Cannot remove app from folder or delete folder on Apple TV

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Level 1

60 points

Cannot remove app from folder or delete folder on Apple TV

on the home screen for Apple TV, I accidentally moved an icon (for AppleTV) into a folder. Now I cannot get rid of the folder!

there is NO option to delete a folder although many of the online "guides" say there is ...

I tried this: long press the icon in the folder and it starts shaking. All I can do is move both icon and folder to a different location. There's an option to rename the folder (which I don't want to do, and which doesn't work either!).

How do I get this icon out of the folder and onto the main screen?

This all started because I had to restart my apple TV device yesterday and suddenly there were apps that I hadn't seen before. I do not want all these Apple apps on my tv screen, such as podcasts, photos, computers. I tried to remove them but there is no option to do that.

Another weird display issue is that a group of icons at the top of the screen has an outline around it. Others don't.

See attached photos. The tiny Apple icon is on the bottom left.

Apple TV 4K, tvOS 26

Posted on Nov 30, 2025 2:11 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

azaksalmarzur28

Level 2

426 points

Nov 30, 2025 6:39 PM in response to mizcue

To remove an app from a folder on Apple TV: long-press until the app wiggles, then swipe it out of the folder — not click. When the folder is empty, it deletes itself automatically. You cannot delete system apps, only hide them. The white outline around a group of icons is the normal Apple TV focus indicator.

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Answer 2

Vancouver22

Level 8

37,586 points

Nov 30, 2025 6:31 PM in response to mizcue

I assume you are on version tvOS 26? If so the outlines around certain apps are the Liquid Glass feature of tvOS 26 and some apps might not support the look and display differently.

You need to move the App out of the folder first in order to delete the folder. If it’s not working/responding try restarting your Apple tv to refresh , then try this again

Restart Apple TV 4K

To delete a folder, simply move its apps back to the Home Screen.

On the Apple TV 4K Home Screen, navigate to an app in a folder, then press and hold the clickpad or touch surface on your remote.
Select Move to > Home Screen.
Repeat the above steps for each app in the folder.
The folder is deleted when you remove the last app from it.
To save the new arrangement, press the clickpad center or touch surface.

Rearrange apps on the Apple TV 4K Home Screen - Apple Support

As to the Apps that come with Apple TV, they cannot be deleted. You can put them into a folder to ‘hide’ them

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Answer 3

Vancouver22

Level 8

37,586 points

Dec 1, 2025 8:15 AM in response to mizcue

You can’t really hide them, I just thought a folder would at least shrink them in size!

if there’s no option to move to Home Screen from the folder, it won’t let you drag it out of the folder? It can be dragged once it’s wiggling, It won’t wiggle until you select edit Home Screen

Did you try restarting Apple tv as suggested? A last resort to get your Apple TV icon back to default would be to factory Reset the ATV. It’s better you try one or two restarts, either via Settings or by unplugging for 5 seconds or try both methods, to see if you can get it out of the folder.

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Answer 4

mizcue Author

Level 1

60 points

Nov 30, 2025 9:33 PM in response to azaksalmarzur28

this is exactly what is NOT working.. I cannot swipe anything on the remote. How can I swipe it out of the folder if the remote doesn't allow this? What trick am I missing?

and how do I hide system apps? I see no way to do that.

how is the white outline around a group of icons the "focus indicator"? I have focus on icons that are not within that outline.

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Answer 5

mizcue Author

Level 1

60 points

Nov 30, 2025 9:41 PM in response to Vancouver22

Yes, I'm on tvOS 26.1 - and my iPhone is on 18.7.1. Are they supposed to be on the same version? Because I did not want to update my phone to 26.1 but I wasn't given a choice about updating the TV OS.

I cannot move the icon out of the folder. After long press on the icon, it starts shaking but there is NO option to select, nothing that allows moving the icon to the Home Screen.

How would I hide the apps I don't want to see on the Home Screen, by putting them in a folder? Aren't the icons all visible?

Something is not aligning properly, I read those instructions that you posted and that is what prompted me to ask the question - again, I do not see any option to Move to Home Screen.

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Answer 6

Vancouver22

Level 8

37,586 points

Dec 1, 2025 9:34 PM in response to mizcue

There is no power button on the remote. Only in control center which you might be pressing and bringing that up or you’re restarting it by Pressing and holding both and or on your remote until the Apple TV 4K status light blinks rapidly.
It could be your remote isn’t working properly and needs some troubleshooting done: If your Siri Remote or Apple TV Remote isn't working. Alternatively you can also use the remote app on your iPhone. It’s in Control Center.
Or you have the option to Reset Apple TV 4K

Hopefully you can get back to enjoying using your Apple TV

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Answer 7

mizcue Author

Level 1

60 points

Dec 1, 2025 10:33 PM in response to Vancouver22

OK, we're done here. You're telling me what I have or don't have on my remote? Seriously?

I very clearly have a power button, which also appears on the icon in Control Center on my phone.

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Answer 8

mizcue Author

Level 1

60 points

Dec 1, 2025 3:11 PM in response to Vancouver22

If there’s no option to move to Home Screen from the folder, it won’t let you drag it out of the folder? It can be dragged once it’s wiggling, It won’t wiggle until you select edit Home Screen

There is NO OPTION to move an icon to the home screen. I tried dragging, swiping, etc. after the icon was wiggling, there is an "Edit Home Screen" option which disappears from the screen almost immediately, before I could do anything. Nothing worked until it it finally did, I have no idea what I did differently but I finally got the icon out of the folder.

I did restart but not factory reset. I've already spent way too much time trying to get this to work and still don't have an answer as to why all the instructions say things that do not exist on my screen. This whole experience has made me want to get rid of the Apple TV and switch to something more useful to me. The box is also not responding 100% in the right way, for instance, press and hold the home icon on the remote and the box turns off. Happens randomly. The power button and the home icon are not next to each other so it just doesn't make sense.

At any rate, thanks for your efforts and responses.

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