Release record
Release notes
Editorial synthesis with inline references and a source ledger when citations are available.
tvOS 13.0 launched on September 24, 2019 with a full-screen previewing Home screen, multiuser profiles and Control Center, Apple Arcade, broader game-controller support, timed Apple Music lyrics, new underwater screen savers, and security repairs.[1][2]
Source ledger
Sources are linked to the claims they support. Publication and access dates are shown when available.
Apple Support · Apple · 2019-09-24T00:00:00.000Z · Released September 24, 2019
Apple Support · Apple · 2026-07-29 · tvOS 13
Apple Support · Apple · 2019-09-24T00:00:00.000Z · tvOS 13 security content
Apple Support · Apple · 2026-07-29 · tvOS 13; service availability note
Documented & observed
Source-linked features, fixes, known issues, removals, and community-observed behavior recorded across this version’s appearances and verified builds.
Release changes
Features, fixes, removals, and regressions first observed in this release record.
enhancement · changed
tvOS 13 redesigned top-row presentation around full-screen previews for highlighted movies, music, games, and other supported content.
Recorded at Public
compatibility · introduced
tvOS 13 broadened game input beyond existing controllers by adding support for widely used PlayStation and Xbox wireless models.
Recorded at Public
security · fixed
The launch repaired vulnerabilities across firmware, audio and text processing, network handling, privilege and kernel boundaries, local discovery, WebKit, and wireless privacy.
Recorded at Public
feature · introduced
The release added user switching so household members could retain separate media recommendations and listening contexts on one Apple TV.
Recorded at Public
enhancement · changed
tvOS 13 expanded Apple TV's screen-saver library from aerial landscapes to include high-resolution underwater scenes.
Recorded at Public
feature · introduced
tvOS 13 introduced an overlay for common system tasks and made switching among the new household profiles easier.
Recorded at Public
feature · introduced
The launch brought Apple's game-subscription catalog to the television platform with compatible cross-device game access.
Recorded at Public
enhancement · changed
The Apple Music experience added animated, time-aligned lyrics and direct navigation within a song by selecting a lyric line.
Recorded at Public
Milestones
Every recorded channel appearance in chronological order. Open an appearance for any available build, scope, notes, and sources.
Developer beta
Developer beta
Developer beta
Developer beta
Developer beta
Developer beta
Developer beta
Developer beta
Developer beta
Developer beta
Public release
tvOS 13.0 reached the public channel on 2019-09-24. This article records Apple's version-labeled feature or maintenance notes and the accompanying first-party security record.
Historical context
Pace, intervals, and duration compared with earlier releases on the same platform.
Historical avg for major releases
94 days, 9.8 milestones
Based on 10 previous tvOS .0 releases
Cycle vs. platform average
113d (avg: 57d)
56 days longer than the tvOS average
Longest gap in this cycle
20 days
Between Beta 3 and Beta 4