Apps not working on your Samsung TV?
How bad was the breakup?
And is there still a chance to win their hearts back?
No, it’s not flowers and chocolates.
Here’s a hint:
It’s related to your WiFi.
Curious?
Read on to find out:
- 7 easy-to-follow fixes for your Samsung TV issue.
- How to change your Samsung TV’s DNS settings.
- Why your location settings prevent your apps from working.
- And many more…
Why are my apps not working on my Samsung TV?
Your apps aren’t working on your Samsung TV because of a Smart Hub issue. Another cause is your current country code and WiFi DNS settings. Most of the time, it’s a location or region issue. Another cause is running outdated TV software. Lastly, it can be a glitch that leads to your apps freezing.
Apps not working on Samsung TV: 7 fixes
#1: Cold boot your Samsung TV
Think of a cold boot as restarting your TV.
It’s that simple.
A restart alone can solve several issues like:
- App crashes.
- Malfunctions or temporary bugs.
- Hanging, freezing, or slowing down problems.
So, let’s get right into it:
- Unplug your Samsung TV.
- Wait for 1 minute.
- Plug your Samsung TV back into its power source.
- Launch any app on your Smart Hub.
Apps still not working?
You’re probably dealing with an internet connection problem, which brings us to…
#2: Refresh your WiFi network
When several apps refuse to launch on your Samsung TV, here’s 1 good reason why:
Your Smart Hub can’t establish a stable internet connection.
In other words, because apps require constant WiFi to run properly…
A weak internet signal causes all your apps to well…become sitting ducks on your screen.
Now, it’s a good thing the solution to this problem’s easy to do.
Here’s how it’s done:
- Unplug your router and modem.
- Wait for 3 to 5 minutes.
- Plug your router and modem back into its power source.
Worth reading: Samsung TV Won’t Stay Connected To WiFI: 11 Fixes
#3: Update your Samsung TV’s software
What happens if – no matter what you do – your apps don’t even load?
Let alone, they crash as soon as they open?
Here’s what that means: your current TV software’s out-of-date.
And quite frankly, it leads to a ton of problems.
Apart from your apps failing to launch, other issues you might notice include…
- Your TV turns off constantly.
- The TV remote stops working.
- Apps refuse to run, update, or install.
- Being unable to detect a proper WiFi signal.
From all that, the solution’s clear.
And it’s to update your Samsung TV’s software.
Here’s how it’s done:
- Go to your Samsung TV’s home screen.
- Scroll left and tap “Settings” (gear icon).
- Select “Support.”
- Tap “Software Update.”
- Choose “Update Now.”
#4: Change your WiFi DNS settings
Think of DNS or Domain Name System as the phonebook of the Internet.
Put it this way.
How do you access information online?
By typing the website name on Google Chrome, right?
However, your browser doesn’t communicate with the internet by saying…
“Hey, can you open Samsung.com for me?”
What actually happens behind the scenes is…
The DNS translates Samsung.com into a language your browser understands.
Now, this language isn’t a word or phrase but rather a string of numbers, like:
“192.168.1.1.”
In this apps-not-working situation, your current DNS settings might be, put simply…faulty.
Meaning, that not only is it hard for your apps to establish a WiFi connection but also…
Your current DNS server isn’t running properly.
Even after restarting your WiFi, if your DNS server’s down…
Your apps will always fail to load or launch.
Don’t worry, though.
I’ll show you how to change your DNS settings on your Samsung TV:
- On your Home screen, scroll left and access your Settings.
- Tap “General.”
- “Select “Network.”
- Choose “Network Status.”
- Tap “IP Settings.”
- You should see your DNS server in the IP Settings menu.
- Change it by typing “8.8.8.8” or “8.8.4.4.”
#5: Test all the apps on your Samsung TV
After changing your DNS settings, rebooting your TV, and refreshing your WiFi…
Test all your Samsung TV apps.
Why?
Think of it like this.
What if only selected apps on your Samsung TV were the problem?
It’s possible that only Netflix and Prime Video weren’t working.
Where does that leave you, then?
There could be several reasons behind this, such as:
- Some apps had corrupted files.
- The software of an app was outdated.
- Your apps were glitching or malfunctioning.
And when that happens, your next best step is to…
#6: Reinstall your apps
Reinstalling apps on your Samsung TV is meant to:
- Clear any app data that may be corrupted.
- Remove glitches or errors that prevent it from launching.
- Resolve app malfunctions or settings that cause it to crash.
But how exactly does it work?
On your Smart Hub menu, there are some apps you can remove manually.
However, in some cases, this option will be greyed out.
In other words, the app came pre-installed with your Samsung TV.
So you might be wondering…
“Is there a way to reinstall the app?”
There definitely is.
And I’ll show you how below:
Step 1: Access your Samsung TV apps.
In your Home menu, scroll left and you should find your “Apps.”
Step 2: Access your App settings.
On your Apps menu, you should see a gear icon in the top-right corner of your screen.
That’ll be your App settings.
Step 3: Remove the app.
On your Apps settings menu, if you highlight the app…
You’ll see a drop-down menu with a few options.
From here, simply tap “Remove” to delete the app.
However, if the option’s greyed out, you can choose the “Reinstall” option instead.
Step 4: Reinstall the deleted app.
Go back to your Apps menu and click on the search option (magnifying glass icon).
Type the app you want to reinstall.
And finally, sign in to your Samsung account and proceed with the installation.
Find out more: 7 Steps To Delete An App On Samsung TV In Seconds
#7: Change your location/region & factory reset
When your location settings don’t match your current physical location…
Let’s just say Samsung refuses to work.
And 1 way of showing that straight to your face is for your apps to stop working.
See – think of your Smart Hub as the core of your Samsung TV’s basic functions.
Without it, loading your apps become practically impossible. ‘
So, you’ll have to set your TV in the right location.
On older Samsung TVs, this can easily be done with a few commands.
However, on a newer Samsung TV model, you have to perform a factory reset.
What this does is it refreshes your entire TV system back to its default settings.
Put simply, it erases all your data and app preferences.
And as a result, you’ll have to set up your Samsung TV again.
In addition, during the setup process, you can change your TV’s location settings.
So, here’s how it’s done:
For older Samsung TVs:
Step 1: Press the Smart Hub button on your remote.
On your Smart Hub screen, press the following buttons:
- 2.
- 8.
- 9.
- Fast forward button.
- 2.
- 8.
- 9.
- Rewind button.
Step 2: Set your country.
You should see a menu “Internet Service Location Setup.”
From here, choose your preferred country.
After, click “Next.”
Step 3: Agree to Samsung’s Service Agreement.
On your screen, you’ll see the Terms of Service Agreement.
After, tap “Agree.”
Step 4: Update your Samsung TV.
A message will appear on your screen, saying:
“Smart Hub needs to be updated. Update is starting.”
Click “OK” to confirm the update.
Step 5: Restart your Samsung TV.
For newer Samsung TV models:
To change your location, you need to do a factory reset.
Here’s how to do it:
- Press the Home button on your Samsung TV remote.
- Access your settings (gear icon).
- Scroll down and tap “Support.”
- Select “Self Diagnosis.”
- Choose “Reset Smart Hub.”
- Enter your PIN.
- Wait for your TV to complete the reset.
From here, you should set up your Samsung TV and change its location.
Step 1: Set up your Samsung TV.
On your screen, you’ll see the “Setup” button in a green box.
Step 2: Agree to your Terms & Conditions.
Step 3: Press a series of buttons on your remote.
After agreeing to your Samsung TV’s privacy policy, press the following buttons:
- Mute.
- Volume Up.
- Channel Up.
- Mute.
Step 4: Set up your Internet Service Location.
A pop-up menu should appear on your screen.
Set your country/location and tap “OK.”
After, agree to your set/preferred location and confirm the change.
Step 5: Log in to your Samsung Smart TV to complete the setup.