Developer mode
Turn on the on-screen diagnostics overlay to see a screen's sync status, countdowns, gallery code and app version at a glance — the fastest way to diagnose a display.
Last updated 5 July 2026
Developer mode shows a small diagnostics overlay in the corner of the screen. It's the quickest way to tell whether a display is healthy — is it syncing, when will it next check for changes, which gallery is it on, and what version is it running — without guessing or plugging in a laptop. It's read-only: turning it on changes nothing about what plays.
Turn it on or off
- On the Apple TV, press Play/Pause three times quickly to open Settings.
- Toggle Developer mode on. The overlay appears immediately.
- To hide it, open Settings again and toggle it off.
Leave it off on public screens. The overlay is for you and our support team, not for visitors — turn it off once you've finished checking a display.
What each line means
| Line | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| Next sync | Seconds until the screen next checks the dashboard for changes. New media, settings or notices land at the next sync. |
| Next slide | Seconds until the current item changes to the next one. |
| Item | Which item is showing, out of the total, and whether it's an image or video (for example 5/9 image). |
| Sync | OK if the last content check succeeded, error if it couldn't reach the manifest. |
| Limit | OK if the screen is within your plan's screen limit, over if it's beyond it and showing the paused message. |
| Code | The gallery code this Apple TV is playing. |
| Device | A short identifier for this screen. |
| Version | The Billboard app version and build number. |
Using it to diagnose a screen
- Content isn't updating. Check Sync reads
OK, then watch Next sync count down — changes only appear after the next sync. If Sync showserror, the screen can't reach Billboard; check the network requirements. - The screen shows a "paused" message. Look at Limit:
overmeans the account has more active screens than the plan allows — see What counts as an active screen. - Wrong content. Confirm Code matches the gallery you intended.
- Contacting support. Quote the Version and Device lines when you email us — it helps us pinpoint the screen and rule out an out-of-date app.
Still stuck? Send the overlay's readout to support@getbillboard.app and we'll take a look.