When I first set up my new fourth-generation Apple TV with Siri remote, I was surprised to see that I didn’t find the built-in touchpad as intuitive as I thought it might be. It works fine, but I wasn’t a huge fan of the way it would scroll through objects on my television screen. At times, it felt somewhat laggy and other times it went through items way too quickly.
After some digging, I found out there is a way to adjust the sensitivity of your touch on the Siri remote so scrolling and flicking works more with your own pace. Not only that, but Apple is apparently planning to release an update soon to improve scrolling on the Apple TV. It will come in tvOS 9.1, so keep an eye out.
For now, here’s how to adjust your Siri remote’s touch sensitivity using the on-screen settings.
Adjust Siri Remote’s Touch Sensitivity
On your Apple TV’s Home screen, open the Settings app.
Swipe down to Remotes and Devices and select it from the menu options.
The first option you’ll see here is Touch Surface Tracking. On the right, you should see that by default it’s set to medium. Click this to bring up options for fast, medium or slow.
For example, if you choose fast you should notice on the Home screen (and throughout using the Apple TV) that a single horizontal swipe will get you further along the screen. If you choose slow, you should see that one swipe doesn’t move as far along.
Since I felt the touchpad could move quicker, I set mine to fast but feel free to select whatever you prefer. Play around with the three options until your happy with one of them. Be sure to test out games too as the change could affect the experience.
Other Remotes
In the Remotes and Devices section of the Apple TV section, you’ll also notice options for pairing other devices like Bluetooth and Learn Device. This is because Apple allows you to pair third-party remotes that work with the Apple TV.
Though none are available right now since the fourth-generation Apple TV is brand new, remotes to come will presumably feature similar touchpads. If you are truly unhappy with your Siri remote and the way it responds to your touch, you might consider purchasing a third-party remote instead when they become available.
Tip: You can keep an eye on Apple’s official Remotes & Controllers web page for updates on any new products.
Last updated on 03 February, 2022
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