Apple is changing the virtual Apple TV Remote inside iOS 27 with two interface additions. MacRumors reported the update on September 10 after examining the iOS 27 release candidate, which Apple issued to testers the previous day.

The first change is a new button in the upper-right corner of the remote interface. It opens an app menu styled after the Apple TV home screen, allowing users to select an app from the iPhone remote instead of first returning to the television’s main screen.

The second change affects the virtual trackpad. A downward swipe from the top of the trackpad reveals the Apple TV top-shelf carousel, where users can see shows in their watch list and programs they have already started.

The features were found behind feature flags in the release candidate. MacRumors said the behavior was later demonstrated by a code researcher, but the article treated the changes as part of the test software rather than a guarantee that every user would see them immediately.

Apple’s developer release page lists iOS 27.0 RC 24A435 as a September 9 build. That record establishes the software version being tested, while the MacRumors report provides the app-specific details and the observed interface changes.

The update does not replace the physical Apple TV remote or change how the television receives commands. It is a refinement of the iPhone-based remote, aimed at reducing the number of steps needed to move between apps and saved video.

Apple has not published a separate public release note for these two remote controls. Their final availability will depend on the public iOS 27 rollout and whether Apple keeps the feature flags enabled. Users who rely on the remote should therefore expect the design to be part of the wider iOS 27 release rather than a separate app download.

For people who use an iPhone as their main remote, the changes could make common navigation tasks feel faster without changing the Apple TV hardware itself.