tvOS 26.2 Lets You Create Apple TV Profiles Without an Account, Adds Dedicated Kids Mode

[CarAnalogy]

Does that mean I can do the same with Apple TV service? My kids don't have Apple accounts as they don't have any Apple devices.

That's actually a good question. But your kids don't need Apple devices to have an Apple account. Apple hasn't entirely shunned the web, you can make one on their website and then log in to it on the Apple TV, which de facto is a device they have (access to.)

This would all be simpler if they supported proper user accounts everywhere.

 

[WarmWinterHat]

That's actually a good question. But your kids don't need Apple devices to have an Apple account. Apple hasn't entirely shunned the web, you can make one on their website and then log in to it on the Apple TV, which de facto is a device they have (access to.)

This would all be simpler if they supported proper user accounts everywhere.

That’s for the info, I don’t know that.

I do wish they let you add profiles simply like every other streaming service.

 

[code-m]

When we going to get “child mode”, “guest mode” or multi-user mode in iPadOS. Android has had this for years and these machines have 8GB of RAM or more with M# chips in it, stop calling it a personal computer when it severely limited Apple.

 

[takeos]

It would be nice if they also allowed to restrict content by language. E.g. a child would only be allowed to watch content with audio in English, or in German (or either).

 

[TheSuperE]

Does that mean I can do the same with Apple TV service? My kids don't have Apple accounts as they don't have any Apple devices.

Four years I’ve been able to “hey siri” turn on the TV open this application and start watching now because of these stupid ****ing profiles it doesn’t work anymore. It’s broken because it won’t log into my account when I tell it to. Siri has been the most frustrating last decade worth of trying to stick behind Apple, but the only reason I won’t go to Google as I absolutely can’t deal with their privacy. There’s literally nothing good anymore in the world, except puppies, puppies, still rule, and kittens. Technology is dog ****.

 

[Dr McKay]

No idea why that's not possible...

Because Apple know some people will cave and buy multiple iPads per household to get around the issue

 

[OliOliOliOli]

Great, thing… but first create a réal parental control!

 

[cameronjpu]

With tvOS 26.2, Apple is changing the way that profiles work on the Apple TV. It's now possible to create a profile without an Apple Account, which is particularly useful for guest profiles and profiles for children.

In the Apple TV Settings app's profiles section, the "Add New Profile" option no longer requests that users sign in with an Apple device or manually with an Apple Account.

Alongside the Apple Account sign in, there is a "Create Profile" option that only requires a name, a profile rating, and a yes or no question about whether the new user is a child.

Selecting yes limits content to a PG rating by default, but there is a customize option for more granular control. Users can select ratings for TV shows and movies that are appropriate for the child based on their age. All of the standard TV show and movie ratings are available to select. Creating a child account and choosing a rating changes the Apple TV content that is available to the child. The Apple TV app will only show content that is appropriate for the limits that have been established for the account.

In tvOS 26.1, the latest public version of tvOS, profiles require an Apple Account. The TV app has a dedicated children's section and parents can set up parental controls to limit access, but it is not the full kids-only Apple TV view that's in tvOS 26.2.

The Apple TV app in tvOS 26.2 does not show any adult content when a child's profile is signed in, including in the Store and Library sections of the app. Only kids shows and movies are available to watch or purchase.

Years ago prior to the launch of tvOS 14, there were rumors of a dedicated kids mode for the Apple TV, but that didn't materialize. The changes in tvOS 26.2 are the closest Apple has come to an Apple TV experience just for children.

When a kids profile is active, it only applies to the Apple TV app. All other apps are visible and accessible to the user, and any app can be downloaded from the App Store. Parental controls still need to be used to limit access to content outside of the Apple TV app.

Setting up an adult profile allows for unrestricted access to the content on the Apple TV, so adults in the home that don't have an Apple Account can also now have their own profiles with their own content recommendations. Any account that is created without an Apple Account can be deleted or can be upgraded to add an Apple Account at a later time.

Profiles on tvOS 26.2 say that they may also show up on certain third-party devices, so accounts for children may also be accessible on devices with the Apple TV app, like smart TVs.

tvOS 26.2 is available for developers and public beta testers at the current time, and it is expected to launch sometime around the middle of December.

Article Link: tvOS 26.2 Lets You Create Apple TV Profiles Without an Account, Adds Dedicated Kids Mode

Great, now that we know you are thinking about it, do the same thing for an iPhone. There’s no reason a kid shouldn’t be able to pick up an iPhone and only have access to a clean profile with notes for drawing, a camera, etc.

 

[MacMan988]

Do you think the photos app will ever support profiles switching? It kinda sucks that the photos still displays the main account owners photo library when when the profiles is switched.

What's even more ****** about it is that the TV OS displays all of your photos on the TV screen, right in the middle of the living room, which includes all those random screenshots and everything.

 

[ds2000]

Now add this to the iPad and Vision Pro

 

[Flying Grayson]

Finally! Cannot understand what’s taken them so long. Same applies to the iPad though - but of course it’s because they want you to buy more than one iPad for your household (I can have profiles on my Mac but not an iPad…) But not having this option baked into a tv set-top box from the beginning is moronic to say the least.

 

[loveall]

I have not looked at this because my kids are simply not allowed to use the AppleTV without a parent present. What stops a kid from just picking an adult profile when booting up the AppleTV?

Probably a password after leaving the kids profile I would imagine?

 

[eTip]

Unpopular opinion: Do not want. Just adds an extra button push to get where I want.