5 Apple TV Features Every Family Should Be Using - BGR

The Apple TV is one of Apple's most interesting hardware devices for bringing the family together. After all, it improves any smart TV with Apple's tvOS by combining a great selection of apps, Apple services, and future-proof hardware, with the company offering several years of software updates and a processor as good as those in many powerful computers. That said, if you have an Apple TV and everyone in your family uses the set-top box, you should use multiple profiles, parental controls, and even Apple Music Sing, among several other features.

While Apple still supports the second- and third-generation Apple TV 4K (both devices are getting Siri AI later this year), the company also recently announced a fourth-generation Apple TV 4K, with a more capable processor, built-in microphones for better "Hey Siri" requests, and improved specs for a future-proof experience — like the ability to pair four HomePod models to create a fuller surround sound.

That said, whether you have one of the previous models or plan to upgrade to the new Apple TV, there are several features your family should use to enjoy more quality time together, keep your recommendations truly yours, and more.

The main feature every family should be using on an Apple TV is multiple profiles. After all, with a specific profile, Apple TV can tailor content based on what you watch on Apple TV (the streaming service), other connected streams through the Apple TV app, your photos, your Apple Music library and your preferred workouts in Apple Fitness+. With that in mind, if your partner, children, or other person in your iCloud+/AppleOne family wants to use the Apple TV, they can also get tailored recommendations.

While Apple TV will already suggest the Apple accounts you have paired in your family, you can easily add, remove, or delete profiles on the Apple TV 4K. On your Apple TV, go to Settings > Profiles and Accounts > Add New Profile. Another option is to hold the little TV symbol on the remote to open Control Center > Profile > Add Profile. Once you Sign In with an Apple Account, it will stay connected.

If you have a managing profile, you can set recommended or custom content restrictions for these profiles, or create a Child profile that doesn't need to be synced with an Apple Account, providing age-appropriate content and search results. Once the kid is old enough to have an Apple Account, you can upgrade this profile to an Apple Account. When you start a session on your Apple TV, open Control Center to select who's using it, so it shows the right recommendations on your Home Screen.

With tvOS 17, Apple introduced FaceTime on the Apple TV. While it doesn't let users start a call directly on the set-top box, Apple made it easier to get closer by using the iPhone as the main camera. For example, if a relative living abroad calls you and you want the whole family together, That's the best way to enjoy this experience. After all, with the iPhone and Continuity Camera, everyone can appear on the call while the caller stays on the big display.

With the iPhone's main cameras and Center Stage, everyone in the household can fit in the frame, move around, and even use gestures to react to what's being said, like a thumbs-up, a heart shape with two hands, and so on. Better yet, users can use Split View to watch TV shows or movies with others during a SharePlay session (when the streaming service allows it) while still seeing everyone on the FaceTime call.

To enjoy this experience, go to Settings on your iPhone > FaceTime and make sure it's on. If not, sign in to FaceTime with your Apple Account. On the Apple TV, with a connected iPhone or iPad as Continuity Camera, select a recipient or contact from your list (or more than one for a group call), then select FaceTime Video or Audio.

If everyone in your family uses Apple TV, including kids under 18, you can set up parental controls. With tvOS 27, Apple added new restrictions and better ways to keep certain audiences from accessing inappropriate content. To turn on restrictions, press and hold the TV icon on the remote to open the Control Center, then select the parental control icon. Another possibility is Settings > General > Restrictions. Turn it on and enter a 4-digit passcode.

Afterward, you can select the activity you want to restrict, such as purchasing or renting TV shows, movies, and/or apps; accessing apps, TV shows, movies, music, and podcasts based on ratings or explicit language; playing multiplayer games, adding people, or changing Game Center privacy settings; changing AirPlay, TV Provider, or Location settings. If you use Family Sharing, you can limit family members from buying goodies online and enable features like Ask to Buy, so you get a notification whenever your children want to buy something.

That said, Apple notes that restrictions may not apply to App Store downloads, such as Netflix and other apps not integrated with the Apple TV app. In those cases, you may need to go into each app individually to apply restrictions to specific content.

Starting with tvOS 27.2, Apple will enable Siri AI on the Apple TV 4K (2nd generation) and newer set-top boxes. To work, the new Siri requires an Apple Intelligence-capable iPhone, such as an iPhone 15 Pro, nearby — even though it might work better on an iPhone 18. With that, you can use the all-new Siri with a more natural voice, get insight about TV shows, and even ask the personal assistant for world knowledge. Users can take advantage of the new Siri by activating it on an iPhone. With the latest tvOS software, they can then invoke Siri by voice or with the remote for the new experience.

Among the suggestions for families, Apple says users can ask questions like, "What Apple TV shows won at the Emmy Awards This Year?," which will bring poster art from the Apple TV app with relevant suggestions, or even deeper knowledge for questions like "Is this appropriate for a 15-year-old?," when talking about a movie or TV show. Apple says these responses appear in "a compact, subtle overlay, providing helpful information when viewers ask while keeping them immersed in the action."

With the new Apple TV 4K, users can also use the three new far-field microphones to ask Siri even when audio is playing. This is the first time Apple has added microphones to the Apple TV, even though earlier rumors suggested the company could eventually add a camera to the set-top box.

The fifth feature families can enjoy together with an Apple TV is Apple Music Sing. Requiring a third-generation Apple TV 4K or newer, users can sing along to their favorite songs with real-time lyrics and really lower the main vocals. With that, family members can all sing along, perform duets, and more. While users can also enjoy this functionality on iPhone and iPad, the best way to take advantage of it is on a big screen, as you can use Continuity Camera (the same feature from FaceTime on Apple TV) to see you and your family members onscreen while applying camera filters to make the experience even more immersive.

To start enjoying Apple Music Sing, open the Apple Music app, select Play a song, then select Lyrics at the bottom of the screen. Then, on the Apple TV Remote, press Back, then select Mic. Afterward, you can adjust the vocals by swiping the clickpad on the Apple TV remote. Another possibility is to select the Apple Music Sing icon on the Apple TV 4K, then show playback controls, then select the microphone. There, you can scan a QR code to connect up to 30 iPhones and keep the party going all night. That way, every family member with an iPhone can sing their favorite tunes, add songs to the queue, react, and use the Continuity Camera to make it even more joyful.