4 Ways to Hard Reset & Change PIN in Samsung Smart TVs

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Your Samsung smart TV has been on the fritz and you’ve tried just about every troubleshooting tip in the books. 

Finally, you decide that it’s time to hard reset it. 

Hard resetting your Samsung smart TV will return it to its default settings and can help resolve software issues. It’s also recommended to hard reset your TV before selling it to ensure the buyer cannot access any of your personal information.

But how can you hard reset and change the pin on your smart TV? 

Keep reading to find out! 

1. Hard Reset Without a Remote

No remote? No problem!

There are two main ways you can hard reset your Samsung smart TV without a remote: using an external keyboard or using the Samsung SmartThings remote app. 

Both of these solutions will allow you to control your TV’s interface, so you can adjust the volume, type, highlight and select items on-screen, and of course, hard reset it. 

Let’s learn how!  

a. Use an External Keyboard

External keyboards are a great alternative to remotes for smart TVs since you can not only navigate your TV’s interface with the built-in touchpad but also type. 

Without your TV’s original remote, you won’t be able to access the Bluetooth settings to connect a Bluetooth keyboard to it. So, you will need to opt for a wired or wireless keyboard. 

We strongly recommend the Logitech Wireless TV Keyboard , which connects to your TV via a USB dongle. 

Instructions and Setup

Step 1: Plug the wireless keyboard’s USB dongle into one of your TV’s available USB ports.

Note: If your keyboard does not have a touchpad, you may need to connect a mouse to your TV separately by plugging its USB dongle into another one of your TV’s USB ports. 

Step 2: Turn your wireless keyboard and mouse (if applicable) on. Ensure your TV is also powered on.

Step 3: On the keyboard, simultaneously press the Esc and Windows keys (shown below) to open the Settings/Menu window. 

Step 4: Now you can navigate to the reset option using the keyboard’s touchpad or mouse. 

These menus/settings may vary depending on the TV’s model and release date. 

For your convenience, we’ve included the instructions on how to access different Samsung smart TVs’ reset settings below. 

Step 5: Once you’ve navigated to your TV’s reset settings, select Reset. You will see a security PIN window appear on-screen, prompting you to enter a 4-digit code. 

Step 6: Insert your security PIN. If you haven’t previously set a security PIN, enter the default PIN: 0000. 

Then, click Reset. 

Your TV will now be hard reset, returning to its out-of-the-box settings. 

Step 7: As your TV hard resets, it will turn off and then restart, displaying the setup screen. 

You can now set up your TV from scratch. 

b. Use Samsung SmartThings (Remote App)

Another way you can navigate your Samsung TV without a remote is to use the Samsung SmartThings remote app.

Once paired to your Samsung TV, you can swipe and select items on-screen using the remote’s virtual D-pad. 

It’s available for Androids and Apple devices, and can be downloaded onto your smartphone or tablet. 

Instructions and Setup

Step 1: Install the SmartThings app on your device. Android users can download it from the Google Play Store. Apple users can download it from the Apple App Store.  

Step 2: This app links your devices via Wi-Fi, so you must connect your personal device and smart TV to the same network. 

Step 3: Launch the SmartThings app, then tap the Add (+) button in the upper right corner. 

Step 4: Tap Device, followed by TV. 

Step 5: Select your Samsung TV from the list. 

Step 6: Follow any additional on-screen instructions to link your Samsung TV to the SmartThings app. 

Step 7: Once the SmartThings app has successfully paired to your TV, head to the Remote tab within the app. Use the app’s virtual D-pad to navigate to your TV’s Reset settings. 

These menus/settings may differ on various Samsung TV models. Consult the following chart to find instructions on how to access your TV’s reset settings. 

Step 8: In your TV’s reset settings, click Reset. Then, turn your attention to the security PIN window on-screen. 

Step 9: When prompted, enter the 4-digit security PIN. Unless you’ve manually set a security PIN for your TV, you must enter the default PIN: 0000. 

Next, click on Reset to start the hard reset process. 

Step 10: Wait for your TV to restart. Then, set it up from scratch following the on-screen prompts. 

2. Hard Reset without a Screen

Unfortunately hard resetting Samsung TVs without navigating the display/screen is not possible on any current models. 

While this could change in the future, the only current solution is to perform a discharge/cold boot. Instead of resetting the TV through the settings, a discharge/cold boot will clear the TV’s memory by draining the unit’s power. 

When restarted, your TV’s memory and cache will have been cleared. 

Instructions 

With the TV Remote

Press and hold the TV remote’s Power button until the TV restarts. This could take several seconds, so do not release the button until the screen turns black then re-illuminates.

Without the TV Remote

If you don’t have your TV remote, unplug the TV from its power source. 

Wait at least 30 seconds, then plug it back in and turn it on. 

3. Hard Reset with Remote

If you have your TV remote, you can use it to navigate to the reset settings. 

This is the easiest way to reset your Samsung smart TV since you won’t need to connect it to external devices, such as a wireless keyboard or the SmartThings app. 

Let’s learn how! 

Instructions

Step 1: Samsung TV settings vary widely. For your convenience, we’ve included a chart below including instructions outlining how to navigate to different models’ reset settings. 

Step 2: In the reset settings, select Reset. If you’ve successfully navigated to the correct settings, a PIN window should pop up on-screen.

Step 3: If you don’t have a personal security PIN, insert the default PIN: 0000. If you do have a personal 4-digit PIN, insert it now, followed by the Enter button. 

Step 4: Once you’ve inserted the PIN, your TV will reboot. You’ll know your TV has successfully reset when it displays the setup menu on-screen.

4. Change the PIN

Samsung smart TVs’ default PIN is 0000. However, your TV may not even require a PIN depending on where you live, your TV model, and which country you purchased your TV from.  

For extra security, you may choose to change your TV PIN. You may also want to change your PIN to the default if you’re planning on selling it. 

There are two ways you can do this: through the TV’s UI (i.e. user interface) or through the TV’s remote. 

Let’s learn how to do both! 

a. Through the TV’s UI

Step 1: Go to Home. 

Step 2: Select Menu. 

Step 3: Open the Settings. 

Step 4: Select All Settings. 

Step 5: Navigate to General & Privacy. 

Step 6: Open System Managed. 

Step 7: Select Change PIN. 

Step 8: Input your current security PIN. If you haven’t set one before, input the default PIN: 0000. 

Step 9: Follow any additional on-screen instructions to change your PIN. 

b. Through the Remote

It’s also possible to change your TV’s PIN by pressing a series of remote buttons. 

If you don’t know where the following buttons are on your new Samsung smart TV remote, refer to the picture found below.

Step 1: Press the Volume (+/-) button. 

Step 2: Click the Volume Up (+) button. 

Step 3: Click the Return (⏎) button. 

Step 4: Tap the Volume Down (-) button. 

Step 5: Press the Return (⏎) button.

Step 6: Tap the Volume Up (+) button. 

Step 7: Finally, press the Return (⏎) button before turning your attention to your TV screen. 

Step 8: To “unlock” the PIN settings, input your previously-set PIN or the default PIN (0000) if haven’t set one before. 

Step 9: Now that you’ve unlocked the PIN settings, follow the on-screen instructions, entering your new PIN when prompted. 

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