I recently updated to tvOS 26 on my Apple TV 4K (1st generation) and was disappointed to find that apps I restrict no longer appear at all. In earlier versions, restricted apps would still be visible and simply prompt for a passcode — this was much more convenient for adults in the household.
Now, if I restrict apps for my children, they disappear completely. To use them again, I have to go deep into settings, turn restrictions off, and even recreate the passcode each time, which is frustrating and impractical for daily use.
I also tried adding a Kids user account, but most restrictions still apply system-wide. Only the Apple TV app behaves differently between users. This makes switching between parent and child accounts nearly pointless for managing access.
Please consider one or both of the following: 1. Bring back the passcode-on-launch behavior for restricted apps (instead of hiding them). 2. Give each user their own isolated settings environment, like how profiles work on iOS/iPadOS or even a fresh Apple TV—this way, restrictions, home screen, and app access could be personalized.
Families are a huge part of the Apple TV audience, and these recent changes have made it much harder to use the device in a shared household.
Thank you!
