Your Apple TV will get new features this fall with tvOS 26, but you’ll need newer hardware for Liquid Glass design and iPhone karaoke mode.
Apple listed the hardware requirements for the new features coming with the tvOS 26 operating system this fall in the official tvOS 26 press release, in marketing materials and product pages on its website.
Like last year’s tvOS 18 update, tvOS 26 is compatible with all Apple TV HD and Apple TV 4K models. However, two new features require newer hardware.
tvOS 26: 2 features requiring newer Apple TV models
If you were hoping to enjoy the Liquid Glass design overhaul on the largest screen in your home, you’ll need to use a second-generation Apple TV 4K or newer. That’s because the first Apple TV 4K is powered by Apple’s A8 chip that first appeared in the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, which arrived in September 2014.
So, it’s older than a decade and that’s a very long time in the technology industry. The Liquid Glass interface makes heavy use of semi-transparency, translucency effects and shimmering icons that are rendered in real-time and just don’t run smoothly enough on older hardware. If you own a second or third-generation Apple TV 4K, you’ll get Liquid Glass.
Apple Music Sing, a karaoke feature that in tvOS 26 turns your iPhone 11 or later into a wireless microphone that amplifies your voice through the connected speaker, only works on the latest third-generation Apple TV 4K.
How to install the tvOS 26 developer beta
It’s great that tvOS 26 runs on the original Apple TV HD model from 2015. If you still have it lying around somewhere, you’ll be able to enjoy new features when tvOS 26 launches publicly in the fall, but not the Liquid Glass design overhaul and the iPhone karaoke feature that require newer hardware.
If you’re feeling adventurous, you can install the developer beta of 26 on your Apple TV and try out the new features ahead of launch by following the steps in our tutorial.
Other changes in tvOS 26
tvOS 26 brings several other features that run across all compatible Apple TV models. Among the changes are the option to automatically display profiles when the device wakes and support for the latest Thread 1.4 protocol which promises to unify mesh networking in your smart home, but not until the first Thread 1.4-compatible home accessories and routers start arriving in 2026.
You’ll also appreciate cinematic poster art in the TV app, an enhanced FaceTime app with real-time captions in new languages, new aerials captured across India, new screen saver options and the ability to designate any AirPlay-enabled speaker as the permanent speaker for your Apple TV (not just HomePods, like before).