tvOS 11 is the third release of tvOS, shipped September 19, 2017, alongside the Apple TV 4K — whose 4K HDR (Dolby Vision and HDR10) playback defined the cycle, with iTunes upgrading purchased HD films to 4K free. The OS itself added automatic light/dark switching, home-screen sync across boxes, and AirPods pairing.

4K HDR support on the new hardware; automatic appearance switching; home-screen sync; AirPods pairing; AirPlay 2 groundwork delivered through the cycle; and Amazon Prime Video's long-awaited arrival.

The 4K transition release — its free-upgrade policy pressured the industry's 4K pricing — with the platform's software story otherwise pausing before tvOS 12's audio turn.