to own an Apple TV; But a few tricks will help you make the most of it if you already have it.

The basic operation of the Apple TV Box is very simple. But this is true, especially if you don’t use it often. You may have overlooked some of its hidden functions. We’re not talking about super complicated tricks, we’re talking about small details that allow you to manage your Apple TV more smoothly.

With these 10 webOS tricks, you’ll become the “master” of Apple TV

So, without further ado, let’s take a look 10 tvOS tricks that will allow us to treat Apple TV as if we were real experts.

Close any apps you have in the background

Almost all smart TV operating systems today have the “bad habit” of not closing applications properly. They stay in the background so that when we open them again they work much faster. And tvOS is no exception. Apple’s system leaves apps open when we exit them, but fortunately it allows us to close them in a fairly simple way.

The only thing you have to do is Press the button on the TV-like remote twice quickly. Only by doing this, your open applications will appear Using the touch trackpad, you can toggle on and off by swiping up.

Turn off automatic preview

The vast majority of video streaming platforms have an automatic preview system. This means that you navigate to a title, whether it’s a movie or a series, and the trailer plays automatically. I personally don’t like this job, because it can surprise you and make you very afraid.

We have already explained how to deactivate it on Netflix. Fortunately, disabling this feature in tvOS is also very simple. We just have to go Settingsfind the option Accessibility And enter the option a movement. From here you can Select NO option in Auto Preview.

Create folders to organize your home screen

As with the iPhone, when we install apps in tvOS, it automatically places them on the home screen. If we had a few applications, it wouldn’t be a big problem, however If you want to try new apps or install a lot of games, it can be a bit of a “disaster”..

However, even though you may not know it, tvOS lets you create folders and organize everything better. The only thing we have to do is to hold down the middle button on the Apple TV remote and in the drop-down menu that appears, choose the option “Move to” then “New Folder”.

Use picture in picture with any app

Function PiP’s feature, Picture in Picture, allows us to watch two programs at the same time. Native Apple apps are compatible with this feature, but the vast majority of third-party apps are not.

However, there is a way to use PiP in any application. This is nothing but using the AirPlay function. That is, we have to do it play video What we want in the application we want, for example Netflix, From iPhone. Once we play it, Cast it to Apple TV using AirPlay. If we do this then we can use PiP function in any application.

Play as God intended by connecting your console

One of the most interesting services offered by Apple is Apple Arcade, which is also included in the Apple One subscription, and Apple TV is one of the devices in which we can benefit from this subscription the most. But are you really going to play with the remote? No, it’s best to use a controller, either PlayStation or Xbox.

Doing this is very simple, All you have to do is connect the controller to your Apple TV as if it were any other Bluetooth device. It works not only with Apple Arcade, but also, for example, with modern emulators that have arrived in tvOS.

Activate automatic range and frame adjustment

We’ve commented on this many times, but it’s essential to getting a good run, so we’re repeating it again. To configure these options you must log in Settings And then enter “Video and audio” option..

In the image part, we’ll have to Activate Dolby Vision format to be able to benefit from it on compatible platforms. On the other hand, you will see that you have an option that says Format. This refers to the format that will be used in the Apple TV menu and interface, not the playback format. So you can leave it in 4K SDR so it’s not always HDR.

As for the rest of the options, if you have a TV, you can set the “YCbCr” format and chroma key 4:4:4. finally, Very important, select Yes in the two options you have under Content Fit, both Scale and Frames. This is so that the Apple TV adjusts the format correctly and we do not have any judder.

Change the function of the TV-shaped button

On the Apple TV remote, we have a button with a drawing of the TV on it, right? This button can cause confusion, because it is logical to think that it is used to go to the main tvOS menu from any part of the interface. Okay, no, It is used by default to launch the Apple TV+ app.

but, It is possible to change it. We can configure the function that the TV button on the remote will perform. To do this we simply enter Settings We are looking for an option «Controls and devices». Once here we enter the “TV button” and set Home screen option.. From now on, this button will take us to the home screen and not to the Apple TV+ app.

Control the control center

Did you know that in tvOS we also have a Control Center like the one in iOS or iPadOS? To access it all you have to do is Press and hold the TV button on the remote for a few seconds. You will see a small window open at the top right. This is the tvOS Control Center.

From here we can turn off the Apple TV, Send audio to an external device using AirPlayOr activate the timer or access the accessibility options Activate “Do Not Disturb” mode., among other functions. In addition, if we press the trackpad to the right, we can change users (if we have multiple users configured on the Apple TV).

Integrate your streaming services into the TV app

The TV app has changed significantly in one of the latest tvOS updates. Now Apple wants us to use it as a kind of nerve center for all Apple TV content, not just its platform. So We can “link” streaming apps or other channel services to the TV app so that everything is centralized.

To do this we just have to Enter the TV And in the list on the left Go to the option called “Store”. Once here we will see a section on the central screen called «Add channels and applications». Here you will have a list of apps that are compatible with the integration. For example We can connect apps like Prime Video, Max or SkyShowtime.

What is the purpose of linking these apps to the main TV app? Well for example So when we search for the title of a series or movie, it tells us the service or services available on it. Not only does it tell us where it is, it allows us to directly access the service and content by clicking on it.

For example, we can search for Dune 2 and we will see that the app offers us options to buy and rent, but it also tells us that it is available in Max. It is a very convenient way to know where what we are looking for and access it directlywithout having to open many applications to find it.

Unfortunately yes, Not all services are included. Although in reality I only missed Netflix among the ‘biggest’. A shame really because it’s a very useful function.

Force restart your Apple TV using your remote

Finally, you should know that the Apple TV remote allows you to do some sort of Forced reboot of the device using a combination of buttons. Very useful if tvOS ever crashes or Apple TV becomes unresponsive.

The way to do this is Press the back button and the TV button on the remote at the same time and hold them down for a few seconds. You will see your Apple TV completely turn off and back on. A good way to force the device to “start over”. Since we’re talking about potential problems, here we leave you the guide we’ve prepared to reset your Apple TV and start from scratch.