In this guide, we list all the handy accessibility features available on your Apple TV that you can use to fine-tune your TV viewing experience.
Your Apple TV, just like iPhone and Mac, includes features to improve the experience for those with visual or audio impairments. These accessibility settings can be helpful or necessary to using your Apple TV. So, if you’ve just purchased an Apple TV for yourself or a loved one or are considering it and want to know the available accessibility options, you’ve come to the right spot.
Similar to other Apple devices, there is a dedicated section in the Settings for Accessibility. So, open the Settings app on Apple TV and choose Accessibility to get started.
You have many options for vision, motor, and hearing that you can configure on Apple TV. Some settings are a simple On or Off switch, while others let you customize the options.
Vision accessibility settings
VoiceOver: Select VoiceOver and then click the top option to enable it. You can then configure settings for navigation style and verbosity, speech options like voice, speech rate, and pitch, and finally, audio channels.
Zoom: Select Zoom and then click the top option to turn it on. Below that, adjust the maximum zoom level.
Hover Text: Turn it on to see what you have selected in a huge font.
Display: This group of settings includes bold text, color filter, light sensitivity, reduce white point, and several other options.
Motion: This setting includes options to enable reduce motion, dim flashing lights, and audio-play video previews.
Audio Descriptions: This is another simple On or Off. When you enable it, descriptions for scenes in videos will be described verbally.
Physical and Motor accessibility settings
Switch Control: If you have connected switches, enable this setting and then the options in it for timing, pressing, stabilization, audio, visual, and menu items.
AirPods: If you use AirPods with your Apple TV, you can adjust its accessibility settings here.
Tap to Navigate: If you turn it on, you can tap the four directional buttons outside the touch surface on your Siri Remote instead of pressing them.
Hearing accessibility settings
Mono Audio: This is just an On or Off to enable or disable mono audio.
Balance: Choose this setting to adjust the balance more to the left or right.
Subtitles and Captioning: Click to enable closed captions and SDH and then customize the style for captioning.
Live Captions in FaceTime: Turn it on, and your Apple TV will transcribe what’s spoken on the FaceTime call. Also see: How to make FaceTime calls on Apple TV
Extended Voice Isolation: This applies extra voice isolation during video playback.
Type to Siri
Type To Siri: Turn it on to use Siri by typing your request instead of speaking.
Accessibility Shortcut
Accessibility Shortcut: You can enable a triple-click menu for things like VoiceOver, zoom, switch control, and more.
Hopefully, after reviewing this guide to accessibility settings on Apple TV, you’ll get your device set up exactly as you need it. If there’s another item you’re looking for, check out our Where is that on Apple TV? article.
For more on these types of settings for your other Apple devices, visit our Accessibility section. You’ll find helpful articles for iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch.
Check out next: How to control your TV volume with the Apple TV Remote