7 Steps To Make Your Samsung TV Discoverable (Updated 2023)

TVs used to be standalone devices.

But now, they can integrate well with other gadgets like your phone.

However, to connect your Samsung TV to various devices…

You first need to make it discoverable.

Continue reading to find out:

7 quick steps to make your Samsung TV discoverable.
5 easy fixes you can try if you can’t get this setup to work.
The most common reasons your Samsung TV isn’t discoverable.
And this is just the beginning…

How to make Samsung TV discoverable? 7 steps

#1: Connect your TV to your WiFi

If you haven’t done this yet, just follow these steps:

Press Home on your Samsung TV remote.
Launch your TV’s Settings by clicking the gear icon on your screen.
Scroll down to General or the wrench icon.
Hover over to the right side of the screen.
Select Network.
Tap Open Network Settings.
Choose Wireless.
Click your home network from the list.
Enter your WiFi password.

After doing this…

#2: Ensure that you’re using a Samsung account on your TV

Note: It’s not necessary to sign in when using your TV for the first time. However, you need to use your Samsung account to make your big screen discoverable.

That said, here are the steps to…

Set up your Samsung account on your TV:

Press Home on your remote.
Go to your TV’s Settings by tapping the gear icon.
Hover over the wrench symbol to access General.
Click the Right Arrow on your remote.
Select System Manager.
Choose Samsung Account.
Create a new account or sign in.
Follow further instructions.

If you want a visual guide for this process, watch this video:

#3: Connect your phone to the same WiFi

This setup requires you to connect your TV and mobile device to the same network.

So now, ensure that your phone uses the same WiFi mentioned in step #1.

And then…

#4: Download the SmartThings app on your mobile device

This application isn’t necessary to connect your phone and TV.

But trust me. It’ll make this process a lot easier.

Why?

Because if you simply use Bluetooth…

Your phone will also detect many devices other than your Samsung TV.

But if you use SmartThings…

Your phone only detects the devices linked with your Samsung account.

And this makes the discovery process much shorter and hassle-free.

That said, just follow the steps below to…

Download the SmartThings app on your phone:

iOS:

Turn ON your mobile device.
Head to its App Store.
Click the Search button at the bottom-right corner.
Tap the search bar on your screen.
Type “SmartThings.”
Choose the official app from the results.
Click the GET button.
Input your password if needed and follow further instructions.

Alternatively, you may also download the app by clicking here.

Android:

Launch your phone’s Google Play Store.
Type “SmartThings” in the search bar.
Choose the official app.
Select Install.
Input your credentials.
Wait for the app to be downloaded.

Note: Exact steps may vary depending on the brand/model of your Android device.

You may also click here to access the app’s download page directly.

You might also want to know: SmartThings App Not Working: 10 Causes & Quick Fixes

#5: Turn ON your phone’s Bluetooth

The exact steps will vary depending on your mobile device’s brand.

But for most models…

You can turn ON Bluetooth by accessing your phone’s quick menu.

Launch The SmartThings To Make Samsung TV Discoverable

#6: Launch the SmartThings app

Simply tap the application’s icon on your screen.

Then, sign in to the app using the Samsung account you used in step 2.

After doing so, follow further setup instructions on your phone.

And once you’re on the app’s home screen…

#7: Let your phone discover your Samsung TV

Tap Favorites, or the star icon, at the bottom-left corner of your app.

Then, tap the Choose favorites selection in the middle of your screen.

Alternatively, you may also follow these steps:

Tap the + icon at the top-right corner of your app.
Choose the Add device option that shows up.
Tap Scan Nearby.

And at this point…

You should be able to discover your Samsung TV on your mobile device.

Samsung TV not discoverable: 5 causes & fixes

#1: Incompatible TV model

If your phone can’t discover your Samsung device despite following the steps above…

Then, you might be using an incompatible TV model.

See, only Samsung TVs made in 2016 and later are compatible with SmartThings.

So, if your device was made earlier than that…

Then, your TV won’t show up in your SmartThings app or other Casting applications.

“How do I know when my TV was made?”

You can find this information in your device’s user manual.

But if you don’t want to flip through pages, just follow these steps:

Find your TV’s serial number on the sticker on its back.

Note: It’s the code you see after S/N.

Call Samsung support at 1-800-726-7864.
Give them your TV’s serial number.
Ask when your device was created or if your TV is compatible with SmartThings.

Interesting fact: You can determine your TV’s release date based on its serial number. However, decoding this can take you almost half an hour to learn. So, if you want to save time, I don’t recommend trying out this process.

Recommended reading: How Long Do Samsung TVs Last? 7 Surprising Facts

#2: Your devices are glitching

This problem also happens when your devices are too overwhelmed with tasks.

So for this fix, you should restart your Samsung TV and phone.

Now, the exact steps to stop a mobile device from glitching will vary.

But to give you some examples, check out how to…

Restart Samsung and iOS phones:

Samsung:

Locate the Volume Down and Power keys on your mobile device.
Press and hold both buttons simultaneously.
Let go after 7 seconds.

iPhones (models X and later):

Long-press the Volume down and Side (power) buttons on your phone.
Let go when the power slider appears on your screen.
Drag the slider to the right.
Wait for 30 seconds so your phone can turn OFF completely.
Press and hold the Side button again.
Let go when the Apple logo shows up.

Note: If these steps don’t apply to your phone, check your gadget’s user manual.

After restarting your mobile device, you should go ahead and…

Cold boot your Samsung TV:

With a remote:

Turn your TV ON.
Press and hold the power button on your remote.
Don’t let go until the TV turns OFF and ON again.

Without a remote:

Ensure that your TV is ON.
Unplug its power cord from the outlet.
Wait for 30 seconds.
Plug your device into its power source again.
Turn your TV ON.

And now that you’ve restarted both devices, check if your TV is discoverable.

#3: Outdated firmware

Updates are crucial for your phone and TV’s performance.

Because these ensure that your devices:

Run apps and commands faster.
Are compatible with their features.
Have protection against the latest bugs and glitches.

So, focus on updating your TV and phone for this fix.

“But don’t devices update automatically?”

Most of the time, they do.

But not always.

For example, if you have a slow Internet connection…

Your Samsung TV won’t be able to update even if you’re not using it.

And likewise…

Your phone stops automatically updating if you turn this feature OFF.

That said, you should…

Update your Samsung TV manually:

Press the Home key on your remote.
Click the gear icon to launch Settings.
Select Support from the options.
Tap Software Update.
Choose Update Now.

And while your TV is updating…

You should also update your mobile device.

Now, phones from different brands also require varying steps for this process.

But to give you a general guide, here are the steps to…

Manually update your Samsung phone:

Fully charge your mobile device.
Open your phone’s Settings app.
Scroll down and select Sofware update.
Click Download and Install.
If a new software version is available, choose the Install now option.

After updating both your devices…

Try discovering your Samsung TV with your phone again.

#4: Different WiFi networks

Your mobile device can only discover your Samsung TV if they use the same WiFi.

So, if you’re still experiencing trouble at this point…

Your devices are likely using different networks.

Luckily though, fixing this problem only takes minutes.

Just check the name of the WiFi you’ve connected your mobile device to.

Then, follow these steps to…

Ensure that your Samsung TV is using your home network:

Click the home button on your Samsung remote.
Head to your TV’s Settings.
Hover over General.
On the right side of your screen, choose Network.
Select Open Network Settings.

Now, check the name of your TV’s WiFi.

And if it doesn’t match your phone’s network…

Disconnect your TV from the Internet.

Then, follow the first step of the How to make Samsung TV discoverable section above.

#5: Mismatched Samsung accounts

Your SmartThings app won’t be able to discover your TV if they’re using different login credentials.

So, this time, double-check the Samsung accounts of your devices.

To start, follow these steps to…

Check which Samsung account your TV is using:

Head to your TV’s Settings.
Scroll down to General.
Select the System Manager option.
Click Samsung Account.

On this window, you’ll see your account information.

So, keep the email on your TV in mind as you…

Ensure that your SmartThings app is using the same Samsung account:

Samsung mobile devices:

Tap Menu at the bottom-right corner.
Select the Settings icon at the top-right of your screen.
Select Samsung Account.

Non-Samsung mobile devices:

Open your SmartThings app.
Click More Options from the Dashboard tab.
Tap Settings.
Select Samsung account.

After following these steps, check if the account on your app matches that on your TV.

And if they don’t…

Log out of SmartThings by tapping the Sign Out button on your non-Samsung phone. Or by clicking More Options > Remove account on your Samsung mobile device.

Then, re-login to the app using the account on your TV.