How to Restart Your Samsung Smart TV – A Step-by-Step Guide

Have you noticed some strange behavior on your Samsung Smart TV lately? Maybe the apps are freezing or the menus aren’t responding. Or perhaps your TV is just running slower than usual. Don’t worry – most issues like this can be fixed by simply restarting your Samsung Smart TV.

Restarting your TV will clear out any temporary glitches and give the system a fresh start. Think of it like rebooting your computer. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about restarting your Samsung Smart TV.

Why You Might Need to Restart Your Samsung Smart TV

Before we get into the step-by-step process, let’s go over some of the reasons why you might need to restart your TV in the first place. Here are some of the most common issues that can often be fixed by a simple restart:

• Apps freezing or crashing: If you find Netflix, Hulu, or other apps are freezing up or crashing frequently, a restart will clear out any glitches.

• Menus and controls not responding: If the menus or on-screen controls aren’t responding to your remote, a quick reboot is an easy fix.

• TV is running slow: Over time, the system can get bogged down and run sluggishly. Restarting will give your TV a performance boost.

• Problems after a system update: If issues emerge after updating your TV’s firmware, try restarting to allow the new software to settle in.

• Unusual behavior or glitches: Any weird issues like video distortion, audio problems, or erratic behavior are good reasons to restart.

• Preparing for a factory reset: If you plan to do a factory reset, restart first to clear out anything that could interfere.

Simply put, if your Samsung Smart TV is acting up in any way, restarting it is one of the first troubleshooting steps you should take. Next, let’s look at how to actually restart your TV.

How to Restart a Samsung Smart TV

Restarting a Samsung Smart TV is a simple process that only takes a few seconds. There are a couple of different ways it can be done:

Restart Using Your Remote

The quickest and easiest way to restart your Samsung TV is by using your remote:

1. Make sure your TV is turned on.

2. Press and hold the power button on your Samsung remote for 3-5 seconds.

3. Your TV will turn off. Keep holding the power button down.

4. After about 10 seconds, the TV will turn itself back on.

5. Once your TV has restarted, release the power button.

That’s all there is to it! This method essentially forces your TV to power cycle and reboot the system. It’s convenient since you can restart without having to get up or go to the TV.

Restart by Unplugging Power

You can also restart your Samsung TV by unplugging it from the power source:

1. Make sure your TV is turned on.

2. Locate the power cord that runs from your TV to the wall outlet.

3. Firmly grasp the power cord and pull it completely out of the wall outlet.

4. Keep the TV unplugged for at least 30 seconds. This gives the components time to discharge.

5. Plug the power cord back into the wall outlet.

6. Use your remote to turn your Samsung TV back on.

Some people prefer the “unplug” method since it provides a more complete reboot by cutting off all power temporarily. Just be sure your TV is turned on first before unplugging to avoid any issues.

Restart Using the Physical Button

If you’ve lost your remote, you can also restart using the physical power button on the TV itself:

1. Go to your TV and locate the power button on the back side or bottom edge. It may have a power icon.

2. Press and hold the power button for 5-10 seconds until the TV turns off.

3. Keep holding for another 10 seconds – your TV will reboot and turn itself back on.

4. Once the restart is complete, release the power button.

The physical button works the same way as the remote power button. The only difference is you’ll have to get up and walk to your TV rather than restarting from the couch.

How Long Does a Samsung TV Restart Take?

A normal restart process only takes about 1-2 minutes from start to finish. Here is an approximate breakdown:

• Pressing and holding the power button: 5-10 seconds

• TV shutting down: 10-15 seconds

• TV rebooting: 20-30 seconds

• TV restarting and booting up: 30-60 seconds

So all said, expect your Samsung TV to be back up and running within about 1-2 minutes. The restart time can vary slightly depending on the model. Some older TVs may take a bit longer.

In rare cases, a restart can get stuck or frozen on the reboot. If your TV hasn’t restarted after 10 minutes or so, you may need to unplug from power completely and leave it for 5 minutes before plugging back in. But in most cases, it will restart successfully within 1-2 minutes.

What to Check After Restarting Your Samsung Smart TV

Once your TV has fully restarted, check a few things to make sure the reboot resolved any issues:

• Try using apps and menus: Open some apps like Netflix to see if they load properly. Bring up the menus and settings to confirm they are responding quickly.

• Check for picture/audio problems: Watch live TV for a minute or two. Verify the video and audio quality is as expected without any glitches or lag.

• Scan for channel and network connectivity: Initiate a new channel scan and make sure all your channels are detected. Also check that you have internet connectivity if your TV is connected to WiFi.

• Test external device connections: If you have devices like a cable box, game console or Blu-ray player connected, switch to each input and confirm they display properly.

If everything is working normally after the restart, then it did the trick to fix your issue. But if problems persist, you may need to move on to other troubleshooting steps like a factory reset or software update.

When to Do a Factory Reset on Your Samsung TV

In some instances, restarting your Samsung Smart TV may not fully resolve problems you’re experiencing. If issues continue after rebooting, the next step is a factory reset.

Think of a factory reset as a deeper, more thorough restart. It erases all saved data and customizations and restores the TV back to original factory condition.

Here are some good times when a factory reset is recommended:

• Issues continue after a restart: If a basic restart didn’t fix your problems, a factory reset is the next best option.

• Prepare TV for sale/gift: A factory reset wipes all your personal data to hand off a like-new TV to a new owner.

• Resolve account login issues: A reset can clear up problems logging into Samsung/app accounts.

• Fix severe app problems: If apps are very heavily glitched or non-functional, a fresh reset is warranted.

• Unsure of TV history: If you get a used TV, factory reset gives you peace of mind before using.

Factory reset is also suggested in preparation for a major firmware update. Overall, use it as the last resort when restarting alone doesn’t address the issues you’re seeing.

How to Factory Reset a Samsung Smart TV

Factory reset is completed right from your TV settings menu. Here are the steps:

1. From your remote, go to Settings (cog wheel icon).

2. Navigate to General > Reset.

3. Select Reset TV to Factory Settings.

4. Enter your 4-digit PIN if prompted.

5. Select Yes on the warning prompt.

6. Wait for the reset process to complete. The TV will restart automatically when finished.

That covers the factory reset procedure. Be aware that it will erase all your customized settings, installed apps, accounts, and other data. So back up anything important first.

Quick Fixes If Your Samsung TV Won’t Restart

In most cases, your Samsung Smart TV will restart without any major issues. But occasionally, you may encounter problems like the TV freezing during reboot or not turning back on. Here are some quick fixes for a couple of common restart issues:

TV won’t turn back on after restart: If your TV gets stuck on a black screen after you restart it, unplug the power cord for 5 minutes to force a cold boot. This will discharge any residual power.

TV restarts but freezes on logo: If your TV tries restarting but freezes on the Samsung logo, unplug and replug the power cord immediately. The quick power cycle often fixes frozen boots.

Remote won’t turn TV on after restart: Make sure remote batteries are fresh. Also press TV power button manually or unplug/replug power cord to turn back on.

For any other issues getting your TV to restart properly,