Samsung TV apps are easy to launch.
However, quitting them isn’t as straightforward.
That’s why it’s not uncommon to have several apps running in the background of your TV.
Thus, making your device slower.
But fret not. You’ll learn how to force quit your Samsung TV apps today.
Continue reading to find out:
- 3 different ways to force quit apps on your Samsung TV.
- 9 easy steps to stop apps from actively running on your device.
- 3 instant fixes you can try if you can’t force quit the apps on your TV.
- And this is just the beginning…
How to force quit apps on Samsung TV – 9 steps
There are 3 ways to force quit apps on Samsung TVs.
And although not all are guaranteed to work for each model…
At least 1 of them will work for your Samsung TV.
That said, I highly recommend trying out every method.
After all, each of them won’t take you longer than 3 minutes to do.
However, before you do so, follow this…
Preparation to ensure that your TV remote works:
- Turn ON your TV.
- Point your remote to the screen.
- Try pressing the volume buttons and the back button of your controller.
- Ensure that your TV detects the input from your remote.
Now, if your TV doesn’t respond to its controller…
You should try to fix your Samsung remote first.
That’s because it’s crucial for all the methods I’m going to teach.
But if your TV responds to the buttons you press, simply continue with the steps ahead.
Now, if you’re thinking…
“Can I use any type of Samsung remote to force quit apps on my TV”
Yes, you can.
That said, let’s start with…
Method 1: Holding the power button on your remote
#1: Go to any page on your TV
Turn your TV ON, if it isn’t already.
And head to any page on the device, like its home screen.
See, for this process, you don’t need to be on the app you want to force quit.
That’s because this method will close all the active tasks on your device. Regardless if it’s open or not.
#2: Point your remote to the TV
Most Samsung remotes emit IR (Infrared) signals. Which are then received by the IR sensors on your TV.
And since IR connections only work if the signals directly face the sensors…
You should point your remote to the TV.
Because otherwise, your device may not recognize the keys you press on its controller.
#3: Hold the power button of your remote for 5 seconds
“Won’t this just turn OFF my TV?”
You’re right, but not entirely.
See, tapping the power button on your remote will simply turn OFF your TV. But it’ll still leave all the apps on your device active.
But by pressing the power button for 5 seconds…
You’ll turn your TV OFF and also force quit all of its apps.
#4: Turn ON the TV again
After doing so…
You’ll notice that there are no active tasks on your TV anymore.
And any app you open will launch fresh or on its home screen.
Method 2: Pressing the return/exit button
#1: Head to the app you want to close
With your TV ON, go to the application you want to force quit.
“Do I have to be on the app’s home screen?”
Not necessarily.
So it’s alright to use this method even if you’re currently on a designated page of an app.
Or if you’re watching a show on a streaming platform, for example.
#2: Press and hold the Return/Exit key on your remote
Note: You might also know this as the Back button.
This is usually located at the middle-left side of your controller.
And for some remote models, this will look like an arrow pointing to the left.
That said, once you locate this key, press and hold it until the app on your screen closes.
And just like that, you’ve now forced quit an app on your TV.
Method 3: Manually exiting the app
#1: Go to the home page of the app you want to exit
This will make it a lot easier to do the following steps.
So head to the home page of your app. And then…
#2: Press the Back button on your remote
Do you see a prompt to exit the app?
If you do, then simply select Yes so you can force quit the application.
If you don’t, continue pressing the Back key until you see a message appear on your screen.
And when it asks something along the lines of “Do you want to exit?”
Just select Yes.
Note: If you started from the app’s home page, you’d only have to press the Back button once.
#3: You’ll see the Smart Hub of your TV
If you’re now on the Smart Hub page of your Samsung TV…
Then you’ve successfully forced quit the app.
However, if you’re still in the application you want to quit after selecting Yes…
Then you should read on to the next section. Because your device is most likely glitching.
You might also want to know: 7 Easy Ways To Restart Apps On Samsung TV
Why can I not close apps on my Samsung TV?
You can’t close apps on your Samsung TV because your device is glitching. Or your TV is overwhelmed with its tasks.
See, when either of these happens…
Your TV can’t successfully do the actions you make it do.
However, worry not. There are easy ways to let your device rest so it can function properly again.
Fun fact: All of these solutions will also force quit the apps on your TV.
That said, here are…
3 easy fixes to make your TV force quit its apps
#1: Power cycle your TV
Let’s start with the easiest process.
And that’s to power cycle your device.
“What’s that?”
It’s the process of unplugging your TV from the outlet. And plugging it back again.
Simply, right?
However, this fix is efficient in stopping your TV from glitching.
That’s because a power cycle resets the main board of your device. And that lets your TV rest its whole system.
Moreover, as mentioned, this fix will also force quit the apps on your TV.
So you won’t need to try any of the 3 methods I mentioned again. Just to close the active apps on your device.
That said, simply follow these…
Steps to power cycle your TV:
- Turn your TV ON.
- Unplug your Samsung TV from the outlet.
- Wait for 30 seconds.
- Plug it back again.
Note: Your TV should be ON before you unplug it. So that the device can discharge all the power from its system.
#2: Update your TV
Updates are crucial in making your TV work efficiently with its apps.
That’s because if your device is out of date…
Its applications will be prone to freezing. And may also stop working.
That said, you need to…
Update your Samsung TV to make its apps work properly:
- Turn your TV ON.
- Press Home on your Samsung remote.
- Hover your selection to the left.
- Select Settings.
- Scroll down and click Support.
- Tap Software Update.
- Select Update Now.
Note: Ensure that your TV is connected to the Internet before you start the update process. And don’t turn your device OFF while it’s updating.
Want to know other methods to update your Samsung TV’s firmware? Watch this video:
#3: Reinstall the app that won’t force quit
If you can force quit some apps but can’t do it to others…
Then try reinstalling the applications that you can’t force to close.
That’s because their data on your TV may be glitching.
Or there could be a bug in the version of the app you’re using.
Moreover, reinstalling an app also updates it to its latest version.
And also force it to quit from your TV system.
So really, this method will benefit your device in many ways.
But before you start…
Important: Ensure you know your app’s login information before deleting it. That’s because this process will also sign you out of your app. So you’ll need your credentials to sign in once more later.
Now, there are 2 parts to this process:
- Deleting.
- Reinstalling.
But rest assured, they’re both easy to do.
That said, follow these steps to…
Delete an app from your Samsung TV:
- Press the Home button on your remote.
- Head to the Apps page of your device.
- Tap Settings in the upper-right corner.
- Select the tile of the app you want to delete.
- Press Delete.
Note: If you can’t select Delete, click Reinstall instead.
Now, remain on the page so you can easily…
Reinstall the app:
- Tap the Back button on your remote.
- Click the Search icon at the upper-right corner of the page.
- Type in the name of the app you deleted.
- Select the application’s tile.
- From the pop-up window, select Install.
- Wait for the process to finish.
After reinstalling the app, open it and log in using your credentials.