With the upcoming tvOS 15.4 update, Apple TV will gain the ability to connect to WiFi networks that require sign-in steps in hotels, dorms, and other shared spaces – so-called captive portals.

Amazon FireTV can already connect to captive portal-based WiFi networks and soon Apple TV can too. However, you will need an iPhone or iPad to do it.

- "Captive Wi-Fi network support on tvOS allows you to use your iPhone or iPad to connect your Apple TV to networks that need additional sign-in steps, like at hotels or dorms," Apple wrote in the release notes for the first tvOS 15.4 beta.

The new feature will let users bring Apple TV on travels and make life easier for people living on campuses or other shared spaces with a shared WiFi network.


 Apple TV will soon get support for captive WiFi networks. Illustration: FlatpanelsHD

Bring Apple TV on travels
The captive portal is what you see as the webpage that pops on immediately after connecting to a shared WiFi hotspot. It will sometime ask to accept terms and conditions or to log in with an email or social media account.

 Also read: Review: Apple TV 4K (2021)

It is not clear exactly how the new feature works but we could imagine that a notification will automatically appear on a nearby iPhone or iPad using the same Apple ID as the Apple TV box asking the user to complete the necessary steps.

We have not yet discovered any other new user-facing features in tvOS 15.4 but we will report back in case we find anything. tvOS 15.4 will be released to the public later for Apple TV HD and Apple TV 4K.