The Apple TV streaming device is multi-generational, with the Apple TV 4K being the latest iteration. Apple’s fourth-generation streamer has also parted ways with a few ports found on older models, including digital optical, USB-C (Apple TV HD), and Micro-USB. The latter can be found on the Apple TV (3rd generation) and Apple TV (2nd generation), and it is not a way to charge or power a mobile device. The official word from Apple is that this is a service and support connection for technicians, but it can also be used to connect a broken or bricked Apple TV to a Mac or PC to restore it.
Although not common, an Apple TV can sometimes experience update issues when trying to integrate new firmware. If you have an Apple TV HD (released in 2015) or earlier and a warning symbol appears on your TV screen during an update, you have the option to restore the situation to normal. If this happens and you don’t have access to a Mac, you’ll need to install the Apple Devices or iTunes app on your PC before you start fixing things. You will also need to have a reliable internet connection.
- To get started, simply disconnect your Apple TV from your TV.
- If you have a second or third generation Apple TV, connect the smaller end of a micro-USB cable to your Apple TV and the standard USB end to a USB port on your Mac or PC.
- Plug in the power cord of your Apple TV, then open a Finder window if you’re on a Mac, or the Apple Devices app or iTunes on a PC.
- Your Apple TV should appear in whatever interface you use. Click on it, then click “Restore Apple TV.” During restoration, do not disconnect any wires.
- Once the restore is complete, unplug the micro-USB and power cord, then reconnect your Apple TV to your TV.
The Apple TV has a little secret menu and your Siri remote is the key to unlocking it
We mentioned that Apple refers to the USB ports found on older Apple TV devices as service and support connections. We couldn’t find information on how to access hidden menus and diagnostic tools via Micro-USB or USB-C, but the Apple TV do have a secret internal settings menu accessible with your Apple TV remote. To do this, take your remote and select Settings > System > Software Updates. Once you are on the update screen, press the play-pause button four times in a row.
The internal settings screen offers three tabs: AppleConnect (which is primarily intended for Apple employees), VPN, and Configuration. A word of warning: we wouldn’t mess around with any of these hidden settings if you don’t know what you’re doing. We tried to find additional instructions or user stories of successful experiences, but to no avail. The only additional information we could find is this Apple Support Community post, from March 2021, which shows an expanded drop-down for the Settings tab.
You can also find secret menus on Roku hardware and Amazon Fire TV streaming devices. Even Google thought of including a hidden developer panel on its Google TV Streamer (Settings > All Settings > System > About, then select the Android TV OS Build option seven times in a row).
