Can’t install new apps on your Samsung TV?
Or won’t some of your favorite apps load due to “ERROR_CODE_012”?
I know, it’s frustrating…
Lucky for you, resolving this error is a no-brainer.
I mean, you won’t even need to leave your couch for the most part.
Ready to dig in?
Continue reading to know:
- What is Samsung TV Error 012, and what causes it.
- 11 easy-to-follow steps to fix Samsung TV Error 012.
- How to change the Smart Hub region to download new apps.
- Effective way to refresh the TV server and fix WiFi connectivity errors.
- And that’s only the beginning…
Why does my Samsung TV display error 012?
Your Samsung TV displays Error 012 due to an internet interference error. It means that it can’t connect to the Smart Hub server, causing the apps to not run, install, or update. Poor WiFi connection, faulty app server, outdated TV software, and Smart Hub glitches can cause this error to occur.
Samsung TV error 012: 11 steps to fix it
#1: Check the WiFi network status
Samsung TV Error 012 indicates an internet interference error.
That said, the first thing you should do is check your WiFi network’s status.
Does your WiFi have a signal?
Is your WiFi connection fast and stable enough to run your Samsung TV?
By fast and stable, I mean at least 50 Mbps internet speed…
There are 2 best ways to check the speed and stability of your WiFi:
- By doing an internet speed test.
- By connecting other devices to it.
To check your WiFi internet speed on your Samsung TV:
Tip: For more accuracy, connect your Samsung TV to your WiIF router using an Ethernet cable.
- Press the Smart Hub button on the TV remote.
- Select the “Web Browser” on the screen.
- Visit the https://www.speedtest.net/ website.
- Click “Go.”
If the report says that your WiFi is “fast,” proceed to step #2.
If it says “slow,” contact your ISP for troubleshooting support.
To check your WiFi internet speed using other devices:
- Get any type of device (e.g., smartphone, laptop, or PC).
- Connect the device to the same WiFi network.
- Try launching any app on the device.
If the app works, the issue is with your Samsung TV.
If it doesn’t, your internet is unstable. And you should fix it to run and speed up your Samsung TV.
#2: Connect to a different WiFi network
If fixing your WiFi network isn’t possible yet, try connecting to a different WiFi network.
Suppose you’re using a dual-band WiFi router.
Connect to the other band network, whether it’s 2.4GHz or 5GHz. Just make sure that your Samsung TV supports any of those two.
Note: Earlier Samsung TVs models don’t support 5GHz band networks. Here are some of them:
- Samsung TV EH5300.
- Samsung TV UNC9000.
- Samsung TV PN60E530.
- Samsung TV UN55B7000.
- Samsung TV UN55D6300.
WiFi hotspots on smartphones work as well. So, you may also try connecting with it.
“But how do I change the network on my Samsung TV?”
To change the WiFi network on a Samsung TV:
- Using a remote, go to settings.
- Click General>Network>Open Network Settings.
- Select your current WiFi network.
- Press “Disconnect.”
- On the same page, select your other WiFi network.
- Enter your WiFi password.
- Press “OK” or “Connect.”
Still can’t update your apps? Continue to step #3.
#3: Unplug the TV and WiFi router
Sometimes your Samsung TV can’t connect with your WiFi due to electronic glitches. Which causes connectivity issues between your smart TV and WiFi router.
But don’t worry…
Electronic glitches are only minor errors. Which you can quickly resolve by restarting your devices.
And the best way to do that is to soft reset your devices.
A soft reset refreshes your devices’ system by forcibly shutting them down.
Typically, a soft reset requires that you leave the devices unplugged for just a few seconds.
But for this specific Samsung TV error, you have to leave the devices unplugged for at least 10 minutes.
Here’s how to do it:
- Ensure that the TV and router are turned ON.
- Unplug the TV and router from the power socket.
- Leave them unplugged for 10 minutes.
- Replug and turn on the devices.
After that, just wait for your Samsung TV to automatically reconnect to WiFi.
#4: Check if the app is working
“I’ve soft reset my devices already. But I still can’t launch the apps on my Samsung TV.”
Do the other apps on your Samsung TV work?
If yes, then the app you’re trying to open must be faulty.
Bear in mind that apps have their own separate servers. Meaning they can get into some errors as well.
So, if you can’t access just 1 app on your Samsung TV…
Make sure to check whether the app is actually working.
To do that:
- Grab any gadget you have.
- Open the same app on that device.
If it works, your Samsung TV is at fault.
If it doesn’t, visit the app’s manufacturer website for any maintenance notice or the likes.
#5: Reinstall the app
Before you troubleshoot your Samsung TV, try to reinstall the app first.
Sometimes an app can have glitches due to having a lot of stored data.
“Where does all that data come from?”
Suppose you’re using Netflix.
Netflix will store as much data as possible, and that includes:
- Custom settings.
- Account information.
- Caches and cookies.
- Downloaded movies.
- Previous software files.
- Program and server files.
That may look like nothing to a non-techie person. But these things can fill up a storage memory. And eventually, cause the app to lag and freeze due to glitches.
To resolve that, delete unnecessary app data.
And the quickest way you can do that is to reinstall the app.
Note: Reinstalling an app will delete custom settings and other data. So, make sure to backup your data by connecting it to your Samsung account.
Here’s how to reinstall an app on a Samsung TV:
- Press the Smart Hub on your TV remote.
- Go to the “Apps” section.
- Select the app you want to reinstall.
- Press and hold the “tools” icon next to it.
- Wait for a menu to display.
- Click “Reinstall.”
If that didn’t work, proceed to step #6.
You might also like: How to install 3rd party apps on Samsung TV?
#6: Update the TV software
The next troubleshooting step is to update your Samsung TV software.
How does it help?
Developers update devices’ software to improve performance and renew programs.
When that happens, older programs installed on the device will fail to work. Causing some functions of the device to not work at all.
And that’s why your Samsung TV sometimes fails to connect to WiFi.
So, to resolve and prevent the error, update your Samsung TV software regularly.
There are 2 ways you can do that:
- Via USB.
- Via internet.
If you want a quick and easy process, follow way #1, which is via the internet.
Here’s how to do it:
- Using a remote, go to settings.
- Select Support>Software Update>Update Now.
Note: Depending on your TV model, it may ask you to enter your PIN. If you haven’t changed the PIN yet, the default is 0000.
On the other hand, here’s how to update a Samsung TV via USB:
- Visit the Samsung Download Center.
- Select your product type or enter your TV model.
- Download the latest upgrade file.
- Unzip the file and copy the upgrade file.
- Save it to a USB flash drive.
- Plug the USB into the back of the TV.
- Go to Settings>Support>Software Update.
- Click “Update Now.”
After this, check whether the apps on the TV are working already.
Make sure to visit the Samsung App Store as well. And see if you can install and update apps again.
If not, continue with the other troubleshooting steps below.
#7: Change the Smart Hub region
Location can sometimes affect the availability of apps on your Samsung TV.
The app developers may have removed your region from their services. Or your Samsung TV server has some errors.
Either of which, changing the region on your Samsung TV Smart Hub may help resolve the problem.
Warning: The process for this can be tricky. So, make sure to follow the instructions correctly and carefully. As any mistake can cause more errors on your device.
To change the region on your Smart Hub:
- Press the SOURCE button on the remote.
- Select “TV.”
- Exit the page.
- Press the MENU button on the remote.
- Select “System sub-menu.”
- Locate and click “Set Up.”
- Continue the setup until you reach the “Terms & Conditions, Privacy Policy” page.
- Press the following buttons in a direct sequence:
FORWARD-2-8-9-REWIND, or
MUTE-VOLUME UP-CHANNEL UP-MUTE. - Select any country you like.
After this, visit the Samsung App Store on your TV to install or update apps.
Once done, don’t forget to change the region back to your original country.
Note: This entire process may take up to 30 minutes.
Need visual instruction on how to do it? Watch this how-to video:
Reading tip: Samsung TV Volume Not Working (On Remote): 13 Fixes
#8: Change the TV’s DNS server
You may try changing the TV’s DNS server as well.
In simple terms, DNS servers are computer servers that help lead users to the correct sites.
By changing the DNS server of your Samsung TV, you help improve your device’s response rate. Meaning you can launch, install, and update apps faster.
Warning: There are a lot of public DNS servers available online. But not all of them are safe to use.
So, only use those that are trusted and tested by the public.
Here are 7 of the most trusted ones:
- Google: 8.8.8.8 or 8.8.4.4
- Cloudflare: 1.1.1.1 or 1.0.0.1
- Quad9: 9.9.9.9 or 149.122.122.122
- AdGuard DNS: 94.140.14.14 or 94.140.15.15
- Alternate DNS: 76.76.19.19 or 76.223.122.150
- CleanBrowsing: 185.228.168.9 or 185.228.169.9
- OpenDNS Home: 208.67.222.222 or 208.67.220.220
To change the DNS server on a Samsung TV:
- Press the MENU button on the TV remote.
- Click Network>Network Status>IP Setting>DNS Setting.
- Select “Enter Manually.”
- Enter your desired DNS server address.
- Tap “OK.”
#9: Reset the Smart Hub
For the next step, you have to reset the Smart Hub.
It’s Samsung’s intelligent menu system. This means it carries most, if not all, data on your smart TV.
Too much data can cause the device to lag and slow down. It can also prevent it from connecting with other devices, such as your WiFI router.
As a result, you’ll get “ERROR_CODE_012” when running, installing, or updating apps on your smart TV.
To resolve that, you have to free up the storage memory of your Samsung TV Smart Hub. And you can easily and quickly do that by resetting it.
Note: Resetting the Smart Hub deletes downloaded apps. So, you must download and log into the apps again after the reset process.
To reset the Smart Hub:
- Using a remote, go to settings.
- Select Support>Self Diagnosis>Reset Smart Hub.
Additional note: It may ask you to enter your PIN. If you haven’t changed it before, enter the 0000 default PIN.
#10: Factory reset the TV
As your last resort, factory reset your Samsung TV.
Warning: A factory reset deletes all data. So, only do this if you’re okay with losing your custom settings and downloaded apps.
WiFi connectivity errors can also be due to electronic glitches and software bugs.
While you can easily remove minor glitches by soft resetting the device, some errors can only be resolved by completely wiping all data.
So, if you’ve tried everything already, do this last troubleshooting step.
To factory reset a Samsung TV:
- Using a remote, go to settings.
- Select General>Reset.
- Enter your PIN (0000 is the default PIN).
- Tap “Reset.”
If that doesn’t work, try this alternative method:
- Using a remote, go to settings.
- Select Support>Self Diagnosis>Reset.
#11: Contact support
Have you factory reset your Samsung TV already? But it didn’t improve anything?
Or you can’t factory reset your TV at all?
Then, contact Samsung support.
By contacting Samsung support, you can expect that they’ll either:
- Scheduled a repair service.
- Provide more troubleshooting methods.
- Offer a product replacement or discount.
Just provide necessary information like your Samsung TV model and serial number. So, they can access your TV and fix the error more quickly.
Check out: 9 Ways To Fix “Samsung TV Error 118” (Apps Not Downloading)