Make a great experience even better
The Apple TV might not be Apple’s most famous product, but those who have experienced the Apple TV life would find it hard to return to another streaming box.
That’s not to say that the experience couldn’t be better. With the best Apple TV accessories, it could be even better.
Table of Contents
1. Apple AirPods (3rd Gen), AirPods Pro, AirPods Max, or Beats Fit Pro
While you can use any Bluetooth headset with an Apple TV, if you have the new Apple TV 4K (rather than the old Apple TV HD) and an Apple headset that supports spatial audio, you can enjoy this feature. Spatial audio will still sound like the audio is coming from your TV, and you can leave transparency mode on if you like. In other words, you can have the entire TV-watching experience without worrying about annoying other people.
Which of these headsets and headphones are the best to buy depends on your needs and budget, but you can check out Are AirPods Worth It? and our Apple AirPods Max Review to help you decide.
2. A Remote Case
The first generation of Apple TV remote is notorious for shattering its glass touchpad if you have an unlucky drop. But the latest Apple TV Siri remote design does away with that flaw with a much more robust design.
Even then, it’s a good idea to get a decent silicone case for it since remotes are fragile. You’re spoilt for choice, and most aren’t very expensive. If you have the latest Apple TV 4K 3rd-generation Siri Remote, look at the Elago R1 case. For those rocking the older style Apple TV remote, the Tokerse Silicon case is a great choice, and it comes in various colors.
3. A Gaming Controller
Apple TVs are capable gaming machines, especially the latest 3rd generation system, based on a slightly cut-down version of the A15 Bionic chip found in Apple’s flagship iPhones.
Apple has made their Apple TVs into pretty decent gaming consoles by including support for game controllers. You can use any of these controllers with an Apple TV:
- Sony PlayStation DualShock 4
- PlayStation DualSense Wireless
- Microsoft Xbox One S
- Bluetooth Nintendo Switch controllers
- Any MFi-certified controller (e.g., Steelseries Nimbus)
Best of all, more recent games and any controller-supporting game from Apple Arcade will display the correct button labels for your controller type. So you’ll see Xbox labels or PlayStation labels, depending on the controller.
4. Apple Watch
While it may sound weird to consider an Apple Watch as an accessory for the Apple TV, it’s actually a brilliant device for controlling and interacting with your Apple TV. First, you can use it as a remote control, just like an iPhone or iPad. Second, some apps like Spotify will let you control playback using your Apple Watch. So you don’t have to head over to the remote to skip tracks.
However, the best feature is using your Apple Watch to confirm purchases when renting or buying content on Apple TV. There’s no fumbling for a keyboard or iPhone to type in a password. Instead, simply double-press the Watch side button when prompted, and you’re ready to watch your movie.
5. An Apple TV Mount
The Apple TV is a rather dinky device, but you may still want to keep it out of sight, or you have a wall-mounted TV and no display unit or table to put the Apple TV on. That’s where something like the TotalMount Apple TV mount comes in handy.
It can clip into the vents on the back of your TV, or you can attach it with an adhesive pad. If you want to mount your Apple TV directly to the wall, something like the Eco-Fused Wall Mount if you feel comfortable drilling holes in the wall.
6. PowerLine Ethernet
Suppose you have an Apple TV model with an Ethernet port, but your router needs to be closer to make an Ethernet cable practical. In that case, you can use a simple Powerline Ethernet kit to get a wired connection to your router through your house’s electrical wiring.
It seems like black magic, but it really works! Speeds depend on the quality of your home circuits, but the absolute worst we’ve personally experienced was around 50Mbps, and in general, you should get a few hundred Mbps which is far more than you need for streaming. This is a much better solution than using Wi-Fi repeaters, and it’s much less expensive than installing Wi-Fi mesh if you’re not quite ready for it yet.
7. Bluetooth Keyboard
While tvOS doesn’t yet support Bluetooth mice like the rest of the iOS family, it does support Bluetooth keyboards. While you can use an iPhone or iPad for quick text entry on an Apple TV, getting a dedicated Bluetooth keyboard means the whole family can benefit from easy text entry, whether they have an iOS device or not.
One of the best options is the Logitech K380 (we’ve bought a few!), and it’s even available in several colors, so you can pick whichever works best for your living room. In addition, the K380 lets you save the Bluetooth pairing profile for three devices, and switching between them requires a single button press. So you can use this one keyboard for text entry on several devices hooked up to your TV, making it a great purchase.
8. A Better HDMI Cable
The HDMI cable with your Apple TV is fine, but you may need a longer cable or one with a more robust design.
Apple TVs can be somewhat picky about which cables they work with. Usually, any HDMI device will work with any HDMI cable (of the correct version) without any issues. You can use a metal coat hanger with two HDMI plugs soldered to it, and the picture will look the same as a regular cable, but not for an Apple TV. It’s mysterious, but we’ve had this experience ourselves!
Suppose you need to replace your Apple TV HDMI cable with a different one. In that case, it’s best to get something like the TotalMount Cinema Grade cable, which has been tested explicitly for Apple TV compatibility. This isn’t some super-expensive snake oil cable, either. It’s priced about the same as any decent HDMI cable, but one that you won’t have to return because your Apple TV freaks out randomly.
It also means that advanced features such as HDR, Dolby Vision, and Dolby Atmos won’t introduce glitches or black screens.
9 A Remote Holder (or an AirTag)
While the Apple TV remote is fantastic in numerous ways, it’s just as easy to lose as any other remote. Then, you’ll be forced to fall back on your TV remote or an iPhone until you can find your remote again.
To avoid losing your remote, you should have a dedicated holder. So that whenever it’s not in use, it’s in the holder rather than waiting to drop into the abyss of your couch. TotalMount’s Holder is a good choice since it comes with adhesive tape you can remove later with no lasting damage to the wall. It’s perfect if your couch is against a wall since you can just reach over and grab the remote.
If you don’t think a holder will solve your problem, you might want to get an Apple AirTag. You can stick one of these little discs to the bottom of your remote and then use the Find My app on your iPhone to locate it wherever it may be. The battery only needs to be replaced once a year, so it’s a low-maintenance fix.
10. Apple HomePod
Apple’s HomePod speakers offer excellent sound for the price, and of course, they also give you access to Apple smart home functions and Siri. If you have an Apple TV, you can connect it to your HomePod or a HomePod stereo pair to get your audio over the HomePods instead of your TV’s built-in speakers.
The main downside is that only content playing on the Apple TV will be audible over the HomePods, and if you already have a TV with great built-in speakers or have invested in a good sound bar, there’s not much reason to go the HomePod route. However, if you have a TV with weedy audio, and no room or desire for a sound bar, you’re in the market for a smart speaker anyway. It’s a fine accessory for your Apple TV.
Just note that at the time of writing, Amazon doesn’t sell Apple HomePods, so you’ll have to source yours from Apple directly or from an alternative online retailer or physical store.
