You Can Now Answer Phone Calls on Your Apple TV — But There’s a Catch

Apple has rolled out a new feature that lets users answer phone calls directly on their Apple TV, taking the seamless ecosystem experience one step further. However, there’s a notable limitation.

As part of the upcoming tvOS 18 update, users with an iPhone running iOS 18 and an Apple TV will be able to pick up audio calls using their television. The feature works through Continuity, allowing the TV to act as an audio output device while the iPhone still manages the actual call.

The catch is that, while users can hear the call on the TV, they won’t be able to speak through it. The microphone on the Apple TV isn’t used during the call, so users will need to speak into their iPhone or a connected headset.

This update could still be useful for those multitasking or lounging far from their phone, allowing them to listen to conversations on the big screen but it’s not quite a full hands-free experience.

Apple hasn’t said whether future updates will enable two-way audio directly on the Apple TV, but for now, the feature is best viewed as an audio passthrough rather than a standalone calling device.

The new functionality is expected to be widely available later this year with the full release of iOS 18 and tvOS 18.