How Often Do Smart TVs Update Their Software? 5 Examples

The technology behind our television sets has jumped forwards by leaps and bounds!

According to a study by the European Commission, smart TVs account for almost a third of all television sales.

With new technology, however, comes new requirements.

The majority of smart TVs update their software automatically as their parent company releases new technology. Some may require manual prompting to start an update, though, and others may require a USB connection. Updates are a vital part of keeping your smart TV functioning properly.

In this article, we’ll be discussing the importance of keeping your smart TV’s software up to date, as well as a few examples of how often everyday smart TVs update.

Check Out These 5 Examples

Though different technology companies release updates as soon as they are available, each company released its update at a different pace from the next.

Here are a few examples of popular technology brands:

1. Samsung Smart TV

Did you know that Samsung is one of the most popular technology manufacturers worldwide? It’s true!

As one of the best, they release updates with reasonably high frequency.

According to the manufacturer, each update is intended to fix bugs and improve your television’s processing speed.

If you have internet access, your television should update automatically. If you don’t, you can provide updates through the use of a USB.

Samsung releases updates frequently enough that they can correct bugs before you even notice!

If you notice an app or some other feature not working appropriately, you should immediately check the setting to see if an update is available.

If there is no update, just wait; one will surely come soon.

2. Apple Smart TV

While Samsung televisions are popular worldwide, Apple is likely the most known brand throughout the United States.

When you purchase an Apple smart TV, it may not be set to update automatically. You can fix this by changing your personalized settings.

After allowing your television permission to update automatically, you should never have to worry about updating your TV manually again!

Like Samsung, Apple is known for releasing multiple updates throughout a single calendar year.

If you haven’t received an update in several months, you should check that you’ve actually given your television permission to update.

Be sure that your television is connected to a robust and reliable internet at all times. Otherwise, you may miss out on updates and suffer from bugs as a result.

You might also like: Is Siri still worth using?

3. Insignia Smart TV

Unlike many other more prominent brands, Insignia doesn’t always release automatic updates.

When you notice errors and common bugs, you should go into the settings. Look under the “help” section and scroll to the option titled “update firmware.”

Updating the firmware should resolve any issues you’ve previously had with this television.

If your smart TV is an older model that doesn’t connect to the internet on its own, you can:

Create a manual connection by using a USB cable to connect your TV to a working computer.
Go to Insignia’s website.
Using their “Support & Service” section, look for the updates box.
Enter the code NS-19D220NA16 or NS-19D220MX16.
Follow the directions to update your smart TV manually.

4. Toshiba Smart TV

When you notice your Toshiba smart TV acting unusually, your first step shouldn’t be to look for updates.

Instead, you should perform a soft reset. To perform a soft reset, you should simply:

Unplug your television from the wall.
Wait a few moments.
Reconnect your television to its power source.
Check for the problems again.

Chances are, that will be enough to cure the issues you noticed.

Toshiba doesn’t release nearly as many updates as many other major technology brands.

This means if something is wrong, it is less likely to be corrected through a simple update.

While newer Toshiba smart televisions may maintain a constant internet connection, older ones may require more prompting.

From this point, you can follow similar steps to that of Insignia TV.

Connect your Toshiba TV to a computer using a USB.
Go to the Toshiba website.
Search for your update through their website directory.

For further instructions, check out this YouTube tutorial:

5. LG Smart TV

As another leading technology brand, LG provides several yearly updates in order to correct bugs and keep your smart TV functioning in tip-top order.

Luckily, nearly every LG smart TV is designed to maintain a constant connection to the internet.

As such, you’ll be able to set it to update whenever available automatically.

Go into the general settings of your television, look for updates, and allow your television to do what it does best!

Instead of allowing your television these permissions, it’s no problem to wait for a signal and update automatically.

With LG’s handy notifications, you won’t even have to wait until you notice a performance issue before looking for an update!

When a new update is available, a brightly colored notification will appear on the homepage of your LG smart TV.

Using your remote, locate the settings and follow the prompts to the software update.

Within minutes, your television software should be updated and your television ready to use!

Check out: Where Are LG TVs Made? 8 Countries Revealed

How Long Do Smart TV Updates Take?

Before prompting your smart TV to update, it’s reasonable that you first want to know how long this update may take.

On average, most software updates take only a few minutes. Longer updates may take between fifteen and thirty minutes. Generally speaking, the longer the process takes, the more significant change in performance you can expect in your television set.

While most updates provide minor touch-ups, others are more significant, simply keeping your television free of bugs.

More extensive updates take longer, but they provide the features that people most look forward to in a smart TV.

In most cases, modern software updates function smoothly enough that all your television apps will update at the same time.

If you notice an app not working, you may need to delete it and update that single app manually.

Why Updates Matter

I get it. Updates can be annoying.

Who wants to stop their usual movie night routine to wait for an update to go through, especially if the process involves breaking out your computer and searching manually?

Though they are obnoxious, updates really matter.

Low-maintenance televisions of the past are gone.

Today’s televisions require more upkeep to stay in good working order, but in exchange for that care, you can enjoy a more extraordinary viewing experience.

Smart TVs offer more than just a pretty screen. Through this investment, you can enjoy all your favorite streaming services in one convenient location.

Newer televisions feature voice control, enhanced viewing features, and many, many more!

With every update, your smart TV gets faster, smoother, and better.

Yes, updates are annoying.

That doesn’t mean you should ever skip them!

Conclusion

If you’ve purchased a new TV in the past few years, it’s probably more intelligent than you know.

Almost every smart TV is or can be set to update automatically, and those that aren’t usually don’t require much extra effort.

Leading brands often release a nearly constant stream of updates to improve bugs and provide additional features.

By taking the time to update your computer, you are helping ensure that your valuable purchase stays in great working order.

Not only that, but you’re improving it! Every update only adds value to your television, your day, and your viewing experience!