According to MacRumors, Apple released tvOS 26.2 today for Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD models, arriving a month after the tvOS 26.1 update. The key change is a revamp of the profile system, now allowing users to create a profile without linking it to an Apple Account. This is specifically designed for creating guest profiles and, more importantly, dedicated profiles for children. For kids’ profiles, the update introduces an age-restricted mode within the Apple TV app that filters content based on ratings like TV-G, TV-PG, or TV-14. The update is available now via the Settings app under System > Software Update, or will install automatically for those with that feature enabled.
About Time For Profiles
Look, this is a feature that has felt missing for years. The Apple TV has always been a bit of a solitary device in a shared space. Before, if your kid wanted to watch something, they were either using your profile and your recommendations got wrecked, or you had to log them into a full, separate Apple ID. It was clunky. So this move to create lightweight, purpose-built profiles is a no-brainer win for families and anyone who has guests over. It’s basic functionality that competitors have had. Better late than never, I guess.
The Kid Mode Caveat
Here’s the thing, though. The release notes mention this age-restricted mode only applies to the Apple TV app. That’s a huge, glaring caveat. What about Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, or YouTube? If the parental controls don’t extend across the entire system and into other major streaming apps, their usefulness is severely limited. It basically turns the kid’s profile into a walled garden for Apple’s own content, which might not be where your children spend most of their time. Apple has a history of implementing half-measures with family features, and this has that same smell. Will parents realize the limits until it’s too late?
Broader Shift or Minor Tweak?
This feels like a minor, iterative update—hence the 26.2 version number—but it hints at a broader shift Apple might be considering for its TV platform. Making the Apple TV more of a communal, household device is smart. But to really pull that off, they need system-level controls that app developers are forced to respect. They’ve done it with Screen Time on iOS, so the framework exists. Until then, this dedicated kids mode is a good first step, but it’s more of a proof of concept than a complete solution. I’m skeptical it will change many parents’ minds about which streaming box is the most family-friendly.
