I have to admit that it has been difficult, but for some time now I have been using Apple TV more than ever. And despite having a high-end Google TV, there are Aspects of Apple’s “gadget” that I really likeso much so that I can use the apps it has and put the TV aside.
That’s why I’m going to go over what I consider to be the best tricks I’ve learned to get the most out of Apple TV with tvOS. Some of them are based on the latest version of tvOSwhich if you don’t have it updated, may not work for you until you update it.
Using two headphones at the same time
One of the things I like most about Apple TV is the possibility of Using AirPods to listen to the series or movie that I like the most and not disturb the rest of the people who are at home.
There are even situations where my partner and I want to watch something and enjoy good sound quality without disturbing the rest of the neighbors, something that can be more common in summer when we have the windows open. In this case, the Apple TV allows us to use two AirPods at once. All you have to do to take advantage of this feature is go to the control center and with the AirPods on, select both AirPods as the audio output.
The home screen is just a click away
Another of the tricks that I like the most and that makes it very easy and attractive to use the Apple TV is the ease and speed to Go back to the start screen. Everything is just a click away on the remote control.
The only thing you have to do to take advantage of this feature is to eject the button on the Apple TV remote that has the icon of a TV. And although by default it is configured to go to the Apple TV+ application, I have configured it to go to the Apple TV home menu. To do this you have to go to “Settings” and then within “Controls and devices” click on “TV button” and choose “Starting screen”.
Improve the sound
It doesn’t always happen, surely on some occasion and during a series or movie, you have had to raise or lower the volume in different scenes. Especially with loud sounds, you have found it difficult to hear the dialogues or the loudest audios have bothered you. And yet, With Apple TV this is easily solved.
The Apple TV comes with a very interesting feature for this very reason that allows the system to improve the dialogues. What you have to do is enter the “Settings” and within “Audio” Mark and click on “Improve dialogues” to say “Improve”. It’s the screenshot above.
But there is another option to reduce loud sounds. It’s very easy to activate and doesn’t require any special configuration or anything like that. On your Apple TV, go to “Settings”, “Audio and Video” and click on “Reduce Loud Sounds” and activate the option.
In this way, once you have activated these options, scenes with loud sounds, They will not stand out from the rest and the dialogues won’t sound so low either. It’s the ideal way to enjoy a series or movie.
All apps at hand
Another thing I like about the Apple TV is that it has a kind of multitasking very similar to that of the iPhone. The applications that we have used and then we have used, have remained in a kind of second plane, but can be opened at any time.
To scroll through all the applications you have opened without having to enter the start menu again, simply press Press the button twice quickly shaped like a TV icon. From there you just have to use the directional button to move through the different applications.
You can even use this same system to close an application that has stopped working. All you have to do is select it using the directional button and swipe up to close it completely.
Restart your Apple TV
It has only happened to me once, but it is not impossible that the Apple TV may have some operating problem and get “stuck” (using the beta it may be more normal).
And just like with the iPhone, restarting the Apple TV is a really simple process. All you have to do is press the back button (the one with an arrow pointing left) along with the button with the TV icon for a few seconds and wait for the Apple TV to completely shut down. The system will automatically restart.
Remove trailers for series and movies
Another possibility that I like and that the Apple TV has is that of remove the playback of series trailers and movies that start automatically. This works for both Apple TV+ and Netflix.
The only thing you have to do is in “Settings” and then click on “Accessibility” and “Motion”. At that point you just have to click on and “disable automatic previews”.
If it’s Netflix, the app you want to block autoplay of trailers on, you must do so from the browser by logging into your account. Go to “Profile and parental control” and then in “Playback Settings”Finally, uncheck “Autoplay trailers” while browsing on all devices.
Change the color of the interface
As with the iPhone, iPad and other Apple devices, you can also use dark mode on the Apple TV and benefit from a more eye-friendly interface. To do so, you must enter “Settings”, “General” and “Aspect” and choose the color mode you prefer.
If you have it in dark mode but in a moment I’m done you prefer light mode for improve visibility If there is a lot of light in the room, you can repeat the steps and choose the light mode.
I like tvOS control center
With the latest version of tvOS the control center has become much more attractive. To access it Just press the button with the TV icon for a moment and you can access quick settings, user profiles and even control the devices you have connected to HomeKit.
There You can activate do not disturb modethe same as the iPhone, quick search and also search for content quickly and effectively.
Move apps around and create folders
Another option that Apple TV has, and that my TV also has (which I must say), is that it allows you to organize the applications to adapt them to your needs and tastes. To change the location of an app, Press and hold the center button on your Apple TV remote. Immediately click on edit and scroll to the area you want
But it’s not just about arranging app icons anymore. You can also create folders to keep your tvOS home screen more organized. To create a folder, in the drop-down menu that appears, go to “Move to” and click on “New folder”.
I use Siri to search for movies
I have to admit that Siri doesn’t inspire enthusiasm. I don’t use Siri much on the Apple TV (nor much on the iPhone), but taking advantage of this feature on the Apple TV helps me quickly find a series or movie that I want to see.
The only thing I have to tell you “Hey Siri, I want to watch Dune” and the assistant tells you which platform you can watch the series or movie on.
Use it for video calls
I have to admit that I have used this function very little, but when the time came to try it, it left me with a pleasant taste in my mouth. In this case, it is Use the FaceTime app to make calls using the TV.
The only thing I’ve had to do is place the iPhone so that the image can be captured without any problem and for that it already had an accessory that allows you to place the iPhone on the television.
Use it as karaoke
I already explained how to use this function, it is about taking advantage of Apple Music and having the Apple TV working as a kind of karaoke. In this way we can giving voice to our favorite songs of which we will only hear the music.
The karaoke function is Available in most music catalogs from Apple Music and to take advantage of it all you have to do is go to Apple Music, choose the song you want to sing and click on the lyrics and then on the icon with a microphone to deactivate the vocals.
Use your iPhone or Apple Watch as a remote control
I have to admit that the Apple TV remote is extremely accessible and affordable for me, but there are times when I don’t have it at hand. And although I benefit from HDMI CEC to also use the TV remote, another possibility I have is Use your iPhone or Apple Watch as a remote control.
To take advantage of these features in the iPhone go to control center and select the remote control icon. In the Apple Watch go to the Remote app (blue play icon).
Calibrate the color of your TV with this tvOS trick
Apple TV also allows you to calibrate the color of your TV. All you have to do is log in. “Settings”, “Video and audio” and press “Color balance” in “Calibration”We already explained the process at the time and you have to use the iPhone to carry it out.
Place your iPhone with the screen facing the TV. Thanks to Face ID technology, will calibrate the colors exactly for better viewing.
Picture in Picture with any application
One of the functions that my TV doesn’t have, but that I can use with the Apple TV. It’s the PiP or Picture in Picture function, perfect for If you want to be following two programs at the same time.
In native Apple applications it is supported, you just have to press the PiP icon. And in the case of applications that are not supported, such as Netflix, you can have this function by playing the video from the iPhone and sending it via AirPlay to Apple TV. This way, you can play any type of content in PiP.
Customize tvOS screensavers
To finish, one of the things I like most about Apple TV is the screensavers it has. You have all these options by entering “Settings” and then in “Screensaver”I like them, especially the aerial ones where you see different landscapes.
Once the screensaver in question is playing, You can scroll through different models by sliding your finger to the right or left on the directional pad. You will also get more information about the screen saver if you place it over the center of the directional pad.