How To Get Back to Regular TV From Smart TV?

Netflix is great, but sometimes you just want to watch the evening news and “regular TV” programs. But, you can’t figure out how to watch good old-fashioned TV on your new fancy smart TV. 

Is there a way to watch cable or satellite programs without downloading a live TV app? Yes!

In this article, we’ll go over how to switch from your smart TV’s interface to regular TV on five different TV brands: Samsung, Sony, LG, TCL, and Hisense.

In order for these steps to work, your TV must be properly hooked up to an antenna. If you can’t find any channels on regular TV, perform a channel scan and double-check that your TV is connected to a satellite/cable. 

If you want to watch regular TV on your smart TV but don’t have an antenna, you can download a local channel app. This will allow you to watch live news and programs from all over the country with just an internet connection. 

To learn more about how to watch regular TV on a smart TV without an antenna, check out our article 15 Free Local Channel Apps for Your Smart TV. 

Keep reading to learn how to get back to regular TV on a smart TV! 

Samsung TVs

Let’s learn two different ways of switching to regular TV on a Samsung smart TV. 

Method 1

Step 1: Press your remote’s Home button.

Step 2: Find the Live TV app on your Home screen and launch it. This will allow you to watch regular TV from an app with your smart TV’s interface. 

Method 2

Step 1: Click your remote’s Home button to navigate to the Home screen.

Step 2: On the left-hand side of the screen, select the Source option. This will allow you to change your TV’s input.

Don’t worry. You can always change it back to your smart TV interface later.

Step 3: Under Source, click on TV or Samsung TV Plus. This will allow you to watch regular TV and browse the channels normally. 

Watch the video demonstrating how to switch to regular TV on a Samsung smart TV following the steps above. 

Sony TVs

There are a few ways you can watch regular TV on a Sony smart TV. 

Method 1

Sony smart TV remotes have a TV button. Pressing this will allow you to watch regular TV. 

Method 2 

Step 1: Navigate to the Home screen by clicking your remote’s Home button. 

Step 2: Find the TV app and highlight it using your remote. Then, press Enter to open it. 

If the TV App is not Visible

Follow the steps below if you can’t find the TV app on your Sony TV.

Step 1: Go to your TV’s Home screen. 

Step 2: Using your remote’s D-pad (i.e. its arrow buttons), head to the top of the Home screen. 

Step 3: Navigate to the left where you will find and select the Settings option. 

Step 4: In the Settings menu, go to Watching TV. Then, open Channels and Cable/Antenna. 

Step 5: Once you’ve opened the Cable/Antenna menu, click on Signal Type and set it to Antenna. This will allow your TV to pick up your antenna’s signal. Afterward, select Auto Program.

Step 6: When you see a message on-screen asking you to Run Auto Program, click Yes. Do not attempt to use your TV or turn it off until the program is complete. 

Step 7: Once the auto program is complete, select OK. Click the Home button on the remote to go back to the Home screen. You should now see a TV app on your home screen, which you can use to watch regular TV. 

This process can be a tad confusing, especially if your TV doesn’t already have the TV app installed on it. Luckily, the video below clearly explains the whole process from start to finish. 

LG TVs

Let’s learn how to get back to regular TV on an LG smart TV.

Method 1

Your remote should have a TV or Live TV button. Press it to watch regular TV. 

Method 2

Step 1: Click your remote’s Home button to go to the Home screen. 

Step 2: Head to the Live TV app and open it by clicking your remote’s OK button. This app comes pre-installed on LG TVs, so you should find it in the apps list at the bottom of your screen. 

Watch the video below to see how to switch to regular TV on an LG TV, and scan for channels. 

TCL TVs

Let’s go over how to watch regular TV on a TCL smart TV. 

Method 1

Step 1: Head to your TV’s Home screen by clicking your remote’s Home button, marked with an icon of a house. 

Step 2: Select the Apps icon on the left-hand side of the screen to access your TV’s apps. 

Step 3: Find and open the TV app, marked by an icon of a TV. Once opened, this pre-installed app will allow you to browse and watch regular cable or satellite TV.

Method 2

Step 1: Open your TCL TV’s Home screen. 

Step 2: Click on the TV app thumbnail found on the Home screen. Once the TV app is chosen, you will be able to choose which input to watch regular TV from, which is helpful if you have several available sources. 

Watch the video below demonstrating how to watch TV on a TCL TV. 

Hisense TVs

Last, but not least, let’s learn how to get back to regular TV on a Hisense smart TV. 

Step 1: Find the Input button on your remote. If you’re not using your TCL’s original TV remote, this button may also be labeled Source. 

Step 2: An Input Menu will pop up on-screen. From this menu, select Antenna or ATV to access regular TV. You can navigate back to your smart TV’s interface through the Input Menu. 

Watch the video below to see how to watch regular TV on a Hisense smart TV following the steps above.