The Apple TV is much more than just a device for watching movies or series. With the ability to install apps, customize their layout, and control specific functions, it becomes a personalized multimedia center. However, to get the most out of it, it's essential to know how to manage these apps effectively. Whether you want to reorganize your Home screen, block in-app purchases, or sync your apps between multiple Apple TVs, here's a comprehensive guide that covers all the important aspects.
This article provides a simple and clear overview of all the options available for managing apps on your Apple TV. It also covers little-known features such as automatic installation from other Apple devices, specific settings for individual apps, parental restrictions, and even how to stop using "Sign in with Apple" for certain apps. Let's get started!
How to install new apps on your Apple TV
The most direct way to add features and content to your Apple TV is to install apps from the Integrated App StoreTo do this, you just have to:
- Turn on your Apple TV and from the main screen access the App Store.
- Find the app you want to install. You can browse by category or use the search box.
- Select the app and click on "Obtain" if it is free or "To buy" if it is paid.
You can also help Crab to locate apps. Just saying something like "Search for cooking apps" will show you results directly from the App Store. For more information on how to use Siri, check out our guide on How to use Siri with your Apple TV.
How to delete apps from Apple TV
Do you have apps that you barely use or just want to free up space? You can delete apps easily from the home screen:
- Use the remote to select the app you want to delete.
- Hold until the icon starts to move.
- Press the play/pause button and choose "Remove".
This action deletes the app and its associated content from the device, which is useful if you follow our guide on How to adjust your app settings on Apple TV.
Rearrange apps on the home screen
If you have many apps installed, you may want to sort them for easy accessYou can move them around just like you would on an iPhone or iPad:
- Select the app you want to move.
- Hold until it wobbles.
- Use the remote to move it wherever you prefer.
- Press again to lock it into its new position.
Additionally, if you have multiple Apple TVs at home linked to the same Apple account, you can enable the option “A home screen”This allows all your devices to have the same apps and visual layout.
How to control updates and automatic installation
By default, installed apps are automatically update when there's a new version. But if you prefer more control, you can disable this feature:
- Go to Apple TV Settings.
- Go to the section "Apps".
- Activate or deactivate the option "Update automatically".
- Activate the option “Install automatically” in that same section.
In the same menu, you can also decide if you want to be automatically install apps that you already have on another Apple device (such as an iPhone or iPad), as long as they are available in an Apple TV version
Limit in-app purchases
Many apps on Apple TV offer additional purchases within the app itself. If you have children at home or simply want to avoid unnecessary expenses, you can restrict them:
- Open Settings and go to General > Restrictions.
- Enter your 4-digit code (if you have already set it up).
- Select option “In-app purchases” and mark “Block”.
This way, the code will be required to make purchases within any installed app. This is especially useful when managing multiple users on your Apple TV, as detailed in How to manage users on Apple TV.
Manage the use of “Sign in with Apple”
Apple allows you to sign in to many apps and services using your Apple account, a feature known as “Sign in with Apple”If you want to check which apps are using it or stop using it, you have several options:
- From your own Apple TV or iOS device:
Open Settings > Your Name > Sign in with Apple. - From a Mac:
Apple menu > System Preferences > Your Name > Sign in with Apple. - From the web:
Login to account.apple.com and go to Login & Security.
There you will see the list of apps with which you are using this feature. You can check what information you shared, stop using it or even change the forwarding email if you used the hide your email option.
If you decide to stop using “Sign in with Apple” with an app, the session will be closed and you'll need to log in differently the next time you use it. Keep in mind that if a developer uses this feature for multiple apps, the change will affect all of them. To better understand how to configure these features, check out our guide on How to configure privacy settings on your Apple TV.
Specific settings for each app
Some apps allow you to access individual settings to further customize their operation. These settings can include everything from define the playback quality, manage usage history, or decide how content is displayed. From Settings > Apps, you can control:
- Automatic Updates.
- Automatic installation from other Apple devices.
- Which apps to share with the Apple TV app.
Setting up the Apple TV app
In addition to general app management, the Apple TV app itself has multiple configurable options:
- playback history: Turns its use on or off to personalize recommendations.
- Show or hide live sports scores.
- Sync your favorite sports with other apps like Apple News.
- Type of images that will appear in the “Continue watching” section: You can choose between still frames or covers.
- Autoplay next episode.
- Play automatic recommendations once a content ends.
- Top bar on the home screen: Choose whether to show previews or suggestions of your list.
- Notifications about sporting events: start and end of important or exciting matches.
- Video streaming quality: optimal, superior or good, depending on your network connection.
- Playing sound automatically: in case you want to listen to the videos in the background.
- Definition of video in purchases or rentals: HD or SD.
- Clear search and viewing history if you do not want suggestions to be taken into account.
Delete data and privacy
If you want to clear your viewing or search history:
- Go to Settings > Apple TV app.
- Choose “Delete playback history” o “Clear search history”.
This will delete your current viewing and search information, both on Apple TV and other linked devices. To learn more about managing your app settings, see How to configure settings for specific users on your Apple TV.
Managing your Apple TV apps is key to personalizing your experience and getting the most out of your device.
With so many options available—from automatic installation, purchase control, specific settings, to multi-device syncing—you can have a media center tailored to your tastes and needs. And best of all: all of this can be conveniently configured from the Apple TV menus itself, without any technical complications.
