You don’t need to buy the new Apple TV 4K to get Apple’s Find My remote. Apple sells the Siri Remote (4th generation) on its own for $59 in the US.
It also works with older boxes. Apple’s compatibility list for the new remote reaches all the way back to the Apple TV HD.
Which Apple TV models work with the new Siri Remote
Apple lists these models as compatible with the Siri Remote (4th generation):
- Apple TV 4K (4th generation)
- Apple TV 4K (3rd generation)
- Apple TV 4K (2nd generation)
- Apple TV 4K (1st generation)
- Apple TV HD
If your box is on that list, the $59 remote is the cheaper way to get the new tracking features. If you were planning to upgrade anyway, see our report on the new Apple TV 4K shipping November 13. Owners of the 2017 model should also know it is now classed as vintage by Apple.
What the 4th-generation Siri Remote adds
The Verge describes the updated remote as coming with Find My and a built-in speaker. According to The Verge, earlier remotes relied on a basic iOS feature for finding a misplaced remote.
Apple says that if the new remote goes missing, you can use Find My to make it play a sound. You can also locate it with Precision Finding on an iPhone.
Precision Finding needs a recent iPhone
Precision Finding comes with the tightest limits. Apple says it works with the 4th-generation remote when paired with one of these phones running the latest iOS:
- iPhone Duo
- iPhone Air
- iPhone 17 or later, except the iPhone 17e
Apple adds that availability varies by region. The Verge points out that this is what gives you an exact distance readout, not just a rough sense of near or far.
Apple’s page names only iPhone models for Precision Finding. If you own an older iPhone or the iPhone 17e, the new remote won’t give you that feature.
What about older Siri Remotes?
Apple says Find My support covers the Siri Remote from the 2nd generation onward. Its footnote doesn’t explain what that support includes on the older remotes.
Apple also doesn’t say whether older remotes can play a sound or need a software update. So don’t assume a 2nd- or 3rd-generation remote does everything the new one does.
Apple’s description of play-a-sound and Precision Finding is written for the 4th-generation remote. If those two features are what you want, that’s the $59 remote to buy.
