Apple has now released tvOS 26.5 beta 1 for developers, just days after the public rollout of tvOS 26.4. The new beta is available now, so registered developers and anyone using Apple’s developer beta access can install it right away through the Settings app.
Right now, Apple has not shared any major user-facing tvOS 26.5 features, and early reports have not pointed to any notable changes yet. That means this first beta looks like an early test build for bug fixes, performance work, and whatever Apple may add in later seeds. We will update this story if more features show up in the beta.
Apple released this first 26.5 developer beta wave alongside other platform updates, including iPadOS 26.5, watchOS 26.5, visionOS 26.5, and HomePod 26.5. Historically, x.5 updates tend to arrive before Apple shifts full attention to the next major software cycle, with WWDC 2026 now getting closer.
How to install tvOS 26.5 beta 1
If your Apple TV is already enrolled in the developer beta program, here’s how to update:
- Open Settings
- Go to System
- Select Software Updates
- Choose Get Beta Updates
- Pick tvOS 26 Developer Beta
- Go back and install tvOS 26.5 beta 1
Apple no longer requires a paid developer membership just to access developer betas, but you still need to sign in with an Apple account that has developer beta access enabled. As always, beta software can include bugs, app issues, and performance problems, so it is better to avoid installing it on your main device if stability matters.
No new features found yet
So far, no major tvOS 26.5 changes have been discovered in beta 1. That is not unusual for an early Apple TV beta, since tvOS updates often stay light on visible additions and focus more on under-the-hood improvements. If Apple adds anything notable in the next beta builds, we will report on it.
For now, tvOS 26.5 beta 1 is mainly important because it starts Apple’s next testing cycle after tvOS 26.4.
Let us know in the comments if you have installed tvOS 26.5 beta 1 and spotted anything new.
