If an Apple TV 4K only offers 1080p in its format list — or the TV doesn't seem to detect it — the box almost certainly isn't broken. The 4K modes only appear when the HDMI port and cable can actually carry a 4K signal, and the Apple TV hides any mode the link can't pass. So this is a bandwidth and handshake problem, and it's fixable.
Fix it
- Use a 4K-capable HDMI port. Plug into a port that supports 4K with HDCP 2.2 (on most TVs that's a port labeled for 4K, HDR, or gaming — not every input qualifies). A 4K Apple TV on an older or "aux" HDMI port falls back to 1080p or won't negotiate at all.
- Swap the cable. A cable that's fine for 1080p often can't carry 4K HDR — and the Apple TV responds by simply not offering 4K. A short, certified Ultra High Speed cable is the most common fix for "no 4K option."
- Reseat and re-handshake. Unplug both ends of the HDMI, and power-cycle: unplug the Apple TV for at least 30 seconds, plug back in, and let it renegotiate with the TV.
- Set the format manually. Settings > Video and Audio > Format > 4K SDR (or 4K HDR / 4K Dolby Vision if your TV supports it). The Apple TV runs a brief test pattern and asks you to confirm — if the screen goes black, don't touch anything and it reverts after about fifteen seconds, so you can't get stuck.
- Turn off then on "Match Content." In Video and Audio, toggling Match Dynamic Range / Match Frame Rate off and back on forces a fresh handshake that sometimes surfaces the 4K modes.
Why only 1080p shows up
This is the part that confuses people: the Apple TV doesn't choose 1080p — it only lists resolutions the current port and cable report they can handle. So a missing 4K option is the link telling you it can't carry 4K, not a setting you forgot. Fix the port and cable and the 4K modes appear in the Format menu on their own.
If it's a receiver in the middle
Routing the Apple TV through an AV receiver adds a link that has to pass 4K too. An older receiver can cap the signal at 1080p or break the HDCP handshake. Connect the Apple TV directly to the TV to test — if 4K appears, the receiver (or its HDMI passthrough setting) is the limit, and you'd run audio back over eARC instead.
FAQ
Why does my Apple TV 4K only show 1080p? The HDMI port or cable can't carry 4K, so the box hides the 4K modes. Move to a 4K/HDCP 2.2 port and use a certified Ultra High Speed cable.
The 4K option is greyed out or missing — is the box faulty? No. The Apple TV only lists modes the link supports. A missing 4K option is a port/cable bandwidth limit, not a hardware fault. If the TV shows nothing at all on that input, see Apple TV no signal / HDMI black screen.
Do I really need a special cable? For 4K HDR, yes — a certified Ultra High Speed cable. A 1080p-era cable is the most common reason 4K won't appear.
It works direct but not through my receiver. The receiver is capping the signal or breaking the HDCP handshake. Connect the Apple TV straight to the TV and send audio back via eARC.