Samsung TV Apps Keep Crashing? 6 Quick Fixes for Seamless Viewing

Loved the read? Please share or comment, and we'll deliver even better content!

Dealing with a Samsung TV that keeps crashing or apps that just won’t stay open can be really frustrating.

This guide will show you simple, effective steps to troubleshoot these common issues.

Get ready to bring stability back to your viewing experience!

1. The TV Must Be Cold Booted

Bugs in the software can appear if you leave your TV turned on or in standby mode for long periods of time. 

Note: Standby mode describes when a TV is powered off but still plugged in. 

These bugs in the system can be resolved by cold booting your TV. This process drains your TV of all electrical charge, clearing the RAM and cache in the process. 

Additionally, your Samsung TV’s software will load the most up-to-date version of the app once it has been cold-booted, ensuring the latest bug-free version is being used. 

Instructions 

There are two ways you can cold boot your Samsung smart TV: using the remote or with its power plug. 

Both methods are equally effective, so feel free to choose the method that best suits your needs. 

With the Remote

Step 1: Find your TV remote’s Power button, and press and hold it until the TV turns off and then restarts. This process usually takes about five seconds from start to finish. 

Note: If your TV remote uses infrared (IR) technology, ensure you’re pointing it at your TV’s IR sensor. 

If your TV remote is unresponsive, then try cold booting your TV with its power supply instead. 

With the Plug

Step 1: Unplug your TV’s power cable from the wall outlet. You must physically remove the cable from the outlet, as turning off the power strip or smart plug will not suffice. 

Step 2: Allow your TV to be unplugged for at least 30 seconds before plugging it back in. You may also leave it unplugged for longer if you choose to do so. 

Step 3: Turn your TV on using the remote or control panel’s Power button. 

2. There are Pending Samsung TV Software Updates

While your TV’s updates are usually beneficial, some of them may feature bugs that can negatively affect the software. These bugs combined with the TV’s outdated software can make it difficult for your unit to run apps. 

Although there is no way for you to remove these bugs yourself, you can install new updates to replace the old ones, eliminating these glitches. 

Additionally, it’s a good idea to ensure your TV is always up to date as new software updates often feature security patches and new features in addition to bug fixes. 

Instructions

Step 1: Head to the Settings. 

Step 2: Navigate to Support. 

Step 3: Click on Software Update. 

Step 4: If your TV has any pending updates, you will be able to select Update Now or Auto Update to install them. Otherwise, these options may not be available and you will have to check for updates later. 

Watch the video below demonstrating various ways (including the one listed above) to update your Samsung TV. 

3. The App Must Be Reinstalled

Apps on your TV that continuously crash may be outdated or corrupted. This can happen if the app’s current version is no longer supported by the creator or if something went wrong when it was initially installed. 

To solve this problem, it’s best to reinstall the app. 

Let’s learn how! 

Instructions

To reinstall the app, you will need to delete it before installing it again from the app store. 

Please note that deleting the app will also delete all personal data and custom settings. 

Delete App

Step 1: Go to Apps. 

Step 2: Click on Settings. 

Step 3: Find your Samsung TV app that keeps crashing. You can only perform this process for one app at a time, so if multiple apps are crashing, you will need to repeat these steps for each one. 

Step 4: Select Delete from the list of options. 

Recommended apps cannot be deleted via this process. So, if you’d like to reinstall a recommended app, select Reinstall instead. 

Install App

Step 1: Once you’ve deleted the crashing app, press your remote’s Return↩ button. 

Step 2: Head to the top of the screen and select the Search bar in the top right corner. 

Step 3: Use the on-screen keyboard to type the app’s name into the search bar. Then, press OK/Enter to search. 

Step 4: Once your desired app appears on-screen, click on it and select Install to reinstall it.

4. The Internet Connection is Slow/Unstable

Smart TV apps, especially streaming apps, require a fast and stable internet connection as they must maintain a strong connection with the server. A slow or unstable internet connection can cause the app to buffer and, at times, crash. 

So, it’s important to ensure that your Samsung TV has established a strong connection with your router. 

Instructions

Let’s go over how to ensure your Samsung TV has a strong wireless or wired connection and how to run a network status test. 

Wireless Connection

While wireless network connections (or Wi-Fi) are certainly more convenient, they’re often weaker than their wired counterparts. So, it’s important to verify the connection’s strength, especially if you’re experiencing these problems. 

Your TV’s apps will not work if its Wi-Fi connection is too weak or unreliable. Additionally, your TV will struggle to install new updates. 

Step 1: Head to the back of your router and take note of its Wi-Fi SSID and Password. We recommend taking a picture, so you can refer to it later. 

Step 2: On your TV, go to the Settings. 

Step 3: Navigate to General. 

Step 4: Head to Network. 

Step 5: Click on Open Network Settings. 

Step 6: From here, you can select your home’s Wi-Fi SSID. 

Step 7: Then, correctly enter your Wi-Fi password. Remember, Wi-Fi passwords are case-sensitive, so use the caps lock when needed. 

If your TV does not successfully connect to the Wi-Fi, double-check that the password you’ve entered is correct. 

For additional guidance, watch the video below demonstrating how to troubleshoot network connectivity problems on a Samsung smart TV. 

Wired Connection

Wired network connections are considerably more stable than wireless ones and often provide faster internet access. 

Luckily, Samsung smart TVs have Ethernet ports that allow users to connect their router to their TV with an Ethernet cable. 

Most routers come with an Ethernet cable, so if you don’t already have an Ethernet cable at home, check your router’s original packaging for one. 

Alternatively, you can purchase one online. The Amazon Basics RJ45 Cat-6 Ethernet Cable  comes highly recommended by our team and is compatible with Samsung smart TVs. 

Let’s learn how to connect your router to your TV with an Ethernet cable! 

Step 1: Plug one end of an Ethernet cable into your TV’s RJ45 Ethernet port located on the back or side of the unit. Then, connect the other end of the same cable to the router’s Ethernet port. 

You may need to press the Ethernet connector’s small plastic tab to enter it into the port.

Step 2: Next, you have to adjust your TV’s settings for it to accept a wired internet connection. So, navigate to the Settings.  

Step 3: Open General. 

Step 4: Select Network. 

Step 5: Click Ok to establish a wired internet connection with your router. 

Run Network Status

If you’ve tried establishing a wireless or wired connection but your TV’s apps are still crashing, it’s time to run a network status test. 

This test will check if your TV’s connection is stable and offer the necessary solutions if it isn’t.  

Step 1: Open the Settings. 

Step 2: Navigate to General. 

Step 3: Click on Network. 

Step 4: Go to Network Status. 

Step 5: Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the test. 

Step 6: If the test comes back all clear, then your TV’s connection is stable. If an error message appears on-screen, try the recommended solutions.

5. You Must Reset Smart Hub

Resetting the smart hub is akin to factory resetting your TV. This process will erase all custom settings and user data from your TV, returning all settings to their default values. It will also erase all installed apps and log you out of all of your accounts. 

Please note that this process is not reversible, so once you’ve reset your TV you will not be able to recuperate the personal data that’s been deleted.

However, this process will not delete any of your accounts. So, you can log back into them once the process is complete. 

The instructions to reset the smart hub will vary depending on when your TV was released. 

Instructions 

TVs Released in 2018 and Earlier

Step 1: Select the Settings menu. 

Step 2: Click on Support. 

Step 3: Navigate to Self Diagnosis. 

Step 4: Head to Reset Smart Hub. 

Step 5: When asked, enter your TV’s PIN. If you haven’t set a custom PIN, you can enter the default PIN: 0000. 

Watch the video below demonstrating how to reset the smart hub on Samsung TVs released in 2018 and earlier. 

TVs Released in 2019 and Later

Step 1: Head to the Settings. 

Step 2: Open Support. 

Step 3: Navigate to Device Care. 

Step 4: Click on Self Diagnosis. 

Step 5: Select Reset Smart Hub. 

Step 6: When prompted, enter the TV’s default PIN: 0000. If you’ve set your own PIN, you may enter it now instead. 

Watch the video below to see how to reset the smart hub on Samsung TVs released in 2019 and later. 

6. Contact Customer Support

You’ve tried all of our troubleshooting tips, but your TV apps are still crashing. Now what? 

It’s time to reach out to Samsung customer support for additional guidance. Please note that additional services may be required. 

Please ensure you have your TV model number ready to provide to the Samsung agent. Also, mention which troubleshooting tasks you’ve tried before contacting them. 

You can contact Samsung customer support via 

• The Official Samsung Repair Service Website
• Samsung’s Facebook Messenger 
• Samsung’s Twitter

Good luck!

Loved the read? Please share or comment, and we'll deliver even better content!