Upcoming Apple TV iOS Update to Unlock Bluetooth Keyboard Support

product productLast year, it was revealed that Apple may have been working on offering Bluetooth keyboard pairing with the second-generation Apple TV.

The ability to pair a Bluetooth keyboard with the Apple TV would obviously make for significantly easier text entry, simplifying such tasks as initial setup with iTunes Store accounts and Wi-Fi network passwords as well as day-to-day content searching.

9to5Mac now reports that Apple seems ready to deploy Bluetooth into its Apple TV products, as the latest Apple TV developer beta now allows you to pair a Bluetooth keyboard to a 2nd or 3rd generation Apple TV.

Once you connect a Bluetooth keyboard to your Apple TV, you can completely control it without using the included remote or an iOS device. The arrow keys are used for navigation, the return key is used to play or pause and the escape key acts as the "menu" or up "one level" button. And of course, searching becomes easier with a full hardware keyboard.

apple tv bluetooth
The update only allows Bluetooth keyboards, so pairing Bluetooth speakers, mice or even Macs will not work. 9to5Mac noted that they were able to pair a Logitech Bluetooth keyboard to the Apple TV succesfully, so the update isn't limited to Apple keyboards.

Although currently limited in functionality to a simple keyboard, it's thought that eventually Apple could open up Bluetooth support to allow a mic-based remote or iOS device to use Siri with Apple TV.

Related Roundup: Apple TV
Buyer's Guide: Apple TV (Don't Buy)

Popular Stories

iOS 26

iOS 26.2 Coming Soon With These 8 New Features on Your iPhone

Thursday December 11, 2025 8:49 am PST by
Apple seeded the second iOS 26.2 Release Candidate to developers earlier this week, meaning the update will be released to the general public very soon. Apple confirmed iOS 26.2 would be released in December, but it did not provide a specific date. We expect the update to be released by early next week. iOS 26.2 includes a handful of new features and changes on the iPhone, such as a new...
iOS 26

iOS 26.4 and iOS 27 Features Revealed in New Leak

Friday December 12, 2025 10:56 am PST by
Macworld's Filipe Espósito today revealed a handful of features that Apple is allegedly planning for iOS 26.4, iOS 27, and even iOS 28. The report said the features are referenced within the code for a leaked internal build of iOS 26 that is not meant to be seen by the public. However, it appears that Espósito and/or his sources managed to gain access to it, providing us with a sneak peek...
AirPods Pro Firmware Feature

Apple Releases New Firmware for AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods Pro 3

Thursday December 11, 2025 11:28 am PST by
Apple today released new firmware designed for the AirPods Pro 3 and the prior-generation AirPods Pro 2. The AirPods Pro 3 firmware is 8B30, up from 8B25, while the AirPods Pro 2 firmware is 8B28, up from 8B21. There's no word on what's include in the updated firmware, but the AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods Pro 3 are getting expanded support for Live Translation in the European Union in iOS...
iOS 26

Apple Releases iOS 26.2 With Alarms for Reminders, Lock Screen Changes, Enhanced Safety Alerts and More

Friday December 12, 2025 10:10 am PST by
Apple today released iOS 26.2, the second major update to the iOS 26 operating system that came out in September, iOS 26.2 comes a little over a month after iOS 26.1 launched. ‌iOS 26‌.2 is compatible with the ‌iPhone‌ 11 series and later, as well as the second-generation ‌iPhone‌ SE. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones over-the-air by going to Settings >...
Google maps feaure

Google Maps Quietly Added This Long-Overdue Feature for Drivers

Wednesday December 10, 2025 2:52 am PST by
Google Maps on iOS quietly gained a new feature recently that automatically recognizes where you've parked your vehicle and saves the location for you. Announced on LinkedIn by Rio Akasaka, Google Maps' senior product manager, the new feature auto-detects your parked location even if you don't use the parking pin function, saves it for up to 48 hours, and then automatically removes it once...
AirTag 2 Mock Feature

Apple AirTag 2: Four New Features Found in iOS 26 Code

Thursday December 11, 2025 10:31 am PST by
The AirTag 2 will include a handful of new features that will improve tracking capabilities, according to a new report from Macworld. The site says that it was able to access an internal build of iOS 26, which includes references to multiple unreleased products. Here's what's supposedly coming: An improved pairing process, though no details were provided. AirTag pairing is already...
macOS Tahoe 26 Thumb

Apple Releases macOS Tahoe 26.2 With Edge Light

Friday December 12, 2025 10:08 am PST by
Apple today released macOS Tahoe 26.2, the second major update to the macOS Tahoe operating system that came out in September. macOS Tahoe 26.2 comes five weeks after Apple released macOS Tahoe 26.1. Mac users can download the macOS Tahoe update by using the Software Update section of System Settings. macOS Tahoe 26.2 includes Edge Light, a feature that illuminates your face with soft...
iOS 26

15 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 26.2

Friday December 5, 2025 9:40 am PST by
Apple is about to release iOS 26.2, the second major point update for iPhones since iOS 26 was rolled out in September, and there are at least 15 notable changes and improvements worth checking out. We've rounded them up below. Apple is expected to roll out iOS 26.2 to compatible devices sometime between December 8 and December 16. When the update drops, you can check Apple's servers for the ...

Top Rated Comments

Mackan Avatar
170 months ago
What is the difference between an Apple TV and a Mac Mini?

No difference.
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
CindyRed Avatar
170 months ago
This is not the update you're looking for.

Still waiting for third party apps...
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
oneMadRssn Avatar
170 months ago
Maybe someone can find an bluetooth security exploit and finally jailbreak the atv3
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
OrangeSVTguy Avatar
170 months ago
What is the difference between an Apple TV and a Mac Mini?
No difference.
Well you obviously never owned either.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
brendu Avatar
170 months ago
What is the difference between an Apple TV and a Mac Mini?

One streams iTunes content and has netflix and hulu plus streaming. One is a Mac computer. They are completely different products targeted at completely different uses.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Battlefield Fan Avatar
170 months ago
I prefer the iOS app.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)