Your Samsung TV freezes halfway through a show, gets stuck in an app, or stops responding when you switch inputs. Start with a full restart, then use the fixes below for the part that keeps freezing. Leave resets until the simpler options have failed.
Give the TV a full restart
Start here when the picture freezes, menus stop responding, or several apps get stuck. A cold boot restarts the TV fully; a quick press of Power only puts it into standby.
With the TV on, hold the remote’s Power button until the TV turns off and restarts.
Release the button after it restarts.
Without a working remote, disconnect the TV’s power cord from the outlet while the TV is on.
Wait 30 seconds.
Reconnect the power cord.
Turn the TV on.
Try the app or input that was freezing. Check whether the problem affects one app, streaming generally, a connected device, or the TV’s own menus. Use that distinction to choose your next fix.
Fix an app that keeps getting stuck
When freezing stays confined to one app, start troubleshooting that app.
While the TV still responds to the remote, long-press Return/Exit to close the frozen app. Samsung does not specify a universal hold time for this shortcut.
Reopen the app.
Try another title.
Try another streaming app to check whether the failure stays with the original app.
For recurring app freezes, open Settings > All Settings > Support > Device Care > Manage Storage.
Select the troublesome app.
Open View Details.
Choose Clear Cache. These controls vary by model and app; if they are missing, move on to reinstalling.
If clearing the cache does not help, choose Clear Data from the same app details screen, where available. Have your login details ready for app setup and sign-in afterward.
To reinstall a removable app, open Apps > Settings.
Select the troublesome app.
Choose Delete. If it is grayed out and Reinstall is available, select Reinstall instead.
After deleting an app, press Return.
Select Search.
Find the app.
Choose Install.
Sign in again.
For future app updates, open Home > APPS > Settings > Auto update. App-store layouts differ by model and software.
Press Enter to enable it.
Install the TV’s software update
On 2022 and newer TVs, open Settings > All Settings > Support > Software Update > Update Now. On 2021 and older TVs, open Settings > Support > Software Update > Update Now.
If an open app makes the update option unavailable, switch to the TV source or press Samsung TV Plus.
Return to Software Update > Update Now.
Allow installation and the automatic restart to finish without disconnecting power.
Enable Auto Update in the same Software Update menu for future firmware updates. Those updates take effect when the TV next turns on.
For a USB update, find your exact TV model on Samsung’s Manuals & Software page. Use the matching regional support site for an imported TV.
Download the matching firmware under Downloads.
Unzip the download.
Copy the extracted package to an empty FAT32 USB drive without adding an enclosing folder.
Insert the drive into the TV.
Open Settings > All Settings > Support > Software Update > Update Now (on 2021 and older TVs, Settings > Support > Software Update > Update Now).
Select Yes if prompted.
Keep power connected until the restart finishes.
Match firmware to your exact model, since version numbers differ between Samsung TVs.
Check memory and the streaming connection
On TVs with Device Care, open Home > Settings > Support > Device Care > Start Device Care. The scan releases cached memory and closes unused background apps. Available controls differ by model and region.
For streaming freezes, open Settings > All Settings > Connection > Network > Network Status on 2022 and newer TVs. On 2021 and older TVs, open Settings > General > Network > Network Status. The result shows whether the connection fails between the TV and router or between the router and internet.
For a connection problem, unplug the router and TV for at least 30 seconds. Reconnect power and allow several minutes for connectivity to return. Select Retry on the Network Status screen.
For a wired test, connect a working Ethernet cable to a compatible TV, then select Settings > All Settings > Connection > Network > Open Network Settings > Wired. On 2021 and older TVs, use Settings > General > Network > Open Network Settings > Wired. If Ethernet is impractical, move the router closer and reduce obstructions. If streaming still freezes, test another network or phone hotspot; successful playback there directs troubleshooting to your original router or internet provider.
Isolate freezing on an HDMI input
For freezing confined to a cable box, console, or another connected device, try a different source device first.
Move the connection to another HDMI input on the TV.
Try a known-working HDMI cable.
Troubleshoot or replace the component whose substitution stops the freezing.
On supported TVs from 2022 onward, open All Settings > Support > Device Care > Self Diagnosis > HDMI Troubleshooting. The cable test is intended for cables shorter than 2 meters.
Choose the affected HDMI connection.
Follow the test prompts.
Replace the cable if the test identifies a fault.
For affected 7 series Crystal UHD TVs that freeze or respond slowly when changing HDMI sources, Samsung specifies firmware 1371.0 or later. That version number applies to the affected models.
Install your model’s matching update through Software Update > Update Now, using the menu route for your TV’s model year from the software update steps above.
After installation, hold Power until the TV restarts.
If these fixes fail, run Home > Settings > Support > Device Care > Self Diagnosis > Video Test or Picture Test. Examine the built-in content and report failures to Samsung.
Save resets for persistent freezing
For app problems that continue after the earlier fixes, open All Settings > Support > Device Care > Self Diagnosis > Reset Smart Hub on 2019 and newer TVs. On 2018 and earlier TVs, open Settings > Support > Self Diagnosis > Reset Smart Hub. This removes Smart Hub account and session configuration, so have your app login details ready.
Enter your TV PIN. The default is 0000 unless you changed it.
Complete Smart Hub setup.
Accept the required terms.
Sign back into your apps.
If broader freezing continues after the less disruptive fixes, open the factory-reset menu for your model. A factory reset resets the TV’s settings; the following paths cover Samsung’s Australian 2022–2025 models, with labels varying by software and region.
For 2025 models, open Settings > All Settings > General & Privacy > Factory data reset.
For 2023–2024 models, open Settings > All Settings > General & Privacy, then select Factory data reset or Reset, whichever appears.
For 2022 models, open Home > Menu > Settings > All Settings > General & Privacy > Reset.
Enter the PIN when prompted.
Select Yes to confirm.
If only one app still freezes after troubleshooting, contact its provider.
If multiple apps continue freezing or the TV remains unresponsive, request service through Samsung.
Tell support whether the freezing affects one app, HDMI playback, or the TV’s own menus.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if the picture keeps playing but the remote stops responding?
Start with the remote. For a battery remote, remove the batteries, hold Power for 8 seconds, then install fresh batteries. For compatible solar remotes from 2021 onward, hold Return and Enter for 10 seconds. To pair a Smart Remote, hold it within 1 foot of the TV and press Return and Play/Pause together for at least 5 seconds.
What can I try if Netflix is the only app that freezes?
Refresh the Netflix session. From its home screen, press Back. In the top-menu layout, select the profile icon, then Get Help > Sign out > Yes. In the left-menu layout, select Get Help > Sign out > Yes. Sign in again.
Can I reset the network without factory-resetting the TV?
Yes. For persistent network-related streaming problems, open Menu > Settings > All Settings > Connection > Network > Reset Network > Reset on 2022 and newer TVs, then select Open Network Settings to reconnect. On 2021 and older TVs, open Home > Settings > General > Network > Reset Network > Reset, then reconnect the TV to your network. This is separate from a factory reset.
Can SmartThings recover a completely frozen TV?
Samsung documents SmartThings as an alternative remote control, not as a recovery tool for a TV that has stopped responding. For alternative remote controls, your compatible TV must already be added to SmartThings, with a Samsung account and internet access. Open the phone app, choose Menu > All devices, and select the TV. If the TV does not respond to SmartThings either, start with the power-disconnection restart.