Apple's free update lands on Apple TV and HomePod today. Here are 9 changes worth trying, and the last slide reveals what's still missing.
tvOS 27 needs an Apple TV 4K (2nd generation or later). The Apple TV HD and the first Apple TV 4K stay on tvOS 26 and get none of these features.
On the TV, open Settings > System > Software Updates. New in 27: the Home app on iPhone can update every Apple TV in the house, just like HomePods.
A new Larger Text option in Settings enlarges titles, episode summaries and menus. Apps built on Apple's frameworks follow it; some big streaming apps don't.
Generated subtitles transcribe speech in videos that ship without captions. The speech recognition runs on the Apple TV itself, not in the cloud.
The redesigned Podcasts app adds video podcast playback and a new sidebar, so browsing shows on a big screen takes fewer clicks.
Apple Music on Apple TV can now play Hi-Res Lossless audio, up to 24-bit/192kHz, through compatible external speaker outputs.
HomePod 27 adds Apple Music's AutoMix, which blends songs by matching key and tempo. Apple says new transition types make each handoff smoother.
Both updates speed up AirPlay connections, so photos, video and music sent from an iPhone start on your Apple TV or HomePod with less waiting.
With Apple Intelligence on in the Home app, HomeKit Secure Video writes clip descriptions you can search. It needs an iPhone 15 Pro or later and a 27 home hub.
Siri AI and four-HomePod surround sound aren't in this release. Code for the surround setup is already hiding in audioOS 27, though.