How to Add an App on a Samsung Smart TV
Samsung Smart TVs run Tizen OS, a proprietary platform that manages everything from picture settings to the apps you install. Adding apps is straightforward once you know where to look — but a few variables, including your TV's model year and firmware version, can affect exactly what you see on screen.
Where Samsung Smart TV Apps Come From
All Samsung Smart TVs use the Samsung Smart Hub as their central interface, and apps are downloaded through the built-in Samsung App Store (also called the Apps section of Smart Hub). This is not the Google Play Store or Apple's App Store — it's Samsung's own curated catalog, which includes streaming services, games, fitness apps, browsers, and more.
Apps are stored directly on the TV's internal memory, not on an external device. Most Samsung TVs come with a fixed amount of internal storage, typically ranging from a few gigabytes to around 8GB depending on the model, with a portion already used by the OS and pre-installed apps. This matters if you plan to install many apps.
Step-by-Step: How to Add an App on a Samsung Smart TV 📺
Using the remote:
- Press the Home button on your Samsung remote (the house icon).
- Navigate to the Apps section in the Smart Hub menu.
- Use the directional pad to browse or search for the app you want.
- Select the app and press Install (or Download).
- Wait for the installation to complete — most apps install within seconds on a stable connection.
- The app will appear in your app list or you can pin it to the Home screen for quick access.
To search for a specific app, select the magnifying glass icon within the Apps section and type the app name using the on-screen keyboard or, on newer remotes, speak it using the built-in microphone.
What Affects Whether an App Is Available
Not every app is available on every Samsung Smart TV, and this is where the experience varies noticeably between users.
Model year matters significantly. Samsung generally supports Smart Hub app updates on TVs within a certain window — older models (roughly 2017 and earlier) may have limited or discontinued access to the App Store, or may find that popular apps no longer support their Tizen version. If your TV is from 2019 or newer, you're likely in a comfortable support window.
Tizen OS version determines which app versions are compatible. Developers build apps against specific Tizen API levels. A 2016 TV running an older Tizen version may not be able to run the latest version of a streaming app even if it was once available, because the app's minimum system requirements have moved on.
Regional availability also plays a role. The Samsung App Store is region-locked, meaning apps available in one country may not appear in another. Your TV's region setting (configured during initial setup) determines your catalog.
Pre-Installed vs. Downloaded Apps
Samsung TVs typically come with a set of pre-installed apps — Netflix, YouTube, Prime Video, Disney+, and others depending on your region and model. These can usually be removed from the Home screen but may not be fully uninstallable in the traditional sense; they're baked into the firmware.
Downloaded apps behave differently. You can install and uninstall them freely, and reinstalling is as simple as going back to the App Store. If you're running low on storage, uninstalling apps you rarely use is the cleanest fix.
Managing Apps After Installation
| Action | How To Do It |
|---|---|
| Move an app on Home screen | Long-press the app icon, select Move |
| Uninstall an app | Long-press the app icon, select Delete |
| Update apps | Go to Apps → Settings (gear icon) → Auto Update or manual update |
| Reinstall a removed app | Go back to Apps section and download again |
Enabling Auto Update in the App Store settings keeps your apps current without manual intervention, which is generally worth doing for security patches and feature compatibility.
When an App Isn't in the Samsung App Store 🔍
If an app you want doesn't appear in the Samsung App Store, your options depend on your TV's capabilities:
- Samsung does not natively support sideloading (installing apps from outside the official store) the way Android TV or Fire TV devices do. Tizen is a more closed ecosystem.
- Some users install apps via developer mode, but this is a technical process not designed for general use and carries compatibility risks.
- For apps completely absent from the ecosystem, the more reliable path is connecting an external streaming device — a Roku stick, Fire TV Stick, Apple TV, or Chromecast — to an HDMI port. This sidesteps the TV's built-in platform entirely.
The Part That Depends on Your Setup
Whether the process is plug-and-play or requires workarounds comes down to a combination of your TV's age, its current Tizen firmware, your region, and which specific apps you're trying to install. A 2023 Samsung QLED and a 2016 Samsung LED both technically have Smart Hub — but the actual app availability, store interface, and compatibility with modern apps can look quite different in practice. Your situation sits somewhere on that spectrum, and the only way to know exactly where is to open the App Store on your specific TV and see what's there.