Managing Apple TVs (tvOS)

Esper supports Apple TV device management for organizations that deploy tvOS devices as part of their fleet. This article covers requirements, provisioning, blueprint settings, device actions, and how tvOS capabilities compare to iOS in Esper.

In this article:

• Requirements
• Setting Up Your Tenant for Apple Devices
• Provisioning tvOS Devices
• Managing tvOS Devices with Blueprints
• Device Actions
• tvOS vs. iOS: Feature Comparison
• Getting Started

Requirements

tvOS device management requires the following:

• tvOS 11 or later
• Apple Business account
• Apple MDM certificates and tokens configured in Esper

Setting Up Your Tenant for Apple Devices

Before provisioning any tvOS devices, configure your Apple Push Notification (APNS) certificate, DEP Token, and VPP Token in Esper. These are required for all Apple device management, including tvOS. Set up Apple MDM Management →

Note: Configure your APNS certificate, DEP Token, and VPP Token before onboarding any Apple devices. Without these, provisioning will not work.

Provisioning tvOS Devices

tvOS devices can only be provisioned through Apple Business. Direct Profile (QR code) provisioning is not supported for tvOS.

Devices can be added to Apple Business in two ways:

• Via vendor: Devices purchased through an Apple Authorized Reseller enrolled in Apple Business appear automatically.
• Via Apple Configurator: Devices not purchased through Apple Business distributors can be manually added using the Apple Configurator app on a Mac.

Once devices appear in Apple Business, assign them to your Esper MDM server and sync them to your tenant.

For step-by-step provisioning instructions, see Automatic iOS Onboarding with Apple Business Manager or Manual iOS Onboarding with Apple Configurator and Apple Business Manager. 

Managing tvOS Devices with Blueprints

After provisioning, assign a blueprint to your tvOS devices to control their configuration. A blueprint is a set of configurations applied to one or more devices. Although both tvOS and iOS devices can share the same blueprint, we recommend keeping separate blueprints for iOS/iPadOS and tvOS. 

Click the tvOS tab within a blueprint to manage tvOS-specific settings.

Note: Blueprint assignment occurs at the time of provisioning. If no blueprint is explicitly assigned, devices receive a Sample Blueprint — a blank blueprint with no configuration applied — by default.

For a full overview of how blueprints work, see Managing iOS Devices through Blueprints and Settings. The sections below describe the settings available under the tvOS tab.

Apps & Configuration

Switch tvOS devices between Multi-app mode and Kiosk mode. In Kiosk mode, device users interact only with the designated kiosk app. Add apps from your VPP library or upload them directly.

Managing tvOS Applications

In the Manage Applications section, click on Add Application to add tvOS applications to the app list. Search for the application’s name and click on it. 

You’ll need to ensure the application is added to your Apple Business location prior to adding it to the blueprint. 

The VPP list will show all VPP apps assigned to your Apple Business location. You may need to confirm that the application is supported for tvOS in Apple Business. 

Connectivity

Add Wi-Fi access points to connect tvOS devices to your network.

Esper Settings: Property Lists (plist)

Use a plist to apply configurations beyond what's available in the blueprint UI. Settings defined in the plist take precedence over blueprint settings. Learn more about Property Lists. 

System Updates

Defer tvOS software updates for up to 90 days after the release date.

Time & Date

Enable automatic time and date sync based on device location. 

Device Actions

The following actions are available for tvOS devices from Devices & Groups:

• Ping: Check if the device is reachable.
• Reboot: Restart the device.
• Factory Reset: Wipe and remove the device from Esper.
• Switch to Multi-app or Kiosk Mode: Change the device's mode from the console.

tvOS vs. iOS: Feature Comparison

The table below shows how tvOS and iOS capabilities compare in Esper.

Getting Started

To set up tvOS device management in Esper:

1. Set up Apple MDM Management. Configure your APNS certificate, DEP Token, and VPP Token in the Esper console. See the setup guide →
2. Add tvOS devices to Apple Business. Devices purchased via an Apple Business reseller appear automatically. For other devices, use Apple Configurator to add them to Apple Business manually.
3. Assign devices to Esper and sync. In Apple Business, assign devices to your Esper MDM server. Then go to Profile > Apple MDM Management in the Esper console and select Sync.
4. Create or assign a blueprint. Build a blueprint with the apps and settings your tvOS fleet needs. Click the tvOS tab to manage tvOS-specific configurations. If no blueprint is assigned at provisioning, devices receive the Sample Blueprint by default.
5. Converge and manage. Converge the blueprint to push changes to your devices. Use device actions from Devices & Groups to ping, reboot, or manage devices as needed.