How to Clear the App Cache on a Samsung Smart TV

Your Samsung TV apps used to launch instantly, but lately they stutter, freeze, or close on their own. Maybe a streaming app keeps buffering, refuses to load content, or throws a login error every time you open it. Or you have hit a "storage full" warning and want to free up space without deleting anything.

All of these point to the same culprit: cached temporary files that pile up over weeks of use. Clearing them is safe and reversible, and the most common method is a single quick scan that leaves your accounts and settings untouched.

The right method depends on your TV's model year. The steps below are ordered quickest and most common first, so start at the top and only move down if you need to. Menu labels and sequences vary slightly by model and region, so if a name differs on your screen, look for the closest match.

Run a Full Device Care Scan (2020 and Newer Models)

This is the fastest fix and the one to try first. Device Care clears cached memory across all your apps and closes anything running in the background, in a single scan.

1. 1.Press the Home button on your remote, then select Settings (the gear icon). On some models, go to Settings > All Settings.
2. 2.Navigate to Support, then select Device Care.
3. 3.Select Start Device Care in the middle of the screen. The scan begins and diagnoses your TV's storage.
4. 4.Device Care frees up memory by clearing cached files and closing background apps, then rates your TV's health as Good or Moderate.

Nothing you care about is removed. Your accounts, downloaded apps, saved passwords, and personalized settings all stay intact; only temporary cached files are cleared.

Clear One App's Cache via Manage Storage (2020 and Newer)

If a single app is misbehaving and the full scan did not help, target that app directly. This lets you clear cache (gentle) or clear data (a full reset of that one app).

1. 1.Press Home and go to Settings > All Settings (on some models, just Settings).
2. 2.Navigate to Support and select Device Care.
3. 3.Select Manage Storage. This lists your installed apps and how much storage each one uses.
4. 4.Highlight the app you want, then select View Details. On some models you press the Down button to reveal View Details below the app.
5. 5.On the View Details screen you can see the app's current data and cache usage. Select Clear Cache to remove temporary files, or Clear Data for a full reset of that app.

Clear Cache removes only temporary files such as thumbnails and buffered data, and keeps your logins and settings. Clear Data is more drastic: it wipes the app's stored data and will require signing back into streaming services. Note that pre-installed system apps can have their cache cleared but cannot be uninstalled.

Use TV Device Manager Memory Boost (2019 Models and 7-Series)

Older 2019 sets do not have Device Care; they use TV Device Manager instead. The Memory Boost feature does the same job of clearing cached memory.

1. 1.Press the Home button on your remote.
2. 2.Go to Settings > Support > Self Diagnosis > TV Device Manager. Some models also reach it via Settings > Quick Settings > TV Device Manager.
3. 3.Under Memory Boost, select Clean Now to clear cached memory and close unused background apps.
4. 4.To clear a specific app, select Show App List, highlight the app, choose View Details, then select Clear Cache.

Clear the Built-In Internet Browser Cache

If the problem is the TV's web browser (slow pages, stale content, or login trouble on websites), clear its browsing data separately. This works regardless of model year.

1. 1.Open the Internet browser app on your TV.
2. 2.Select the Settings icon (the cog).
3. 3.Select Web Browser Settings.
4. 4.Select General.
5. 5.Select Delete History. Some firmware labels this Delete Browsing Data.
6. 6.Select Yes to confirm. A confirmation screen states the history has been deleted.

Depending on your firmware, additional toggles may let you also delete form and search history, saved passwords, and autofill forms.

Clear Web Data on Older 2016-2018 Models

Sets from 2016 to 2018 generally do not offer a per-app Clear Cache screen. Their cache clearing lives under the broadcasting menu and covers web and HbbTV browsing data.

1. 1.Press Home and go to Settings > Broadcasting > Expert Settings.
2. 2.Select HbbTV Settings.
3. 3.Select Delete Browsing Data, then confirm with Delete.

On 2015 and earlier models, the equivalent path is Apps > Settings > Privacy & Security > Delete Browsing Data > Yes, since HbbTV settings live under Privacy & Security on those years.

Power Cycle the TV to Flush Temporary Memory

A hard power cycle clears your TV's RAM, which can resolve glitches that a cache clear alone does not. Use it as a complement to Device Care, not a replacement.

1. 1.Turn the TV off with the remote.
2. 2.Either hold the remote's power button for about 15 to 20 seconds until the TV restarts, or unplug the TV's power cable from the wall.
3. 3.If you unplugged it, wait about 60 seconds before plugging back in and powering on.

Keep in mind this only clears RAM and temporary memory. It does not clear app cache stored on internal storage, so it will not free up storage space on its own.

Reset Smart Hub as a Last Resort

When clearing cache and data is not enough, resetting Smart Hub wipes all apps and account logins back to factory defaults. This is the nuclear option; only use it if individual fixes have failed.

1. 1.Open Settings, select Support, then Device Care. On US models the path leads through Self Diagnosis.
2. 2.Select Self Diagnosis, then select Reset Smart Hub.
3. 3.Enter your TV PIN. The default is 0000.
4. 4.When the reset finishes, select OK.

This reverts all Smart Hub settings to factory default and deletes your Samsung account info, linked service-account logins, Smart Hub service agreements, and downloaded apps. Write down your app credentials first, because you will have to sign back into every app afterward.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will clearing the cache log me out of my apps or delete them?
No. Clearing cache removes only temporary files such as thumbnails and buffered data; your downloaded apps, logins, passwords, and picture settings all stay in place. Clearing data is the exception: it fully resets that app and forces you to sign back into streaming services.

Device Care is greyed out or says the function is not available. What do I do?
Close all open and running apps on the TV first, then reopen Device Care. It is commonly unavailable while apps are still active in the background.

Why does my TV not have a Device Care option at all?
Device Care is on 2020 and newer models. On 2019 sets, use Settings > Support > Self Diagnosis > TV Device Manager > Memory Boost > Clean Now instead. On 2016 to 2018 models, you can primarily clear only web and HbbTV browsing data via Broadcasting > Expert Settings.

Can I clear the cache for Samsung's built-in system apps?
Yes, you can clear a pre-installed app's cache through Manage Storage, but you cannot uninstall the app itself.

Clearing the cache did not free up enough storage. What is next?
The next escalation is Reset Smart Hub, which wipes all apps and account logins. The last resort is a full factory reset (Settings > General & Privacy > Reset, PIN default 0000), which permanently deletes all app data, saved passwords, picture calibration, and parental controls with no undo. Note your logins before either step.

Does the menu look different on my TV?
Yes, menu paths and labels vary by model year and region. If a name on your screen does not match exactly, look for the closest equivalent in the same area of the menu.