Apple TV update failed, device stuck in boot loop

I turned on my Apple TV, and the TV box and phone appeared on the screen. I placed the phone next to the box. Two buttons appeared on the phone: update Apple TV and reboot. I clicked update. The download started and then immediately stopped, saying the update was incomplete and to try again later. The window on the phone closed. I tried rebooting the box. The light on the Apple TV started blinking, the Apple logo appeared on the screen and disappeared, then appeared again and disappeared again, and the indicator light blinked endlessly. I understand that the firmware has crashed. What should I do?

Apple TV 4K, tvOS 26

Posted on Dec 11, 2025 6:27 AM

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Posted on Dec 11, 2025 7:06 AM

Your Apple TV is stuck in a boot loop after an incomplete update. Force-restart it first. If that fails, restore the Apple TV using Apple Configurator on a Mac (the official method for Apple TV 4K). If it cannot be restored wirelessly, contact Apple Support for a hardware-level diagnostic.

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5 replies

Jan 18, 2026 9:06 PM in response to Leonid_2000feed

Leonid_2000feed wrote:
How do I connect it to my Mac via USB if my Apple TV 4K doesn't have a USB port?

You don’t. The USB connection only works for the earlier non-4K models.

Apple asks that you contact them for servicing, in case of Apple TV 4K.

Not sure if they still do mail-in options (in the US).


Users with an iPhone may have an additional option:

If your TV shows an iPhone next to an Apple TV - Apple Support

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Apple TV update failed, device stuck in boot loop

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