Apple's fall 2025 software lineup continues with visionOS 26 and tvOS 26, both launching on September 15, 2025, as part of the company's unified versioning scheme that aligns updates across its ecosystem. Announced at WWDC 2025 and refined through betas, these updates introduce the stunning Liquid Glass design, enhanced spatial interactions, and practical improvements tailored to their respective devices—the Apple Vision Pro for visionOS and Apple TV 4K (2nd generation or later) for tvOS. Whether you're diving into mixed reality worlds or elevating your living room setup, these releases promise more immersive, intuitive experiences. This article breaks down the key features for each platform in dedicated sections, organized logically for easy exploration.

visionOS 26: Revolutionizing Spatial Experiences on Apple Vision Pro

visionOS 26, compatible exclusively with the original Apple Vision Pro released in February 2024, builds on the headset's mixed reality foundation with groundbreaking spatial tools and Apple Intelligence integrations. This update emphasizes seamless collaboration, accessibility, and creativity, making the Vision Pro an even more versatile tool for work, play, and daily life.

Design and Visual Enhancements

visionOS 26 adopts Liquid Glass, Apple's translucent and fluid design language that adds depth and real-time refraction to interfaces, inspired by the platform's own spatial computing ethos. This enhances elements like the Control Center, which has been redesigned for easier access to features such as Travel Mode and Mac Virtual Display controls. The Home View now supports folders for organizing apps, allowing users to group favorites for quicker navigation in their spatial environment. Widgets become truly spatial, anchoring in your physical space with customizable frame sizes and colors, so they persist exactly where you place them each time you don the headset.

Apple Intelligence: Smarter Spatial Interactions

Apple Intelligence brings advanced capabilities to visionOS 26, expanding on-device processing for privacy-focused enhancements:

  • Live Translation: Integrated into calls and messages, this feature enables real-time translation of conversations, with support for relaying calls directly from your iPhone—answer or initiate calls from the Vision Pro's People View or web pages.
  • Image Playground Updates: Enhanced with new styles and ChatGPT integration, users can generate custom images in spatial contexts, ideal for creative workflows.
  • Genmoji and Shortcuts: Create expressive Genmoji and automate tasks with intelligent actions that leverage spatial data, such as placing reminders in your environment.

These features support additional languages including French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, and Spanish, plus variants of English for regions like Australia, Canada, India, Singapore, and the UK.

Shared Experiences and Collaboration

A standout addition is Shared Spatial Experiences, allowing multiple Vision Pro users in the same room to interact with the same 3D content—watch movies, play games, or co-create projects together. Remote participants can join via FaceTime, manipulating shared spatial elements in real time, perfect for collaborative work across cities. Personas (your 3D avatar) are more expressive and realistic, with improved facial animations for better virtual presence in meetings or social interactions.

Accessibility and Productivity Improvements

visionOS 26 prioritizes inclusivity with features like Live Recognition for identifying objects or text in your environment, zoom into view for magnified interactions, and refined typing experiences with better predictive text and hand-tracking accuracy. Unlock your iPhone with a glance while wearing the Vision Pro (requires iOS 26 on a Face ID-compatible iPhone signed into the same Apple Account). For productivity, Safari in 3D lets you browse the web with spatial depth, and new APIs empower developers to create enterprise tools, such as custom spatial apps for training or design.

Additional Features

  • GoPro Support: Import wide-field video content from GoPro cameras for immersive playback and editing in spatial environments.
  • Gaming Enhancements: New spatial games and developer tools for more immersive titles, leveraging Metal 4 for better graphics.
  • Enterprise APIs: Tools for businesses to build secure, spatial workflows, including enhanced security for shared sessions.

visionOS 26 transforms the Apple Vision Pro into a collaborative powerhouse, blending physical and digital worlds more fluidly than ever.

tvOS 26: Elevating Home Entertainment on Apple TV

tvOS 26, compatible with Apple TV 4K (2nd generation or later) and requiring an iPhone 11 or later running iOS 26 for certain features like enhanced Apple Music Sing, focuses on making your living room a more personalized and immersive hub. Announced alongside other 2025 updates, it emphasizes design fluidity, social entertainment, and seamless integration with Apple's ecosystem.

Design and Visual Enhancements

Embracing Liquid Glass, tvOS 26 introduces a translucent, dynamic interface that keeps the focus on your content while adding subtle depth to menus, apps, and navigation. The Apple TV app now features cinematic poster art for easier discovery of movies and shows, with a redesigned home screen that prioritizes what's playing. Profile Selection appears on every boot-up, ensuring personalized recommendations, watch history, and settings load instantly for each user. Enhanced AirPlay support turns compatible speakers into a multi-room audio system, breathing new life into your setup.

Entertainment and Media Features

tvOS 26 amps up the fun for shared viewing and listening:

  • Apple Music Sing Enhancements: Transform your iPhone into a handheld microphone for karaoke sessions, with voice amplification and multi-user support—everyone can queue songs and react with on-screen emojis using their own devices. Live Translation and pronunciation guides help with non-native language tracks, making sing-alongs more accessible.
  • FaceTime Integration: Get notifications for incoming FaceTime calls (audio or video) tied to your Apple Account, and answer them directly from your iPhone or HomePod without interrupting your TV session.
  • Cinematic Discovery: The revamped Apple TV app uses stunning visuals and Apple Intelligence to suggest content based on your viewing habits, with seamless integration for streaming services.

These updates make family movie nights or music parties more engaging and effortless.

Apple Intelligence: Personalized Experiences

Powered by Apple Intelligence, tvOS 26 offers smarter recommendations in the Apple TV app, analyzing your library and preferences to surface tailored content. A new API for App Logins links services to your Apple Account, simplifying sign-ins during setup for apps, shows, and movies on new devices.

Accessibility and Convenience Improvements

tvOS 26 includes better support for Vehicle Motion Cues (for users sensitive to on-screen movement) and enhanced subtitles with Live Translation. The Control Center is more intuitive, with quick access to settings like volume and input sources.

Additional Features

  • Developer Tools: New APIs for third-party apps to integrate with Liquid Glass and Apple Intelligence, enabling richer entertainment experiences.
  • HomePod Software Alignment: Version 26 for HomePod software brings similar design updates and enhanced Siri interactions for voice-controlled playback.
  • Gaming Updates: Support for Metal 4 and the new Apple Games app for casual spatial gaming on the big screen.

tvOS 26 turns your Apple TV into a smarter, more social entertainment center, perfect for modern homes.

Conclusion

visionOS 26 and tvOS 26 exemplify Apple's vision for immersive computing and home entertainment, with Liquid Glass tying them visually to the broader ecosystem while platform-specific innovations like shared spatial experiences and enhanced sing-alongs set them apart. Releasing on September 15, 2025, these updates invite users to explore new dimensions of interaction, whether in mixed reality or on the couch. For Vision Pro owners, it's a leap in collaboration; for Apple TV users, it's a boost in fun and personalization—both underscoring Apple's commitment to seamless, intelligent experiences across devices.