tvOS 16.1 is light on new Apple TV features. Instead, this software update brings several under-the-hood bug fixes along with important platform improvements.
tvOS 16.1 arrives with bug fixes for your Apple TV
The tvOS 16.1 software update dropped on Monday, October 24, 2022, at 10am PT.
Starting with tvOS 16.1, iOS 16.1 and iPadOS 16.1 (which launched alongside tvOS 16.1), iPhone owners can now use the Apple Fitness+ service in the Fitness app on their handset and watch workouts on the big screen via AirPlay. The tvOS 16.1 update also includes performance and stability improvements.
Contrast this with the initial tvOS 16.0 update which brought several enhancements to the living room including personalized spatial audio for AirPods, better multiuser support, multiple keyboard language support, expanded language support for Siri, the Hover Text assistive feature and more. Read: Apple TV setup tips
tvOS 16.1 is compatible with all Apple TV HD and Apple TV 4K models.
How to install tvOS 16.1 on your Apple TV
To install tvOS 16.1, open the Settings app on your Apple TV HD or Apple TV 4K and venture into System → Software Updates, then select Update Software. If you see tvOS 16.1 in Software Update, choose Download and Install.
Your Apple TV may automatically restart a couple of times to install the update. After installing the update and restarting, you can choose What’s New in Software Update to get an overview of the four biggest features available in tvOS 16.0.
As we mentioned earlier, you won’t be seeing any major new features in tvOS 16.1.
What’s new in tvOS 16
Instead, tvOS 16.1 focuses on fixing the most visible bugs that have cropped up since tvOS 16.0, tvOS 16.0.1, tvOS 16.0.2 and tvOS 16.0.3.
Apple provides the full release notes for tvOS 16 updates on its “About Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD software updates” page. Detailed information about the security contents of tvOS 16 and security updates for other Apple software is available in this support document. Read: How to watch Apple Music TV on all your devices