How to Turn On Automatic App Updates on Apple TV

Streaming apps change often. A service may fix a bug, improve picture quality, or, less happily, break something if you stay on a very old version for too long. On Apple TV, you do not need to visit the App Store every week to stay current. A single setting lets the box download and install app updates on its own, usually overnight, so your apps are ready when you sit down to watch.

This short task takes less than a minute once you know where the setting lives. This guide shows the exact steps, explains how to check that it worked, and covers the related software update setting that many people confuse with app updates.

Quick Answer

On your Apple TV, open Settings, select Apps, and turn on Automatically Update Apps. From then on, the Apple TV will download and install updates for your App Store apps in the background whenever updates are available and the box is connected to the internet. You can still update any app manually from the App Store whenever you want a new version sooner.

App Updates and Software Updates Are Two Different Things

New owners often mix these up, so it is worth clearing this up first. App updates are new versions of individual apps, such as Netflix, YouTube, or a broadcaster app. They come from the App Store and are controlled in Settings under Apps.

Software updates are new versions of tvOS, the Apple TV operating system itself. They arrive less often, can change menus and features, and are controlled in Settings under System. Turning on one does not automatically turn on the other, although for most people it makes sense to enable both. Apple explains the app setting on its official page for updating apps on Apple TV.

Why Automatic App Updates Are Worth Using

• Bug fixes arrive without you hunting for them in the App Store.
• Streaming services sometimes require a recent app version to keep playing certain content.
• Security fixes in apps are applied promptly.
• Updates happen in the background, so you are not stopped by an update screen when you want to watch something.

The only real downside is that an update can occasionally change an app’s layout or introduce a fresh bug. That risk is small, and services usually fix bad updates quickly. For a family TV used by everyone, automatic updates are almost always the calmer choice.

Step-by-Step: Turn On Automatic App Updates

1. Press the Home or TV button on the Siri Remote to go to the home screen.
2. Open the Settings app. It is the grey icon with gears.
3. Scroll down and select Apps.
4. Find the option called Automatically Update Apps.
5. If it says Off, click it once to turn it On.
6. Press the Back button to leave Settings. The choice is saved straight away; there is no separate save button.

That is the whole process. There is no restart needed and no confirmation screen. While you are on the same Apps settings page, you may also see Automatically Install Apps. That different option installs, on this Apple TV, apps you downloaded on your iPhone or iPad when a TV version exists. Turn it on only if you like that behaviour; it is not required for updates.

How to Check That Automatic Updates Are Working

Because updates happen quietly, you may wonder whether anything is happening at all. Use these checks over the following week.

1. Open the App Store and go to the Purchased or Updates area, depending on your tvOS version.
2. Look for a Recently Updated list. Apps with recent dates there were updated without you.
3. Open an app you use often and check its version in its own settings menu, then compare it after a few days.
4. Make sure the Apple TV stays connected to Wi-Fi or Ethernet and is not unplugged at the wall every night. A box with no power cannot update.

Remember that an app only updates when its developer releases a new version. A quiet week with no updates usually means no new versions came out, not that the setting is broken. Apple notes the same background behaviour in its support information about automatic downloads and updates.

How to Update an App Manually Right Now

Sometimes you do not want to wait. A service may announce a fix for a problem you are having today, or a new feature you want to try tonight. Manual updating still works even with automatic updates turned on.

1. Open the App Store on the Apple TV.
2. Search for the app by name, or find it under your purchased apps.
3. Open the app’s page. If an update is waiting, the button will say Update instead of Open.
4. Select Update and wait for the download to finish before opening the app.

If the button only says Open, you already have the latest version the App Store is offering your region and device. Restarting the Apple TV and checking again can help if you know a release is rolling out gradually.

Also Turn On Automatic tvOS Software Updates

Since you are already in Settings, it is worth enabling the system equivalent at the same time, so the Apple TV itself also stays current.

1. Open Settings and select System.
2. Select Software Updates.
3. Turn on Update Automatically.
4. Leave the Apple TV in sleep mode rather than unplugging it, so it can update when idle.

Automatic system updates are slightly different in feel. A tvOS update can restart the box and takes longer than an app update, which is why it is scheduled for idle times. Keeping both switches on gives you a fully self-maintaining setup, similar in spirit to the habits in our guide to keeping your smart TV updated and secure.

Troubleshooting: Apps Still Not Updating

The Apple TV Is Unplugged or Fully Off at Night

Many homes switch the TV socket off overnight to save power. That also cuts power to the Apple TV, so background updates never get a chance. Leave it powered for a few nights and check the Recently Updated list again.

Storage Is Full

Updates need free space to download. If your Apple TV storage is packed with games and cached content, delete an app you no longer use under Settings, General, Manage Storage, and try again.

You Are Signed Out of the App Store

Apps are tied to the Apple Account that downloaded them. If you are signed out, or the box uses a different account now, updates for those apps can stall. Check Settings, Users and Accounts, and confirm the default user is signed in.

Updates Are Paused on a Weak Connection

Background downloads wait for a stable connection. If your Wi-Fi drops often, fix the connection or use Ethernet for a night, then let the box catch up.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Turning on Automatically Install Apps and thinking it is the update setting: They sit close together but do different jobs. Updates are the Automatically Update Apps switch.
• Looking for the setting in the App Store: On Apple TV this switch lives in Settings under Apps, not inside the App Store app.
• Expecting instant updates for every app: Developers release updates at different times in different regions. Automatic means hands-free, not instant.
• Unplugging the box every night: Sleep mode uses very little power and lets updates, screensaver downloads, and syncing happen quietly.
• Never checking storage: A completely full Apple TV cannot download updates, however the switches are set.

Conclusion

Turning on automatic app updates on Apple TV is a one-minute job: Settings, Apps, Automatically Update Apps, On. Pair it with automatic tvOS updates under System, keep the box powered and connected, and your streaming apps will quietly stay current. Check the Recently Updated list once in a while for peace of mind, and use manual updates only when you want a specific new version right away.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do automatic updates use a lot of internet data?

App updates are usually modest in size, far smaller than the 4K video the same apps stream every evening. On an unlimited home broadband plan they are not a concern. On a capped plan, most updates are still small compared with streaming.

Will an app update while I am watching something?

The Apple TV prefers to update apps in the background when they are not in active use. If you open an app that is mid-update, you may see a short wait while it finishes.

Can I turn automatic updates off for just one app?

No. The setting is all or nothing for App Store apps. If you truly need to hold one app back, you must turn automatic updates off entirely and update everything else manually, which most people find not worth the effort.

Does this setting also update the Netflix and YouTube apps?

Yes. Any app installed from the App Store is included, including all the major streaming services. Apps are updated by their own developers and delivered through the App Store.

Why do I not see the Automatically Update Apps option?

Check that you are in Settings, then Apps, on a current version of tvOS. Very old software may place or name the option differently, so update tvOS under System first and then look again.