Updating Apple TV’s That Won’t Update Automatically


All Apple TV’s are set to Automatically Update, but a good number never reliably do. It seems that being in Conference Mode blocks some Apple TV’s from updating (post 1, post 2). To update them, disable conf mode, clear all commands, restart, update, then reenable conf mode.


  1. Create a Smart Group of all Apple TV’s with an iOS (tvOS is currently still called iOS in Jamf) less than the most recent

  2. During off hours, when no one is using any of them, add this Smart Group as an Exception to the “AppleTV Settings - Conf Display” Configuration Profile

  3. View the Apple TV’s

  4. Update Inventory

    1. Wakes up Apple TV (hopefully)

  5. Cancel All pending and Failed Commands

    1. Clears out old commands that might block new commands

  6. Restart Device

    1. Gives a fresh OS boot to update from

  7. Update OS

  8. Wait 30-60 minutes

    1. Apple TV’s sometimes take awhile before they act on an update command

  9. Update Inventory

    1. Refreshes Jamf so it gets the current, correct OS

  10. View the Apple TV’s in your Smart Group from step 1)

    1. There should be fewer, or hopefully none, in the Smart Group now



Eric Vacchio

20190107