Why Is My Samsung TV Not Downloading Apps?

Many users complain because their Samsung TV not downloading apps, and today we’re going to get to the bottom of this issue.

By the end of this post, you’ll learn all possible causes and all possible ways to resolve the problem permanently.

If your Samsung is unable to download apps from the app store, first, restart your television and sign out of the problematic application. Then, check your network, router settings and ensure your TV is running its latest firmware.

Doing all that has a high chance to get your Samsung TV downloading again.

However, there are many possibilities, and if your TV’s still unable to download let’s have a look at the possibilities next.

Why Won’t My Samsung TV Download Apps?

First of all, it is of great importance to determine whether you’re unable to download a singular app or it is the same with all of them.

If you’re unable to download one single app, then it is probably related to the manufacturers of the corresponding app and you should wait a bit before trying again.

If your Samsung TV cannot download any apps at all, here are the possible causes:

Temporary Issue

There might be a temporary issue with the App Store, your TV, or your network. By restarting all participating components, you can easily exclude this possibility.

Network Issue

If your TV is not connected or there is something wrong with the internet you’re having, your TV will not be able to download any apps.

Outdated TV Firmware

If your TV is not updated, it is possible that you will be unavailable to download some of the apps your app store has to offer.

Problem with a Streaming Plan

It is possible that there is something wrong with your streaming plan, preventing you from downloading any apps from the app store.

Wrong Location Settings

It is possible that you’ve configured the location settings wrong, making you unavailable to contact your app store’s service.

There are even more possibilities that we made sure to include in the upcoming solution guide, so make sure to stick by the end.

How To Fix Samsung Smart TV Not Downloading Apps?

Before proceeding any further make sure to re-open the App Store app.

After all, this inconvenience could be easily fixed with a simple app store re-open, so make sure to try that as your first troubleshooting attempt.

If the issue is still there, let’s start applying the steps one by one:

Step #1 Unplug Your TV

Since many users online have reported that their issue was solved easily by unplugging and plugging their TV we’ve figured it would be a great way to start.

You may also refer to this process as a power cycle because it will drain the electricity from your TV and provide your device with a cold boot the next time you push the power button.

Here is how to discharge the TV:

1. Turn off your TV using the remote control.
2. Unplug the power adapter of your TV and wait for several minutes
3. Unplug the power adapter from the power source as well and wait for another minute.
4. Plug the power adapter again.

Now, check if you’re eligible to download apps from the app store of your Samsung TV.

Step #2 Re-Log Your Appstore

If your Samsung TV not downloading apps the problem could be related to the App Store.

In that regard, our suggestion would be to LOG-OUT from the application and later LOG-IN.

1. Locate the Settings Cogwheel on the top right of your TV screen.
2. Enter the Settings and highlight the Log-out button.
3. Once logged out, wait for several minutes and log in.
4. Press OK on your remote to confirm the action.

Now after you’ve successfully logged out and in, you should be able to download apps once again.

If you’re however still unable to download anything, it’s time to inspect your network.

Step #3 Check Internet Connection

Now that you’ve re-logged into your Samsung app store, ensure that your Samsung TV is connected to a reliable Wi-Fi connection.

Internet outages can cause issues such as this one, preventing you from downloading apps until further notice.

To check if your TV has an internet connection, hover to the smart settings and enter the Wi-Fi tab.

The text below your network must display *connected and secured*. Any other writing might mean your internet connection has failed.

Another way to identify an issue with your network would be to use a free online speed test. If your PING/MS comes over 400, or your upload/download remains from 0 – 20, it generally means that there is an issue.

How To Fix the Network Quickly?

To fix your network, you can try restarting your router, relocating it closer to your TV, or using a wired connection through an Ethernet cable.

You can also reach out to your internet supplier for additional assistance and hopefully, they will be able to help.

On the other hand, you can always share a hotspot from your smartphone so you can test if your Samsung TV will start downloading using your carrier’s internet.

Note: If everything with your network seems fine, try disconnecting your TV and reconnecting it.

Make sure to forget the network and re-insert the password for best results.

Step #4 Update Samsung TV

Now that you’ve checked and ensured you have an internet connection, let’s check if your TV is updated or not.

Since firmware updates come with many new enhancements regarding the apps, it is of great importance to keep your TV updated.

Otherwise, some of the apps currently installed on your TV may stop working and you will be unable to download any.

To check if your TV is updated follow the steps below:

1. Press the Setting Cogwheel and head to Options.
2. Scroll all the way down to Check for Updates.
3. Wait for a few minutes.
4. Install ANY discovered firmware build.

Be patient, as your TV might restart a few times during the update. Once ready, check if you can download applications. If not, we’ve got another proven-to-work method so let’s jump right in.

Step #5 Check Location Settings

It is really important that your TV uses the correct location settings which are directly related to the network.

Wrong location settings equal no internet connection, so it has to be addressed, especially if you have moved your TV from one country to another.

You can do that by heading in the Options of your TV once again and clicking the Location settings tab, which should be in the middle of the settings list.

Since we can’t know where you live, you must check the typing field there and determine whether the location there aligns with the current TV location.

Otherwise, tap once on them to configure and write down your real location!

Once ready, jump back to method #1 to perform a power cycle and finally test if you can download any application.

Step #6 Perform A Factory Reset

If your Samsung smart TV is not downloading apps even after all the previous steps, there might be something glitched with the OS.

Even if you have most likely updated the TV’s firmware in step 4, that does not mean that the corrupted data was erased.

In that regard, you’ll learn how to perform a factory reset as our last step. The only thing to mind would be that all settings are going to be permanently deleted.

We suggest making a backup or taking images of all configurations you would like to restore after the reset.

Here is how to perform a factory reset on a Samsung TV:

1. Press on the Settings Cogwheel and go to General.
2. Prom there, choose Reset and enter your PIN (by default it is “0000”).
3. To finalize the reset, select OK and your TV will restart.

You need to be patient and wait for the reset to complete. Once ready you will need to execute the initial setup and you’ll be ready to test if your TV can now download applications.

The solution for fixing a Samsung TV that cannot download apps includes a power cycle, firmware update, and configuring the location settings. To take your troubleshooting even further you can check internet issues and lastly perform a factory reset.

Read Next: Fix Prime Video App Not Working on Samsung TV

Bottom Line

Now that you know why is Samsung TV not downloading apps, following our guide, you shouldn’t have any trouble fixing the issue easily.

After all, if the issue is still there you can always get in touch with Samsung’s customer support for even more troubleshooting!