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Hands On: How to Get New Apple TV Software On Your Old Apple TV

Will Greenwald
 & Will Greenwald Principal Writer, Consumer Electronics

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You don't need a new Apple TV to use the new Apple TV software; it's available now as a free update for the second-generation Apple TV.

To access it, go into General Settings and select Software Update. It will prompt you to download and install the new Apple TV, after which the process is automatic. Wait a few minutes, and your Apple TV will have a new interface. But is it worth it? I spent some time with the new Apple TV software, so you can determine whether it's worth your time.

The new Apple TV software's main upgrade is its interface. Instead of the large icons with drop-down selections, all media and services are arranged in large, iPad-like icons. The main menu looks much cleaner and simpler than the previous software's main screen, and gives the impression of having a giant iPad or iPod touch on your HDTV. Of course, you're still limited by the simple Apple TV remote, so accessing media and entering text isn't quite as simple and quick as tapping the screen.

The update adds iCloud and iTunes Match support. Apple's iCloud lets you access any previously purchased shows or movies from iTunes via Apple TV, and lets you upload your photo collections to the cloud for access anywhere, all for free. With iTunes Match, which runs $24.99 per year, you can access all your purchased and ripped music on your iTunes account and iTunes-connected computer from the Apple TV through the iCloud. It's very similar to Google Music (now "Play"), Google's free cloud music service available on Google TV devices.

Netflix integration is slightly enhanced, adding the option to sign up and pay for Netflix directly through Apple TV instead of using a computer and the Netflix website.

Those seem to be the most significant changes in Apple TV. Even with the new Apple TV box, the only difference beyond these updates in the software is 1080p support. Regardless, there's very little reason to replace your current, second-generation Apple TV unless you really, really want 1080p instead of 720p video.

For more, see The New Apple TV and Apple's Home Entertainment Ambivalence. Also check out PCMag's full review of the second-generation Apple TV.

About Our Expert

Will Greenwald

Will Greenwald

Principal Writer, Consumer Electronics

My Experience

I’m PCMag’s home theater and AR/VR expert, and your go-to source of information and recommendations for game consoles and accessories, smart displays, smart glasses, smart speakers, soundbars, TVs, and VR headsets. I’m an ISF-certified TV calibrator and THX-certified home theater technician, I've served as a CES Innovation Awards judge, and while Bandai hasn’t officially certified me, I’m also proficient at building Gundam plastic models up to MG-class. I also enjoy genre fiction writing, and my urban fantasy novel, Alex Norton, Paranormal Technical Support, is currently available on Amazon.

The Technology I Use

Where to start? I have a standard IT-issued Lenovo Thinkpad for writing and editing, supplemented with an iPad Air and an 8Bitdo Retro Keyboard when I want to write on the go. I also have a Lenovo Legion Go as a platform for running Portrait Displays’ Calman software and controlling the Klein K-10A colorimeter, Murideo SIX-G signal generator, and Leo Bodnar 4K Video Signal Lag Tester I use for testing TVs. 

For gaming, I use a Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X, and a GeForce 5080-equipped MSI gaming laptop. I like collecting retro games as well, and have an Analogue Pocket and a ton of classic consoles and portables. Photography is another interest, and I use a Sony A7 IV when I’m shooting products and events, and a Fujifilm X-Pro3 for my own attempts at visual creativity. And for reading and writing, I’ve become partial to the Kobo Sage for books and the ReMarkable 2 with Type Folio.

When it comes to phones and tablets, I’m pretty platform-agnostic. I use a Google Pixel 8 for my phone and an iPad Air for a tablet. Android, iOS, and iPadOS are all totally fine, but I need a Windows PC. MacOS just isn’t for me.

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