How to easily color calibrate your Apple TV with an iPhone

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How to color calibrate Apple TV
You don't even need the newest Apple TV (but you do need an iPhone with Face ID).
Image: Apple

Apple just added a brand-new feature to Apple TV that works with your iPhone to color calibrate your TV. It’s really simple to use and the results can be terrific. What’s more, you don’t need the newest Apple TV.

The new Color Balance tool is available on Apple TV models released in 2015 or later. Here’s how to use it.

If you’ve ever tried to adjust colors on your TV with the naked eye, you’ll know it’s incredibly difficult to find a good balance. You might end up with what seem like good results … and then you watch something different and everything looks either washed out or way too saturated.

Fortunately, Apple has made color calibration super-simple for those with Apple TV. It uses the advanced sensors in your iPhone to measure colors displayed on your set, then makes the adjustments necessary to achieve perfect color balance. It’s quick, easy, and incredibly effective.

How to color calibrate your Apple TV

To use the new Color Balance tool, you’ll need an Apple TV released in 2015 or later running the latest tvOS 14.5 software. You will also need an iPhone with Face ID running iOS 14.5 or above.

You can then follow these steps:

  1. Unlock your iPhone and keep it nearby, then open the Settings app on your Apple TV.
  2. Select the Video and Audio menu.
  3. Select Color Balance.
  4. The Color Balance tool should pop up on your iPhone. Tap the Continue button to proceed.
  5. Turn your iPhone around so that its screen faces your TV and position it within the outline shown on your TV set.
  6. Wait for Color Balance to work its magic.
Apple just added a brand-new feature to Apple TV that works with your iPhone to color calibrate your TV set.
It’s as easy as that.
Image: Apple

Color Balance for Apple TV in iOS 14.5

When it’s done, you’ll see a popup on your iPhone that confirms your Apple TV has been calibrated. On Apple TV itself, you can switch back and forth between original and balanced colors to see the difference.

Note that color calibration works only for Apple TV. It doesn’t calibrate your TV set itself so you won’t notice any changes when watching content from other sources.

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