Years after it took the USB port away, Apple has given users the ability to restore a malfunctioning Apple TV with an iPhone running iOS 17.
Image Credit: Apple
On Monday, Apple rolled out iOS 17, and with it has come a significant number of changes. One such change is the ability to restore an Apple TV simply by bringing your iPhone close to it and following the steps provided.
Previously, an Apple TV was restorable by users with the USB port, but that's been gone for a long time. More recently, if an Apple TV had system issues, you'd either need to visit an Apple Store or send it in for repairs.
The one caveat is that it needs to be an Apple TV HD already running tvOS 17. Additionally, your iPhone will need to be running iOS 17 or later.
If a TV can be restored, an image of an iPhone next to an Apple TV will appear on the TV Screen. Then, a user can simply hold their iPhone close to the Apple TV, which should trigger the repair feature.
Apple notes that after following the steps, users can use their iPhone as they would normally but will need to leave their Apple TV connected to power while the recovery completes.