Apple TV Can Be Restored With an iPhone Starting With iOS 17

[MacRumors]

Starting with the iOS 17 and tvOS 17 software updates released on Monday, any Apple TV HD or Apple TV 4K model experiencing problems can be restored with a nearby iPhone, according to a new Apple support document.

If a black screen with an iPhone appears on the TV, users can unlock their iPhone, hold it close to the Apple TV, and follow the on-screen recovery steps on the iPhone. When the recovery process is completed, the Apple TV will reboot.

On the Apple TV HD, there is a USB-C port that allows the device to be restored with a Mac over a wired connection. However, there is no USB-C port on any of the Apple TV 4K models, so Apple advised customers to contact Apple support to restore those models. With the new iPhone-based restore method, that is no longer necessary.

Read our tvOS 17 release post for an overview of other new Apple TV features, such as a FaceTime app and a redesigned Control Center.

Article Link: Apple TV Can Be Restored With an iPhone Starting With iOS 17

 

[alexandr]

That will be nice. I wanted to roll back after installing the ios17 beta, but couldn't, since it's the ATV4K!

 

[cocky jeremy]

Cool, but I hope to never have to use it. lol.

 

[LedRush]

I’ve been using Apply TV since near the beginning, and I’ve never had this issue. But this sounds like a very welcome improvement for those who have.

 

[Heat_Fan89]

One feature that is welcomed is the addition of power off mode instead of sleep mode. My ATV4 that I purchased in 2015 is still getting OS updates. That's 8 years of OS upgrades. I do plan on upgrading when the OS upgrades stop.

 

[swiftapplefan]

Why remove the usb port? Even my HomePod mini can be connected to my MacBook to be restored. Hope they bring it back.

 

[CarAnalogy]

This is what portless looks like, people. Let’s not be so quick to get rid of tried and true connectors.

 

[koil]

While this is certainly useful, I have serious doubts it can handle as many situations as USB-based restore can.

 

[Jhonjhon236]

Now they just need to introduce it with other phones and iPads.

 

[jonnysods]

Now they just need to introduce it with other phones and iPads.

iPads I can see, but Apple won’t open it up to other phones - they want you in their ecosystem!

 

[mannyvel]

I'm surprised that this happened often enough that they had to build the feature into iOS/tvOS. This would be helpful for kiosk mode ATVs, I suppose.

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

This is what portless looks like, people. Let’s not be so quick to get rid of tried and true connectors.

Yes, now we need a thousand dollar dongle to restore instead of a $5 cable. Progre$$$$$$!

 

[jimbobb24]

How do I mess my Apple TV up enough so that I can try this?

 

[DailySlow]

One feature that is welcomed is the addition of power off mode instead of sleep mode. My ATV4 that I purchased in 2015 is still getting OS updates. That's 8 years of OS upgrades. I do plan on upgrading when the OS upgrades stop.

Same here - but I plan to upgrade when the crank mechanism wears out and breaks.

 

[Realityck]

If a black screen with an iPhone appears on the TV, users can unlock their iPhone, hold it close to the Apple TV, and follow the on-screen recovery steps on the iPhone. When the recovery process is completed, the Apple TV will reboot

If it shows the on the TV screen an image of an iPhone next to an Apple TV then a user can simply hold their iPhone close to the Apple TV, which should trigger the repair feature. Nice change just like how Apple changed Sonoma to be able to work a DFU restore without Apple Configurator. Making the consumer less dependent on bringing it to a Apple store.

 

[MarkNewton2023]

This feature indeed is very helpful to resolve Apple TV issue. I love Apple TV and thanks Apple to have this feature available.

 

[Blubbermann]

Are you kidding me Apple? My Apple TV 4k (NO USB PORT) „died“ last week. No way to restore it, no response even with special siri remote commands, no screen, only blinking.

Bad luck 😬

 

[CarAnalogy]

How do I mess my Apple TV up enough so that I can try this?

Try unplugging it during an update to tvOS 17 when it specifically tells you not to. That aught to do it.

 

[3rdiguy]

This is good to know. My 2016  TVHD has been doing that black screen a couple times over the last few months. I normally just unplug it and then plug it back in to restart it. I’ll try this next time. Gotta get me the  TV4K

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

Are you kidding me Apple? My Apple TV 4k (NO USB PORT) „died“ last week. No way to restore it, no response even with special siri remote commands, no screen, only blinking.

Bad luck 😬

That's called "Apple wants the $4 Trillion valuation ASAP" crash. Easily resolved. Send them more money.

 

[zapmymac]

I understand Apple lock-in / walled garden app approach…

But I know a dozen Android people that would buy and tv

It’s just asinine to not have an easy agnostic method to dfu this device imo

 

[bgillander]

Yes, now we need a thousand dollar dongle to restore instead of a $5 cable. Progre$$$$$$!

As much as I prefer having the USB port, that $5 cable alone won’t restore anything, and the computer you require on the other side changes that value equation a lot.

Since Apple sells far more phones than computers, this seems like a pretty good solution.

 

[Apple_Robert]

Makes sense seeing how you can set up with the phone.

 

[bgillander]

I understand Apple lock-in / walled garden app approach…

But I know a dozen Android people that would buy and tv

It’s just asinine to not have an easy agnostic method to dfu this device imo

You know a dozen Android people that would buy an Apple TV?

And they didn’t only because it didn’t have an Android version of this feature that was just introduced for the iPhone?

Seems reasonable.

 

[Ahmamies]

I wonder if this helps with the “blinking white light of dead” issue aka ATV not able to boot up?