[GH-ISSUE #4467] Add Native Apple TV (tvOS) Client Support #8720

New Issue

saavagebueno · 2026-08-05T01:19:16-04:00

saavagebueno commented

2026-08-05 01:19:16 -04:00

Originally created by @TipsTricksMore on GitHub (Sep 9, 2025).
Original GitHub issue: https://github.com/netbirdio/netbird/issues/4467

Description:
It would be great to have native Apple TV (tvOS) support for NetBird, similar to what Tailscale has recently introduced. Apple TVs are increasingly being used as low-power, always-on devices in home and office setups, making them excellent candidates for acting as:

Exit nodes (for routing traffic through a home/office network)
Subnet routers (to expose on-prem devices like NAS, printers, or legacy systems)
Clients for secure access to media servers (e.g., Plex, Jellyfin, Emby etc.)

Why Apple TV?

Always on & energy efficient: Apple TVs typically stay powered and connected, using <1W idle power.
Convenient placement: Often centrally located in a home network, connected to wired Ethernet or stable Wi-Fi.
Trusted ecosystem: Many users already rely on Apple TV as a hub for home media and networking.
User expectations: Competitors (e.g., Tailscale) have released tvOS support with positive reception and wide adoption.

Use Cases

Use Apple TV as a subnet router to access other devices on the home LAN remotely.
Advertise Apple TV as an exit node, allowing remote devices to tunnel traffic through the home network.
Run Apple TV as a standard NetBird client, enabling secure access to tailnet resources directly from the device.

Alternatives Considered
Currently, there are no good workarounds. Users may run a separate always-on device (Raspberry Pi, VM, etc.), but this increases cost, complexity, and power usage.

Impact
Adding tvOS support would expand NetBird’s reach, especially in self-hosted, home-lab, and small office environments, where Apple TV devices are common and underutilized for networking purposes.

Originally created by @TipsTricksMore on GitHub (Sep 9, 2025). Original GitHub issue: https://github.com/netbirdio/netbird/issues/4467 **Description:** It would be great to have native Apple TV (tvOS) support for NetBird, similar to what Tailscale has recently introduced. Apple TVs are increasingly being used as low-power, always-on devices in home and office setups, making them excellent candidates for acting as: - Exit nodes (for routing traffic through a home/office network) - Subnet routers (to expose on-prem devices like NAS, printers, or legacy systems) - Clients for secure access to media servers (e.g., Plex, Jellyfin, Emby etc.) **Why Apple TV?** - Always on & energy efficient: Apple TVs typically stay powered and connected, using <1W idle power. - Convenient placement: Often centrally located in a home network, connected to wired Ethernet or stable Wi-Fi. - Trusted ecosystem: Many users already rely on Apple TV as a hub for home media and networking. - User expectations: Competitors (e.g., Tailscale) have released tvOS support with positive reception and wide adoption. **Use Cases** 1. Use Apple TV as a subnet router to access other devices on the home LAN remotely. 2. Advertise Apple TV as an exit node, allowing remote devices to tunnel traffic through the home network. 3. Run Apple TV as a standard NetBird client, enabling secure access to tailnet resources directly from the device. **Alternatives Considered** Currently, there are no good workarounds. Users may run a separate always-on device (Raspberry Pi, VM, etc.), but this increases cost, complexity, and power usage. **Impact** Adding tvOS support would expand NetBird’s reach, especially in self-hosted, home-lab, and small office environments, where Apple TV devices are common and underutilized for networking purposes.

saavagebueno added the feature-request label 2026-08-05 01:19:16 -04:00

saavagebueno closed this issue

2026-08-05 01:19:17 -04:00

saavagebueno commented

2026-08-05 01:19:17 -04:00

@BenRoe commented on GitHub (Sep 10, 2025):

+1
Right now i am happy with Netbird, but now i need remote network access for my travel apple tv.
Because of that i think to switch to tailscale.
Any eta for a Apple TV Netbird App?

@BenRoe commented on GitHub (Sep 10, 2025): +1 Right now i am happy with Netbird, but now i need remote network access for my travel apple tv. Because of that i think to switch to tailscale. Any eta for a Apple TV Netbird App?

saavagebueno commented

2026-08-05 01:19:17 -04:00

@BlameItOnDevin commented on GitHub (Oct 3, 2025):

I've also emailed them about this use case. Hopefully the demand becomes large enough to convince them!

@BlameItOnDevin commented on GitHub (Oct 3, 2025): I've also emailed them about this use case. Hopefully the demand becomes large enough to convince them!

saavagebueno commented

2026-08-05 01:19:17 -04:00

@CicerBro commented on GitHub (Oct 9, 2025):

Yeah this is preventing me from actually using Netbird. Stuck on Tailscale.

@CicerBro commented on GitHub (Oct 9, 2025): Yeah this is preventing me from actually using Netbird. Stuck on Tailscale.

saavagebueno commented

2026-08-05 01:19:17 -04:00

@reickbao commented on GitHub (Oct 10, 2025):

+1 , I am also looking for this feature :)

@reickbao commented on GitHub (Oct 10, 2025): +1 , I am also looking for this feature :)

saavagebueno commented

2026-08-05 01:19:17 -04:00

@PatCas71 commented on GitHub (Oct 14, 2025):

Me also! stay with Tailscale because of this.

@PatCas71 commented on GitHub (Oct 14, 2025): Me also! stay with Tailscale because of this.

saavagebueno commented

2026-08-05 01:19:17 -04:00

@TipsTricksMore commented on GitHub (Dec 12, 2025):

Yeah 🎉🚀
NetBird just announced on Reddit to have their Android TV and Apple TV App available in about 1-2 weeks! Great news and thanks for listening to feedback 🥳

https://www.reddit.com/r/netbird/s/ytMzgZe1wa

@TipsTricksMore commented on GitHub (Dec 12, 2025): Yeah 🎉🚀 NetBird just announced on Reddit to have their Android TV and Apple TV App available in about 1-2 weeks! Great news and thanks for listening to feedback 🥳 https://www.reddit.com/r/netbird/s/ytMzgZe1wa

saavagebueno commented

2026-08-05 01:19:17 -04:00

@CicerBro commented on GitHub (Jan 1, 2026):

No update yet?

@CicerBro commented on GitHub (Jan 1, 2026): No update yet?

saavagebueno commented

2026-08-05 01:19:17 -04:00

@josemonge commented on GitHub (Mar 30, 2026):

Thank you for your hard work!!
I am using opensense (26.1) with netbird 66.3 (config as Exit Node).
My Android 13 netbird client 64.1 works perfectly and uses OpnSense exit node (ip is from opnsense)
But my AppleTv (tvos 26.4) using netbird 66.2 is not working at all (when using netbird, not internet at all).
Cloud account.
ISP location A: opnsense
ISP location B: Android and tvos
Today I tested another Android (netbird client 64.1 Android 12) and works perfectly.
Both Android were logged in using Google SSO.
Apple devices were logged in using SetUp keys.
I opened #5756 ticket with more info since it affects to MacOS, iPadOS as well.
Thank you.

@josemonge commented on GitHub (Mar 30, 2026): Thank you for your hard work!! I am using opensense (26.1) with netbird 66.3 (config as Exit Node). My Android 13 netbird client 64.1 works perfectly and uses OpnSense exit node (ip is from opnsense) But my AppleTv (tvos 26.4) using netbird 66.2 is not working at all (when using netbird, not internet at all). Cloud account. ISP location A: opnsense ISP location B: Android and tvos Today I tested another Android (netbird client 64.1 Android 12) and works perfectly. Both Android were logged in using Google SSO. Apple devices were logged in using SetUp keys. I opened #5756 ticket with more info since it affects to MacOS, iPadOS as well. Thank you.

saavagebueno commented

2026-08-05 01:19:17 -04:00

@jnfrati commented on GitHub (May 7, 2026):

Hi hi, closing this as both android tv and tvOS are supported now, links to docs:
https://docs.netbird.io/get-started/install/tvos
https://docs.netbird.io/get-started/install/android-tv

If the current behavior still don't match what you were expecting feel free to open a new feature request or an issue and we'll take a look!

@jnfrati commented on GitHub (May 7, 2026): Hi hi, closing this as both android tv and tvOS are supported now, links to docs: https://docs.netbird.io/get-started/install/tvos https://docs.netbird.io/get-started/install/android-tv --- If the current behavior still don't match what you were expecting feel free to open a new [feature request or an issue](https://github.com/netbirdio/netbird/discussions/new/choose) and we'll take a look!

Sign in to join this conversation.

Branches Tags

main

claude/agent-network-test-cases-p743vw

android/gui-integration

revert/component-types

feat-post_quantum_ml_kem

ice-stun-wg-demux

dependabot/npm_and_yarn/proxy/web/npm_and_yarn-b39864987c

agent-network-setup-poc

dependabot/go_modules/aws-sdk-8f849ebaed

dependabot/github_actions/actions-a940c7c866

dependabot/go_modules/otel-e34c790afd

dependabot/go_modules/testcontainers-de325c0dd6

dependabot/go_modules/wireguard-dbd6b95108

dependabot/go_modules/pion-5f703e1eca

dependabot/go_modules/gorm-2271c8195b

fix-login-needed-check

dependabot/go_modules/google.golang.org/grpc-1.82.1

fix/ui-gtk3-support

enterprise-traefik-and-migration-fixes

disambiguate_p2p_metrics

revert/component-types-hookup

embedded-vnc

feature/ios-ssh

docs/agent-network-docs-update

dependabot/go_modules/github.com/aws/aws-sdk-go-v2/service/s3-1.106.3

dependabot/go_modules/github.com/pion/stun/v3-3.1.5

fix-ssh-authorized-users-multi-rule

peer-acl-multi-source

reverse-proxy-crowdsec-appsec

reverse-proxy-allow-match-or

client-local-metrics

lazy-conn-per-peer

lazy-conn-rosenpass

dependabot/go_modules/github.com/gopacket/gopacket-1.7.0

dependabot/go_modules/goauthentik.io/api/v3-3.2026050.6

dependabot/go_modules/github.com/pires/go-proxyproto-0.15.0

dependabot/go_modules/github.com/jackc/pgx/v5-5.10.0

dependabot/go_modules/github.com/oapi-codegen/runtime-1.6.0

dependabot/go_modules/github.com/eko/gocache/lib/v4-4.2.4

dependabot/go_modules/github.com/pkg/sftp-1.13.11

dependabot/go_modules/github.com/coreos/go-oidc/v3-3.20.0

ssh-windows-privilege-check

fix/explicit-cors-handling

fix/remove-math-rand

test/gui-memory-leak-fix

fix/ui-status-dispatch

install-script-ui-dependencies

fix/grpc-get-network-map

fix/subscribe-status-coalesce

fix/tray-menu-item-leak

fix/windows-tray-race

feature/changeset

worktree-dns-route-qtype-fallthrough

mdm_integration

mlsmaycon-patch-2

feat/agent-network-ollama

proxy-tunnel-cache-ttl-env

coderabbitai/utg/1e5b0a5

grpc-acl

test/battery-drain

components-impl-drop-indexes-use-xids-no-resource-policy-map

fix/nmap-relevant-groups

e2e-guardrail-blocks-unselected-model

fix/lazyconn-cold-start-allowed-ips

vertex-guardrails-model-access-e2e

add-atomic-cache-ops

refactor/relay-foreign-cache

ci/trigger-release-tests

feature/kimi-3-agent-networks-dns-warmup

feature/dns-lazy-conn-warmup

daemon-ipc-acl

feature/ui-translation-key-parity-check

refactor/relay-foreign-cache-tests

fix/lazyconn-idle-keep-wg-peer

dmitri-propagate-auth-grant-types-on-combined

0.74.7-branch

diagnose-empty-vs-corrupt-state

windows-sleep-detector

fix/cli-up-wait-for-daemon

rp_key_persistency

feature/native-grpc

0.74.6-branch

0.74.6-branch-sync

0.74.5-branch-sync

0.74.4-branch

fix/remove-stale-peers-removal

fix/remove-stale-proxy-logic

fix/nsis-preserve-autostart-on-upgrade

refactor/peer-event-bus

dependabot/go_modules/goauthentik.io/api/v3-3.2026050.3

dependabot/go_modules/github.com/pkg/sftp-1.13.10

components-impl-drop-indexes

fix-reset-aggregation-window-flake

dependabot/go_modules/github.com/pion/dtls/v3-3.1.5

0.74.x

fix/relay-states-lock

update-process-pkg

update-gopsutil-v4

fix/relay_states_lock

increase-sysinfo-timeout

dependabot/go_modules/github.com/Azure/go-ntlmssp-0.1.1

dependabot/go_modules/github.com/eko/gocache/store/redis/v4-4.2.6

dependabot/go_modules/github.com/eko/gocache/lib/v4-4.2.3

fix/fail-to-create-upnp-port-mapping-on-opnsense-firewall

0.74.3-branch

fix/routeselector-atomic-exit-node

netmap_progressive_alignment

nmap/components-impl

dependabot/go_modules/github.com/jackc/pgx/v5-5.9.2

dependabot/go_modules/github.com/oapi-codegen/runtime-1.4.2

dependabot/go_modules/github.com/gopacket/gopacket-1.6.1

dependabot/go_modules/github.com/coreos/go-oidc/v3-3.19.0

dependabot/go_modules/github.com/pires/go-proxyproto-0.12.0

fix/signal-watchdog-sync-stop

docs/agent-network

test/affected-logic

fix/revert-ice-filter

refactor/simplify-affected-peers

pascal-filter-policies-by-direction

claude/lock-contention-peer-connect-g8t6au

dmitri-filter-policies-by-direction

refactor/migrate-profiles-to-go

profile-bindings-ios

fix/skip-restart-unchanged-route

fix/mgmt-cache-async-resolve

refactor/wails-update-105

client_lifetime_serialization_refactor

fix/browser-ssh-2

fix/ipv6-and-netstack-accept-loop

fix/browser-ssh

profile-id-name-test

refactor/mgmt-bootstrap

feat/getting-started-unified-wizard

socket-grpc-permissions

fix/mysql-index-migration

windows-dns-firewall

tests/enable-race-on-tests

ui-refactor-gtk3

feature/affected-peers-grpc

profile-id

lazyconn-first-packet-fix-v2

claude/focused-gates-VMTgb

ui-tray-linux-leftclick

fix/ctx-enrichment

daemon-owner

feature/android-client-ssh

worktree-accept-ra-forwarding

nmap/combined-deploy

task/align_protobuff_toolset

feature/session-extend

add-json-yaml-flags

refactor/ephemeral-cleanup

claude/webtransport-relay-wasm-mUjY9

claude/vnc-udp-feasibility-6KB1U

fix/wgport-config

e2e-windows-dns-combined

fix/login-cmd-root-flags

feat/reseller-openapi-spec

github-issue-resolver

add-steamos-support

fix-darwin-uninstaller

flutter-test

ci/freebsd-pkg-bootstrap

cached-serial-check-on-sync

fix-mgmt-cache-bypass-overlay

revert-easyjson-5938

revert-ice-5820

revert-firewalld-5928

refactor/permissions-manager

revert-dns-5935-systemd-resolved

revert-dns-5935-5945

revert-dns-5945-mgmt-cache

feature/log-most-busy-peers

prototype/ui-wails

coderabbitai/utg/8ae8f20

feature/use-peer-fqdn-on-https

release/0.68.3

add-slack-channel

claude/rdp-token-passthrough-eNcqW

transparent-proxy

fix/macos-stale-route-eexist

crowdsec-selfhosted

fix/remove-otel-units

entire/checkpoints/v1

fix/getting-started

feat/static-connectors-combined-server

feature/use-local-keys-embedded

feature/fleetdm

set-env-only-if-not-fork

feature/expose-has-channel

fix/connection-status-race

fix/filter-cgnat-cni-ice-candidates

feature/check-cert-locker-before-acme

test/proxy-fixes

test/proxy-mtu

prototype/ui-tauri

test/proxy-speed

fix-reused-ports

feat/migrate-to-embedded-idp

feature/add-serial-to-proxy-merged

deploy/proxy-serial

test/connection

feature/disable-legacy-port

feature/flag-to-disable-legacy-port

test/perftest

fix/http-redirect

poc-token-command

dn-reverse-proxy

prototype/reverse-proxy-rename

prototype/reverse-proxy-logs-pagination

feature/client-metrics

prototype/reverse-proxy-clusters

debug-dns-route

fix/win-dns-batch

add-extra-route-logs

job-stream-notify-disconnection-eof

deploy/secrets-manager

trigger-proxy-update

bug/update-ios-client-code-build-tags

sync-client-netmap-serial

log/conn-disconn

nmap/compaction-deploy

ci-win-test

feature/disk-encryption-check

wasm-debug

swap-dns-prio

fix/dex-config

feature/migrate-auto-groups-to-table

nmap/compaction

dex-nocgo-stub

feature/exclude-terraform-from-rate-limiting

test-freebsd

retries-refactor

coderabbitai/docstrings/b7e98ac

feat/integrate-zitadel

bug/ios-hanging-reconection

zitadel-idp

feat/network-map-serial

refactor/get-account-no-users

feat/auto-upgrade

feature/report-high-pat-id

feature/temporary-access-for-resource

fix/nmap-fwrules

dont-restart-dns

prototype/ui

update-gomobile

go-dns-for-ice

wasm-ldflags

test-ldflags

wasmbuild-test

feature/networks-s2s

vk/compare-nmaps

dbg/bothmaps

reorder-dns-shutdown

fix/relay-reconnection-race

fix/nmap-exitnodes

vk/debug/nmap-both

move-licensed-code

feat/better-daemon-connection-lost-message

feat/auto-update-2

test/timings

refactor/getaccount-raw

tests/nmap-getaccount

refactor/nmap

refactor/nmap-limit-buffer

feature/detect-mac-wakeup

feature/extract-modules

quick-setings

feat/sync-limiter

feature/store-cache-impl

fix-install-version

feature/store-metrics

feature/metrics-on-store

feature/use-gorm-cache

loadtest-signal

unsymmetrical-squash

refactor/reducate-signaling

test/update-reduce

feature/store-cache

feature/remote-debug

cli-ws-proxy-backend-addr

feat/mgmt-map-serial

snyk-fix-d9d0081a4c7f9137bdb59d0d50a141a2

snyk-fix-7415cea5a11acd66753540ca2c598c63

job-yml-update

feature/android-allow-selecting-routes

fix/up-sequence

fix/dns-hash-update

snyk-fix-967adae9863f17f108ce8948d9117b8d

log/getaccount-by-peer

signal-suppressor

dns-exit-node

feature/auto-updates

feature/cache-srv-key

merged-fixes

fix/missed-offers-and-debug

debug-and-fixes

poc-wasm-clean-backend-s2s

test/remote-debug

debug-api

fix/remove-gpo-if-empty

fix/test-freebsd

fix/mysql-setup

fix/remove-logout-btn

handle-existing-domain-user

chore/unify-domain-validation

snyk-fix-c5fafc8a50ce1f29046e25a1fc346185

feat/profile-edit-btn

snyk-fix-a54966211e18d4cf67e5a2757cc006d1

log-short-id

feat/logout-ephemeral

log-checks

batch-wg-ops

nb-interface-default

feat/aws-integration

add/race-test

feature/relay-feature-versioning

fix/systemd-service-logs

poc/preprocessed-map

add-account-onboarding

bind-ipv6

fix/merge-main

logs/peerlogs-addpeer

feature/net-297-network-migration

feature/support-skip-auto-apply-exit-node-routes

set-cmd

set-command-with-cursor

feature/limit-update-channel

stop-using-locking-share

feature/poc-lazy-detection

feature/net-248-removal-of-sync-mutex-locks

test/multiple-peer-logging

preresolve

add-ns-punnycode-support

apply-routes-early

windows-search-domains

fix/connecting-route-filter

feature/management/rest-client/impersonate

debug-local-records

resource-fields-snake-case

test/grpc-rate-limit

traffic-correlation-policy

feature/rest-client-options

feat/events-metrics

feature/buf-cli

test/add-ratelimiter

test/remove-write-lock-on-add-peer

fix/add-peer-semaphore

feature/users-roles-endpoint

mlsmaycon-patch-1

debug-user-role

chore/primary-key-on-networks

feature/update-account-peers-buffer-startup

remove-ubuntu2004-runners

refactor/permissions-no-pat-allowed

ref/logrus-factory

use-conntrack-zone

deploy/permissions-account

feature/lazy-connection-idle

ref/improve-test-cov

restore-pr-3440

test/increase-grpc-timeouts

feat/buffer-account-peers-update

test/networkmapgeneration-changes

feature/base-manager

feature/flow-receiver

chore/benchmark-with-large-runner

refactor/handshake-initiator

client/ui-update-systray-icons

userspace-router

wgwatcher-test

output-if-key-already-exists

fix/relay-reconnection

feature/port-forwarding-client-codecleaning

detached2

test/callbacks-nil-iceconninfo

refactor/optimize-peer-expiration

enable-udp-port-for-docker-template

fix/relay-update

feature/apply-posture-netmap

fix/group-update-existing-resource

conntrack-stats

upgrade-okta-sdk

multi-price

test/conn-stat

set-min-parallel-tests-for-management

dns-interceptor

debug-dns

router-dns

add-static-system-info

debug-0.29.4

debug-0.33.0

account-refactoring

relay/2800_quic

route-get-account-refactoring

test/seed-random-routes

feature/get-account-refactoring

test/reconnect-race-condition

refactor/get-account-usage

feature/add-session-id-to-update-channel

improve-ipv4conn

fix/async-pion-event-handling

debug

add-offload

feature/validate-group-association-debug

fix/limit-conn-for-sqlite

test/engine-iface

test/transaction-for-jwt-sync

fix/engine-stop-in-foreground

feature/add-mysql-support

test-migration

refactor/header-size-values

relay/eliminate-gob

test/signal-dispatcher-with-relay

relay/debug

validate-icon

feature/ipv6-support

use-pre-expanded-peers-map

feature/use-signal-dispatcher

validate/peer-status

add-read-write-times

fix/sync-peer-race

feature/relay-status

netmap

evaluate/network-map-hash

fix/lower-dns-resolve-interval-on-fail

feature/relay

fix/go-mod-version

upgrade-nftables

synology-userspace-mode

fix/use-ip-for-default-routes-on-darwin

fix/proxy_close

enable-release-workflow-on-pr

deploy/peer-performance

feature/permanent-turn

feature/permanent-turn-proxy

deploy/posture-check-sqlite

feature/optimize_sqlite_save

debug-ios-behavior

fix/delete-route-only-after-adding

tshoot/windows-logger

remove-new-routing

refactor/eliminate-repo-dependency

add-arm-to-ci

refactor-demo-account-object

test/abc2

test/abc

send-ssh-rosenpass-config-meta

refactor-demo

ensure-schedule-never-runs-non-positive

feature/peer-validator-groupmgm

feature/peer-validator-fix

fix/include-active-dashboard-users

fix/handle-canceling-schedule

fix/geo-download

debug-google-workspace

yury/resolve-ip-to-location

feature/extend-sysinfo

sqlite-async-peer-status

yury/add-postgresql-store

fix/route

test-build

posture-checks-poc

debug-keycloak-idp

poc/netstack

for-pascal-tmp

peer-logout-management

manual-peer-logout

detached

chore/refactor-management

test/dns-bind

fix/enforce-acl-for-containers

yury/use-sync-map-in-updatechannel

fix/events-key-handling

filter-cache-on-load-account

fix/user-expiration

handle-user-context-cancellation

nb-client-k8s-statefulset

fake-addr

fix/iptables_in_docker

ebpf-debug

update-getting-started-flow-use-postgres

fix/peer_list_notification

feature/device-authentication-with-client-secret

feature/keep_alive

feat-groups-from-jwt

separate_proxy_from_wgconfig

fix/wg_conn

wg_conn_fix

wg_bind_parallel_processing

fix-rollback-get-acls

proxy_cfg_cleanup

performance-improvement-rego

update-lock-log-level

feat-client-side-acl

refactor/move_grpcserver_logic_to_account_manager

feature/event-storage

feature/update-idp-redeeming-invite

feature/api-peer-info

return-groupminimum-setupkey

feature/interface-bind

documentation_enhancement

fix-peer-registration

ssh

users_cache

pass-client-caller

client_caller_type

revert-283-feat-fix-windows-installer

periodic-peer-updates

ebpf

braginini/wasm

1 Participants

Notifications

Due Date

No due date set.

Dependencies

No dependencies set.

Reference: DYNR/netbird#8720