You found a new app and you would like to try it on your Samsung TV.
You already know the drill… Turn on the tv… Go to the Smart Hub…. Search for the app, and install it.
The only thing: it’s not installing.
Instead, you stare at the screen and see:
“Error:
Unable to install. Please try again later. (118)”
Does this seem familiar?
If so, continue reading to find out:
- 9 easy ways to fix it.
- The reason why you get error 118.
- Whether using a mobile hotspot with your TV can help you not get this error.
- And lots more…
Why does my Samsung TV display error 118?
You’ll see Error 118 on your screen because the Smart Hub can’t make a connection with the Samsung Server. This means the TV can’t download and install the app. Most likely it has something to do with your internet connection. But it can also be due to outdated firmware or a storage issue.
Samsung TV error 118: 9 ways to fix it
#1: Restart or cold boot the TV
Let’s start real easy and restart the TV by turning it off and then back on.
Still no good?
Let’s try a cold boot. It goes like this:
- Turn on the TV.
- Hold the power button from your Samsung remote until the TV turns off and on again.
If you don’t have a Samsung remote, then there is another way:
- Turn the TV on.
- Unplug the power.
- Wait 30 sec.
- Put the power back.
After the screen is back on, it should be fine.
#2: Restart the router
Before you restart the WiFi…
Step 1: Check if you have a stable WiFi connection.
To do that, open different apps on the TV.
If you see the apps loading slowly, it could be that the connection is weak.
Note: also open apps on your smartphone to double-check the wifi connection.
An easy way to measure your internet speed is via Speedtest.
It shows you if you have a stable and steady internet connection.
Weak connection confirmed?
Then…
Step 2: Try to move the TV closer to the WiFi and see if it gets better.
Another fix that could help is to simply…
Step 3: Reset the WiFI router to create a fresh new connection.
Unplug the power for 30 seconds from the router.
Plug it back in and check again.
Additionally, you can also reset the network from the TV.
Take these steps:
- Press the Home button
from the Samsung remote.
- Then select Settings
.
- Select Network.
- Choose Reset Network.
Done.
After that, you have to reconnect your TV with the Wifi again.
Still no luck?
Then…
Step 4: Check if there is a WiFi connection at all.
Again, double-check with your smartphone.
Let’s say you have internet but the Wifi connection is no good, then use an ethernet cable.
This will create a direct connection with the router.
Check if your TV has an internet access port and connect the TV with the router via the ethernet cable.
This could do the trick.
#3: Disconnect other devices from your WiFi
Another way to deal with error 118 is to disconnect all the devices that are using the same WiFi and try it then again.
“Why? I never had an issue with other devices. This doesn’t make much sense.”
Let me explain.
If there are a lot of devices using the same WiFi, the network can be overcrowded.
The WiFi will then give priority to other devices instead of your TV.
To determine if this is the case try these steps:
- Disconnect all the devices which are using the WiFi.
- Reset the WiFi by unplugging it from the power socket for 30 seconds
- Plug it back in.
- Turn the TV on and try again to install the app
See if you notice a difference
If so, remove some unnecessary devices that can cause this overcrowding situation on the WiFi.
If it’s a real bugger, then you can buy a better WiFi router or upgrade your internet plan.
#4: Mobile Hotspot
This step will let you bypass your WiFi router.
So, if you have no internet connection at all then try it via a mobile hotspot from your phone.
By activating a mobile hotspot on your phone you actually create an extra internet access point.
Keep in mind your mobile data bundle to avoid extra costs when using more data than usual.
Here are the steps to create a mobile hotspot for Android:
- Go to Settings.
- Select Portable Hotspot.
Now, you can set up your hotspot.
Note: write down the password from your mobile hotspot to use it later for the TV.
And here’s how to do it on an iPhone by Apple:
- Go to Settings.
- Select Personal Hotspot.
Enable ‘Allow others to join’ and that’s it.
When the hotspot is active, place it close to the smart TV and connect your smart TV with the hotspot.
It’s the same as when you connect your Wifi with the smart TV.
Just this time you select your phone as the network.
#5: Reset the Smart Hub
If you still have no luck you can try to reset the Smart Hub.
Note: Before you’ll do this, keep in mind that after the reset the Smart Hub will be back to the factory settings.
This means it will delete all the installed apps and you’ll need to log in again on your accounts.
So, here are the steps:
- Press the Home button from the Samsung remote.
- Then select Settings.
- Go to Support.
- Select Self Diagnosis.
- Select Device Care.
- Choose Self Diagnosis.
- Select Reset Smart Hub.
- Type in the PIN from the TV.
The default pin is 0000…
And you’re done!
#6: Update software on your Samsung Smart TV
Keeping your TV up to date can’t do you wrong.
In these updates, they programmed a lot of fixes for bugs which makes your TV run a lot smoother.
‘I’m not really sure if I updated my TV in the last couple of years.’
No worries, here’s where we’re gonna explain how to quickly check updates on your TV. And if necessary install the latest updates.
Here are the steps to update the TV via WiFi:
- Press the Home button from the Samsung remote.
- Then select Settings.
- Go to Support.
- Select Software Update.
- Then choose Update Now.
If there is an update, then let the TV do its thing and finish it till the end.
Please do not turn off the TV during the update.
The TV will reset itself when the update is installed.
If you want to learn more on how to update your Samsung TV, check out this video:
#7: Check compatibility of the TV
Via the Samsung App Store, you can check if your TV is compatible with the app.
When you find the right app, go to compatible devices.
It’s in the upper right corner of the website.
If you click on it, you will find the list of all the compatible TVs.
Check it out and see if your TV is within the list.
#8: Uninstall unused apps
It’s possible that you can’t install the app because your storage space is full.
Then it’s time to free up some space by deleting some unused or unnecessary apps.
These are the steps you can take to remove an app from your Samsung TV:
- Press the Home button.
- Go to the App section.
- Go to Settings.
- Choose an app you want to Delete.
- Select Delete.
Note: if Delete is grayed out, it means that that app was installed by default.
These apps you can’t remove.
#9: Factory settings TV
This is the last resort.
Resetting your TV to factory settings will let you start with a clean sheet.
Warning: keep in mind that with a factory reset all your user data will be erased.
So, only use this as a last resort.
Here are the steps to do a factory reset:
- Go to Settings.
- Select General.
- Select Reset.
- Put in your PIN.
- Select OK.
The PIN by default is 0000.