How to download and manage apps on your Samsung Smart TV

Your Samsung smart TV experience is much better with third-party apps

While Samsung may be best known at AP for its incredible Galaxy smartphone and wearable lineup, the Korean tech giant is the largest TV manufacturer in the world. Samsung’s entire smart TV range as well as its M-series monitor lineup are powered by the company’s Tizen OS, which comes with a dedicated app store.

Samsung smart TVs ship with built-in apps like Samsung TV Plus, but the Tizen OS platform lets you download thousands of apps from inexpensive streaming services to Facebook. If you’re the proud new Samsung Smart TV owner, we here to help you find and download, and even remove apps from your streaming lineup.

How to download apps on your Samsung smart TV

Samsung TV houses some of the best streaming apps like YouTube, Netflix, Sling TV, ESPN, and more. You can follow the steps below to install relevant apps on your smart TV.

1. Turn on your Samsung smart TV and press the Home button on the remote.
2. Slide left to the Apps menu. Click Select (the default circular button on your TV remote).

   

3. Check the Editor’s choice, downloaded apps, and other apps in relevant categories like News & Weather, Smart View Enabled, Apps to Kill Time, and more.
4. Open a relevant category and select the app.

   

5. You can check the app details, screenshots, ratings, and related apps from the following menu.
6. Hit Install to download the app on your TV.

   

How to move your favorite apps to the home screen

Once you add several apps to your Samsung smart TV, you need to pin your preferred ones to the home screen. You should go through the steps below to place your favorite apps on the home screen for easy access.

1. Open the Apps menu on your Samsung smart TV (refer to the steps above).
2. Scroll to your downloaded apps section.
3. Long-press on an app and select Add to Home.

   

4. Repeat the same for all your favorite apps.
5. Go back to the home screen, and your frequently used apps are ready to serve.
6. Long-press an app and select Move.

   

7. Use the left or right keys on your Samsung remote to arrange apps.

How to lock your essential apps on your Samsung smart TV

While accessing thousands of hours of content sounds convenient, you should prevent your little ones from accidently browsing sensitive movies and TV shows on your Samsung smart TV. Tizen OS allows you to lock such apps.

1. Head to the Apps menu on your Samsung smart TV (check the steps above).
2. Select the Settings gear in the top right corner.

   

3. Select an app and click Lock.

   

4. Enter a 4-digit PIN to lock the app. You will see a small lock icon beside such apps on the home screen.

   

You should save the PIN to a password manager. You can unlock apps from the same menu.

How to enable automatic app updates on your smartTV

Developers regularly release app updates to add new features and fix bugs. You should enable auto-update for your installed apps on Samsung smart TV.

1. Open the Apps menu and head to Settings (check the steps above).
2. Move to the top right corner to enable auto-update.

   

How to delete unwanted apps from your TV

Most Samsung smart TVs come with only 8GB of storage. Out of which, a major chunk is reserved for Tizen OS and system apps. Over time, you may run out of storage space on your smart TV. Dealing with less space on your Samsung TV leads to a below-average experience. You should delete unnecessary apps from your Samsung TV.

1. Move to the Apps menu from the Samsung smart TV home screen (check the steps above).
2. Select the Settings gear in the top right corner. You can check the storage breakdown from the top.
3. Select an app and click Delete from the drop-down menu.

   

4. Confirm the same from the pop-up menu.

Can I download apps on a Samsung TV using a Galaxy phone?

Android TV lets you install compatible apps right from your Android phone. But the same isn’t available for Samsung smart TVs as they run the Tizen OS. Nevertheless, it shouldn’t take much of your time to install apps from the default store.

As for third-party apps, there are lengthy workarounds to install apps that aren’t available in the default store. But you should avoid such practices as these apps aren’t designed for your Samsung smart TV and may not work as expected with the remote. It’s best to stick with the available apps and services on your Samsung smart TV.

Unlock your Samsung smart TV’s true potential

Apart from rich apps support, all Samsung smart TVs come with a hidden gem called Samsung TV Plus. It’s the Korean giant’s streaming service to let you access hundreds of live TV channels for free. You can read our dedicated post to learn more about Samsung TV Plus.

You can also hook up a top streaming device to your Samsung smart TV if you aren’t satisfied with the Tizen OS experience.