Your Plex not working on Samsung TV? Well, stay with us to learn more…
Such as on any other online service, Plex uses an application interface in order to work on your Samsung TV. Hence, there are quite a few requirements that have to be met!
When the Plex app won’t work on your Samsung TV, any issues related to the app, the firmware, and the software (OS) could be the culprit.
It is also possible that an internet problem is revolving around your network, which is impacting the Plex application!
Top Reasons for Plex App Not Working on Samsung TV?
Here are the top reasons for Plex app functionality problems on a Samsung TV device:
- Your Samsung TV is disconnected from the WiFi network.
- Corrupted Plex application cache or bad system data.
- Active AdBlocker or VPN services on your Samsung TV.
- The outdated firmware version of the Plex application.
- A software-related issue with your Samsung television.
- Temporal maintenance/outage of the Plex online servers.
How Long Do Plex Outages Last?
Based on the uptime over the past 30 days, Plex calculates how long their servers have been down throughout the month.
According to statistics, Plex outages are not longer than 30-40 minutes to be addressed.
Tip: You can check Plex Server Status for currently ongoing outages!
How to Fix When Plex Won’t Play On Samsung TV?
Check the TV (WiFi) Internet
Your Samsung TV must have access to the local network in order to connect and stream content from Plex.
To verify that your Samsung TV is online, head into the settings and check whether the connection status of your TV has changed.
Here’s how to navigate through your Samsung settings:
- Tip: Use the directional pad on the remote.
- Highlight the Settings icon and enter the menu.
- Then choose “General” and select “Network”
- Tap “Open Network Settings” to see a status.
If your Samsung TV says “offline”, choose your WiFi network and insert the password so you can connect to the internet.
It’s important to verify the validity and correctness of the password you’ve written down for your WiFi network.
Soft-Reset The Samsung TV
The next and foremost suggested solution is to power cycle your Samsung TV. This is an easy way of addressing temporal faults with the Samsung TV and refreshing the operating system.
The power circulation will not erase anything from the television!
Follow the steps below to power cycle the Samsung TV:
- Shut down the TV (press the power button).
- Unplug the TV from the electrical outlet.
- Wait for 60 seconds, with the TV unplugged.
- Reconnect your TV directly to an outlet.
Note: Keep your Samsung TV for at least a minute or so to discharge it from the electricity.
Clear the Cache of the Plex App
Excess data files (app cache) generate on the side as you continuously use the applications on your Samsung TV.
Those excess files are stored in the storage of your Samsung TV and with time they might make Plex not working on Samsung TV.
- Clearing the cache data will sign you out from your Plex app account!
Here’s how to easily clear the cache of the Plex app on your Samsung TV:
- Navigate to the “Settings” menu on your Samsung TV.
- Select “Apps” from the list of options and find “Plex”.
- Select the Plex application and choose “Storage”.
- On the bottom of the screen, select “Clear Cache”.
- A message will prompt you for confirmation.
- Press “Confirm” to erase the Plex app cache.
Tip: Repeat the process for other applications to optimize the speed of your Samsung TV.
Disable Ad-Blocker Services!
Plex’s policy requires your device to be free of any ad blockers so the commercials could stream freely and not get interfered with.
Active ad blockers may deny your Samsung TV’s access to Plex or restrict your IP from the platform.
- Ad Blockers on TV devices are usually obtained through the App Store!
Following that sense, identify whether there’s an installed ad blocker on your TV and whether it is enabled.
The blocker uses IP masking to interrupt incoming ads and commercial breaks throughout all platforms, including Plex TV.
Note: The Plex content is free and the ads can’t be removed even with a paid membership!
Try With a Cellular Hotspot
It’s always worth checking whether the problematic application, in our case “Plex”, would start working when the TV is connected to a different internet.
To do so, we only need to share a hotspot from the Settings of our phone in the menu “Personal Hotspot”.
On Samsung’s TV go to the Menu > Network > Network Setting > Network Type > Wireless and connect to the mobile hotspot.
When the television is connected open and check whether the Plex application will now open and start working.
Update the Plex Application
To obtain the best compatibility, your Plex application must be up to date. All Samsung TV applications will update automatically only when the “Auto Update” feature is enabled.
The feature is enabled by default, but some users disable it to preserve performance.
Here’s how to manually install the newest version of your Plex app:
- Go to the Settings on your Samsung TV.
- Use your remote control, and select the “Apps” icon.
- Find the Plex app from the installed apps.
- If there is an update available, select “Update”.
- Wait for the process to download and install.
Alert: Whilst your Samsung is updating, do not interfere with the device in any way.
Turn Off Active VPN Software
Due to VPNs adjusting your real-time location, it could interfere with the regional settings within Plex.
When connecting to the servers of Plex, there’s a necessary location sync that must be verified in order to gain access to the platform.
- Samsung Smart TVs with Tizen OS is not allowed to install a VPN app!
Thus, you don’t have to worry about third-party VPN applications installed on your TV, if it’s running the Tizen OS. To check your Samsung’s OS, go to Menu > Settings > Support > Operating System.
How to Disable an Active VPN?
All you have to do is launch the VPN’s application and press “Disable”. Keep the VPN disabled until the rest of the guide, until you verify/resolve the problem.
Reinstall the Plex Application
The reinstallation of the Plex app would be a great approach, considering that this time, the entire data of the platform will be cleanly installed.
This will, again, disconnect you from the Plex app, but surely will help you solve any operational issues.
Here’s how to uninstall the Plex from your Samsung TV:
- Navigate to the home screen of your TV.
- Select the “Apps” icon and find the Plex app.
- On the menu that’ll appear, select “Delete”.
- From the home screen open the App Store.
- Download and install the Plex application.
Tip: After the Plex application is cleanly installed, reboot the Samsung TV.
Reset Samsung TV to Initial Settings!
The initial settings reset should always be the very last method you attempt, since it’ll erase all content from your Samsung TV.
This method would be much more convenient if you’re also experiencing streaming issues with other apps and not only Plex.
To reset your Samsung TV, follow these steps:
- Open the Settings tab.
- Navigate to General.
- Choose “Reset”.
- Enter the default “0000” PIN.
- To finalize the reset, select “OK”.
These Steps Don’t Match My TV?
If you couldn’t reset the TV by following the instructions above, here’s another method:
- Go to Settings.
- Select “Support”.
- Choose “Self Diagnosis”
Note: Wait for your Samsung TV to erase its OS and then start with the initial setup!
Contact Plex Support (Info)
Our last suggestion would be to contact Plex support and describe your problem.
It’s likely that this problem isn’t related to your Samsung TV in any way, so it’s a matter for Plex to take care of and help you out.
You can go to Plex’s Contact Menu and contact a representative to discuss with!
Quick Recap:
In this guide, we’ve learned that the “Plex not working on Samsung TV” problem is fixed by reconnecting your Samsung TV to the internet.
It is also crucial to update the version of the Plex app, disable VPN/ad blocker software and factory reset the TV.
