Instead of watching Discovery Plus…
You discovered a new source of a headache instead.
And I’m sure it was pretty annoying when the app stopped working out of nowhere.
But hey, tell you what.
I know exactly how to fix this problem.
So just…
Continue reading to learn:
- The reasons why Discovery Plus stops working.
- 7 uncomplicated fixes you can try to solve this problem.
- How to check if your TV is compatible with Discovery Plus.
- And a lot more…
Why is Discovery Plus not working on my Samsung TV?
Discovery Plus isn’t working on your Samsung TV because its servers are down. Or because your TV is incompatible with the app. And sometimes, a minor glitch in your TV system also causes this issue.
Discovery Plus not working on Samsung TV: 7 fixes
#1: Check if Discovery Plus is down
Before you try and fix anything on your end…
You should check whether or not the servers of Discovery Plus are down.
See, like all components of technology, streaming platforms can also stop working.
And here are some of the reasons why they may crash:
- There’s a problem with the server’s code:
- Too many users are using the platform at once.
- The website or app’s servers have been attacked by hackers.
Now, I know all of these sound serious and all. But don’t worry.
Most of the time, when servers crash…
They’ll be back up in less than 24h.
And if you’re thinking…
“But I don’t know how to check if Discovery Plus is down.”
Worry not, I got you.
To check the status of Discovery Plus’ servers, just click any of these websites:
Does it say Discovery Plus is currently down? Then all you can do and wait.
But if the server is up and running…
And yet you can’t access the app…
Then the problem is coming from your end. With that, you should proceed to the next fixes.
#2: Ensure that your TV is compatible with the app
Is this your 1st time trying to use Discovery Plus on your Samsung TV?
Then your device might not be compatible with the streaming platform.
See, according to Samsung themselves…
Only Samsung TV models from 2017 and later are compatible with Discovery Plus.
So if your TV was manufactured earlier than that…
Unfortunately, you won’t be able to use the app on your device.
“But I don’t know how old my TV is.”
In that case, here’s how you can…
Check the model year of your Samsung TV:
Step 1: Find the serial code of your device
Most of the time, you can find this on the right side of your TV.
And if it’s not there, try looking at the back of your unit instead.
This is usually written on some kind of sticker.
And it’ll be labeled as “Serial Number.”
Now, if you can’t or don’t want to look at the back of your TV, you can also…
Check your device’s serial code through its Settings:
- Tap the Home button on your remote.
- On the menu that pops up, select Settings.
- Scroll down to the Support option.
- Tap About This TV.
- Find and take note of the digits on the Serial Number section.
And now that you have your TV’s serial code…
Step 2: Check which year your TV is from
For this step, you need to decode your TV’s serial number.
And to do that, go to this Samsung website and scroll down to the 4th section of the tutorial.
There, you’ll find a detailed guide to help you know which year your Samsung TV was made.
So simply compare your TV’s serial code to the list.
Now, if your Samsung TV was made earlier than 2016…
Then, unfortunately, Discovery Plus isn’t compatible with your device.
However, heads up.
Scroll down to the end of this article, and you’ll find an easy hack to work around this.
#3: Power cycle your TV
Sometimes, the reason why your Discovery Plus isn’t working is that…
There’s a glitch in your Samsung TV.
Think about it. How long do you use your TV daily?
And how heavy are the tasks it’s constantly doing?
Now, don’t get me wrong.
TVs are capable of doing a lot of heavy workloads and tasks.
But like you and me, your device also has its limits.
And when it doesn’t get to rest for long periods, its system can crash or start lagging.
On top of that, some of its apps can also stop working.
But luckily, it’s effortless to fix this problem.
Because all you need to do is…
Power cycle your Samsung TV:
- Turn your TV OFF.
- Unplug it from its power source.
- Wait for 60 seconds.
- Plug it back into the outlet.
- Turn it ON again.
This simple process resets your TV’s system.
So check if this was enough to get your Discovery app up and running again.
#4: Check your Internet speed
As Discovery Plus is an online streaming platform…
It’s crucial to have a fast Internet connection when you’re using the app.
And if you’re wondering…
“How fast does it need to be?”
To answer that…
Here’s a chart that shows the bandwidth speed requirements of Discovery Plus
| Internet speed | Function |
| 1.5 Mbps | To run the app |
| 2.5 Mbps | Play SD quality videos |
| 4 Mbps | Play HD quality videos |
As you can see from this table…
Your Internet speed shouldn’t be lower than 4 Mbps if you want to stream HD shows.
“But I don’t know how fast my Internet is.”
Fret not. It’s very easy to…
Check the speed of your Internet connection:
- Using a mobile device or a PC, go to speedtest.net.
- Tap the GO option in the middle of your screen.
- Wait for your results to show up.
If your Internet is faster than 4 Mbps, proceed to the next fix.
But if you got a number lower than that…
You should improve your Internet connection as it might be the 1 causing the app to not work.
And to help you do that…
Here are some tips you can do to instantly improve your Internet speed:
- Disconnect other devices from the Wifi you’re using.
- Use a high-quality ethernet cable to connect your TV to your router.
- Unplug your Wifi router, wait for 60 seconds, then plug it again (power cycle).
Now, if you’re still getting a low Internet speed even after following these tips…
I highly recommend contacting or replacing your Internet service provider.
Editor’s pick: (11 Fixes) Samsung TV Won’t Stay Connected To WiFI
#4: Update your Discovery Plus app
It’s not a secret that updates are crucial in any app or device.
Because you see, if an app isn’t updated, it becomes prone to:
- Bugs.
- Glitches.
- Lagging and crashing.
And surely, nobody wants this to happen to their apps, right?
Moreover, when applications aren’t updated for long periods…
They can even stop working altogether.
So this might be why your Discover Plus isn’t working on your Samsung TV now.
However, luckily, updating your Discovery Plus is just as easy as the previous fixes.
Just a couple of button clicks, and you’ll be done.
So with that in mind…
Here are the steps to update your Discovery Plus app:
- Tap the Home button on your Samsung remote.
- On your screen, tap Apps.
- Select the Settings icon on the top-right of your screen.
- Find and tap the Auto Update option.
- Wait for the update to finish.
Now, all apps on your TV, including Discovery Plus, will be up to date.
And while we’re on the topic, you should also…
#5: Ensure that your Samsung TV’s firmware is updated
Bear in mind that even if your Discovery Plus app is updated…
It still won’t be as efficient as it can be if your TV’s firmware isn’t.
So before you try using your Discovery app again, I highly recommend that you…
Update your Samsung TV:
- Tap the Home button on your remote control.
- Head to Settings, then select Support.
- From the choices, select Software Update.
- Click Update Now.
- Wait for the updates to finish.
Now that your app and TV are up to date check if Discovery Plus is already working.
And if it still doesn’t play the shows or movies you wish to watch…
#6: Clear the caches of Discovery Plus
“What’s that?”
A cache acts as the storage for temporary files that your app uses.
And these collections of data help Discovery Plus serve you more efficiently.
However, these files can overload or become too much for your app to handle over time.
And as a result, Discovery Plus might start crashing or even stop working.
Now, I know the effects of an overloaded cache can be dramatic.
But don’t worry. As it’s effortless to clear this out again.
Not sure of how you can do it?
I got you. So just follow along with the…
Steps to clear the caches of your Discovery Plus:
- Turn ON your TV.
- On your remote, tap Home.
- Head to Settings > Apps.
- Click System Apps.
- Select Discovery Plus from the list.
- Click Clear Cache.
- Tap OK to confirm the action.
Now, if you still want to know more about what clearing your cache does, watch this video:
Read next: 5 Easy Ways To Clear Cache On Samsung TV
#7: Reset your Smart Hub
If you’re not familiar with what the Smart Hub is yet…
It’s Samsung’s intelligent menu system that lets you use all the functions on your TV.
On top of that, it’s also the 1 responsible for storing and managing your TV apps.
So resetting it also refreshes the contents of your TV applications.
And that includes your Discovery Plus app.
Now, before you proceed…
Note: Resetting the Smart Hub logs you out of all your apps. And your Samsung account logged in to the TV as well.
So ensure that you remember all your important login credentials.
And once you’re ready…
Here’s how you can reset your Samsung TV’s Smart Hub:
- Tap Home on your remote.
- Select Settings > Support > Device Care.
- From the list, click Self Diagnosis.
- Tap Reset Smart Hub.
- Enter your TV’s pin code (the default is 0000).
- Wait for the process to finish.
At this point, your Discovery Plus app should be working fine.
But of course, not everything goes as we want it to, right?
So if you’re still having trouble using the app, here’s a little…
Bonus: Use a Roku device to stream Discovery Plus on your TV
If none of the previous fixes solved this problem…
Then I highly recommend buying an external Roku device instead.
See, it’ll allow your TV to use the Discovery Plus app.
Even if your TV isn’t compatible with the app in the 1st place.
So fret not. Nothing’s over yet.
Just head straight to that check-out page, and depending on your location…
You might even be able to stream on the Discovery Plus app again as early as tomorrow.