Find and play games in Apple Arcade on Apple TV
Once you’ve subscribed and signed in with your Apple ID, you can start playing games right away.
Browse or search the Arcade app
Open the Arcade app
on Apple TV.Do either of the following:
Browse: Navigate down to view recommended content, including collections hand-picked by experts as well as dedicated categories based on your gaming history. Navigate to a category row (Arcade Games for You, for instance), then navigate right to see available content in that category.
Search: Select the Search button
in the upper-right corner, then enter a search term for find apps by name.
Select an item to see its rating description, available options, and other information.
Download and play a game
Note: To enhance game play, most games in Apple Arcade require a third-party Bluetooth® game controller or other accessory, sold separately. Game controller requirements are provided in the app’s product page on the App Store.
You can use the Sony PlayStation DualShock 4, PlayStation DualSense, Microsoft Xbox Wireless Controller with Bluetooth, Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2, Xbox Adaptive Controllers, and MFi-compatible game controllers to play games. Some games also support the Siri Remote (1st generation).
Before you start playing, make sure your game controller is connected to Apple TV.
Find a game you want to play in the Arcade app
, then select it. If you haven’t yet downloaded the game, select Get.
While a game is downloading or updating, its icon appears on the Home Screen with a progress indicator.
Select Play Game.
If you pause a game, you’ll get a notification to continue it the next time you connect your game controller.
During the game, additional controls may be available for your connected game controller. For more information, see the Apple Support article Connect a wireless game controller to your Apple device.
Tip: If you set up Family Sharing, your family organizer can review purchases made by other family members under the age of 18. For example, if Ask to Buy is set for younger family members (configured in System Preferences on a Mac running macOS Catalina or later, in iTunes on a Mac running macOS Mojave or earlier, or on an iOS or iPadOS device), then when those members try to make a purchase, a message is sent to the family organizer asking for approval. For more information about setting up Family Sharing, see Family Sharing on Apple TV.
Switch players during gameplay
You can switch players during gameplay if each player is signed in to Apple TV. To add a player, follow the instructions in Set up multiple users on Apple TV.
On the Siri Remote, press and hold the TV button
to open Control Center.
After switching, the game restarts and the new player can start where they left off.
Continue where you left off in a game
Open the Arcade app
on Apple TV.Navigate down to Continue Playing, then select the game you want.
Sign in to Game Center to track your scores
If you’re signed in to Game Center on Apple TV, you can track your scores across Apple devices. Scores and leaderboards appear within each game in Arcade so if you start a game on Apple TV and play it later on your iPhone, your scores are kept up to date.
On an iOS or iPadOS device, you can also send friend requests and manage your public profile using Game Center. For more information, see the Apple Support article Use Game Center to play with friends.
Open Settings
on Apple TV.Go to Users and Accounts > [account name] > Game Center, then sign in with your Apple ID.
Adjust game controller settings
If you have a supported game controller that’s connected to Apple TV, you can assign specific controls to buttons.
You can also customize controls for specific apps.
Open Settings
on Apple TV, then go to Remotes and Devices > Bluetooth.Select Game Controller Settings, then select a connected game controller device. If the device isn’t connected, select Find Controller.
Do either of the following:
Customize the game controller: Select Customization, then select On.
Customize a specific app for the game controller: Select the app from the list beneath App Customization.
A list of customizable controls appears with a diagram of the game controller.
Navigate up or down to highlight controls in the list.
As you highlight a control, its corresponding button is also highlighted on the diagram for reference.
Select the control you want, then select any of the available options for the control.
To restore default settings, scroll to the bottom of the list, then select Restore Defaults.