Since tvOS 26, you can permanently set any AirPlay 2-compatible speaker as the default audio output for your Apple TV. This means you no longer have to manually connect on every restart, a much-requested feature that was previously limited to HomePods.
More and more speakers, soundbars and home cinema sets offer support for AirPlay. Thanks to full integration with the Apple TV, you can now also set these speakers as the default output for tvOS. We explain how to configure this.
Automatically instead of manually
Before tvOS 26, it was possible to temporarily select AirPlay speakers via the control panel or settings, but the connection would be reset upon sleep or restart.
With tvOS 26, Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD now support a permanent selection of speakers like Sonos, Bose, JBL, and other speakers that support AirPlay, without the need for HomePods.
This makes wireless home theaters more flexible and user-friendly and you are no longer limited to the home theater setting for HomePod.
Standard audio output conditions with AirPlay
Your Apple TV must be running tvOS 26 or later, and the speaker must support AirPlay 2. Make sure both devices are on the same Wi-Fi network for a stable connection, and be aware of possible video latency due to AirPlay’s stereo limit.
Set up audio output Apple TV
- Open ‘Institutions‘ on your Apple TV
- Go to ‘Video and audio‘
- Choose ‘Audio output‘
- Select ‘AirPlay speaker‘ under ‘Standard audio output’
- Open ‘Speakers‘
Then choose AirPlay speaker or group from the list and confirm the choice. Of course, the Apple TV now remembers this after restarts. You can also select groups of speakers, such as a stereo pair, for multi-room audio. Test the synchronization by playing a video – audio starts automatically on the speaker.
Calibrate wireless audio
Although audio forwarding works well via AirPlay, there may be audio delays due to network, processing or sync issues, but this can be resolved with simple steps such as calibration. Use the built-in sync feature on your Apple TV for the fastest solution. Go to Institutions ▸ Video and audio ▸ Calibration ▸ Wireless audio synchronization.
This tool automatically measures delay and adjusts tvOS, including for Dolby Atmos. Follow the steps with your iPhone microphone to correct the delay between video and AirPlay audio (such as HomePod, Sonos or AirPlay Speakers).