Apple tvOS 18 Goes to Public Beta Testing; Find Out What’s New and How to Sign Up
Apple tvOS 18 Goes to Public Beta Testing; Find Out What’s New and How to Sign Up
InSight is the headlining feature of tvOS 18, which rolls out widely to the public this fall.
We’re still in the height of summer here in the northern hemisphere, but fall isn’t too far away now. With it will come a new version of Apple's tvOS operating system, and tvOS 18 has some excellent new features that users are going to love. If you don’t want to wait to see what you can do with tvOS 18, the best news of the day is that Apple has made a public beta test of the operating system available to all owners of Apple TV devices for free. I’ll lay out how to sign up for that beta test, and what changes are coming to your user interface below.
Key Details:
- tvOS 18 will introduce InSight, which functions highly similarly to Amazon’s X-Ray feature.
- Other new upgrades include tweaks to the Enhance Dialogue feature, support for projectors, and more.
- It’s incredibly simple to sign up for public beta tests if you’re an Apple device owner.
Much like it did with tvOS 17 last year, Apple has decided to allow owners of Apple TV devices to test its new software update with a public beta. Anyone with a compatible device can join the beta test for free and get access to tvOS 18 now, though the final product that rolls out this fall may differ somewhat from the test version.
The big, new feature coming with tvOS 18 is called InSight. If you’ve ever watched a show or movie on Prime Video and used the X-Ray function, InSight will be very familiar. It overlays the show’s metadata, allowing viewers to see information about the cast, and displays links to where viewers can buy music from the title via Apple Music.
Automatic subtitles are also coming with tvOS 18. These will detect moments in the dialogue when the language being spoken doesn’t match the device’s default language and show subtitles without forcing the viewer to go through the hassle of changing their settings. Upgrades to the Enhanced Dialogue feature, support for 21:9 screen resolution to enable viewing on projectors, and other enhancements are coming with the upgraded software.
How to Sign Up for Apple’s Public Beta Tests
If you own an Apple TV device and are ready to get updates before the finished tvOS product launches for the general public, you should make sure you’re signed up to be automatically enrolled in beta tests from Apple. This is very easy to do; simply head to beta.apple.com and sign up using your Apple ID.
Once you’ve done that, power up your Apple TV device and follow these instructions:
- Open Settings.
- Head to “System,” then “Software Update.”
- Go to “Get Beta Updates” and toggle it to on.
- Sit back and wait as your device automatically adds the tvOS 18 beta update.
It’s just that simple, and before long you’ll be able to watch Apple TV+, Netflix, and all the other streaming services available on the Apple TV device, complete with its newest software. You don’t have to wait until fall to get your hands on tvOS 18!
Apple TV
Apple TV (formerly known as Apple TV+) is a subscription video streaming service for $14.99 per month, offering a growing slate of original series, films, documentaries, and specials. Unlike other platforms that combine licensed titles with originals, Apple TV is built entirely around exclusive programming, making it the home of critically acclaimed hits such as “Ted Lasso,” “Severance,” “The Morning Show,” and “Silo.” Its lineup continues to expand with award-winning dramas, comedies, family-friendly shows, and blockbuster original films like “CODA,” which won the Academy Award for Best Picture.