Apple TV is lastly getting a characteristic that Roku customers have had for years

tvOS 26 launched several major updates to the Apple TV expertise earlier this yr, together with the Liquid Glass redesign, a revamped Apple TV app, new display savers, and enhancements to the profile system.

If I needed to choose my favourite characteristic of tvOS 26, it will positively be the updates Apple made to profiles. Now, whenever you flip in your Apple TV, a display seems prompting you to pick out a profile, much like how streaming companies like Netflix do it. Earlier than this modification, switching profiles in your Apple TV required manually opening the Management Middle, which was straightforward to neglect. Whereas it is an additional step every time you flip in your Apple TV, I imagine it is price it for extra customized suggestions.

That stated, though switching profiles is now extra handy and accessible, one concern that has all the time been related to profiles on Apple TV is that they require being linked to an Apple ID. This implies in case you needed to create a correct visitor profile in your Apple TV, you continue to could not do it with tvOS 26, as it will have required having an extra Apple ID past your fundamental one. Nonetheless, that is about to vary.

With the upcoming tvOS 26.2 replace, Apple is lastly permitting customers so as to add profiles to their Apple TV without having to hyperlink them to an Apple ID (through MacRumors). This implies if you wish to create a correct visitor profile for others to make use of in your Apple TV, resembling for roommates, members of the family, or your youngsters, you will quickly have the ability to. And for fogeys particularly, it appears Apple has gone the additional mile to make this tremendous helpful for youths.

Apple can also be including a Children Mode with tvOS 26.2

The replace continues to be in beta

Credit score: Apple / Pocket-lint

Apart from eradicating the necessity for an Apple ID when creating profiles with tvOS 26.2, Apple has additionally added an choice to examine a field throughout profile creation that designates the profile as for youths. This mechanically restricts the content material obtainable on that profile within the Apple TV expertise to PG by default, guaranteeing that in case you have a toddler who often makes use of your Apple TV, they are going to solely see age-appropriate content material.

Apple additionally permits you to alter the TV present score primarily based in your kid’s age, so you’ll be able to set it to decrease or larger ranges, like TV-G or TV-14. Nonetheless, you will nonetheless want to make use of parental controls to dam entry to apps exterior of Apple TV.

So to sum it up, with tvOS 26.2, Apple has primarily created a method so that you can arrange a visitor mode and children mode in your Apple TV. And in keeping with MacRumors, whenever you create extra profiles in your Apple TV, these profiles can also seem on the Apple TV app on third-party gadgets, resembling sensible TVs.

It is also price noting that you may nonetheless create profiles in your Apple TV linked to an Apple ID. Apple now merely offers you the choice to take action with out one with tvOS 26.2. Moreover, in case you create a profile with out an Apple ID and later determine you wish to hyperlink it to at least one, you are able to do that.

tvOS 26.2 is presently in beta and is anticipated to be obtainable someday in mid-December, so you will not have to attend lengthy to make use of these new profile options. Personally, I am simply glad Apple has lastly added a correct strategy to create a visitor profile on Apple TV. This has been a characteristic Roku TV has had for a very long time, so with the ability to do it on an Apple TV quickly might be a giant plus for individuals who share their gadget rather a lot.