Apple has revealed several new accessibility upgrades coming to Apple TV later this year, including adjustable text sizing and automatic live subtitle generation for videos without captions.

The new features will arrive as part of tvOS 27, which Apple is expected to formally introduce during its Worldwide Developers Conference in June.

One of the biggest additions focuses on readability. Users will soon be able to enlarge text across supported Apple TV menus, system screens and compatible apps, helping improve visibility for people with declining eyesight or anyone sitting further from the screen.

The feature is expected to work primarily with apps that use Apple’s official developer frameworks, meaning some third-party streaming services may not fully support the larger text options immediately.

Apple is also bringing real-time subtitle generation to Apple TV through on-device speech recognition. The system can automatically create captions for videos that do not already include subtitles, including older films, personal recordings and home videos.

According to Apple, all speech processing happens directly on the device rather than through cloud servers, continuing the company’s broader focus on privacy. Initially, the feature will only support English language transcription.

The update also expands compatibility for hearing assistance devices. “Made for iPhone” hearing aids will soon be able to pair more seamlessly across Apple devices, allowing users to switch between products in a similar way to AirPods.

Apple is additionally adding support for Sony’s Access controller system, designed for users with mobility challenges who may struggle with traditional gaming controllers. Customisable controls and paired controller support will initially roll out across iPhone, iPad and Mac devices.

While Apple heavily promoted Apple Intelligence during recent software announcements, these accessibility upgrades do not appear to require the company’s AI platform. Current Apple TV 4K hardware does not support Apple Intelligence due to chipset limitations.

tvOS 27 is expected to launch alongside iOS 27, macOS 27, iPadOS 27, watchOS 27 and visionOS 27 following Apple’s WWDC event on June 8. Rumours surrounding a future Apple TV 4K hardware refresh continue to circulate, although Apple traditionally focuses more heavily on software during WWDC presentations.