Netflix not working on your Samsung smart TV? Here's what to do

There’s nothing better than relaxing and catching up on Netflix content at the end of a hard day. You can tap into a nearly endless well of movies and shows, and it all looks great on a crisp Samsung smart TV. Even though Samsung’s smart TVs feature a dedicated Netflix app, the two don’t always play well together. Are you having issues with Netflix not working on your Samsung Smart TV? Get it back up and running in no time with these tips!

Is Netflix down?

Netflix not working on Samsung Smart TV devices could be due to an outage. There’s a chance Netflix services are down for everyone, so it’s best to check that before anything else. Netflix has its own status page, where you can see if Netflix is up or down. Additionally, you might want to check out a third-party website like DownDetector.com. This page tracks customer reports and tells you whether a site is up or not. It even has a map to check if there are any local outages.

If Netflix is down, all you can do is wait it out. Maybe check out one of the best Netflix alternatives in the meantime.

Unplug your Samsung Smart TV

Well, it never hurts to give the old “turn it off, turn it back on again” method a try, right? The only problem is that simply turning your TV off doesn’t really shut it off; it’s more like putting it on sleep mode. Instead, go all out, unplug your Samsung Smart TV for about one to two minutes, and then plug it back in.

This essentially works like a soft reset on a smartphone. That means all your applications will close, and your device should clear its RAM. Once again, you’ll have to unplug your Samsung smart TV for at least a minute, though you’ll also want to hold the power button for at least five seconds while unplugged. After the prescribed period, plug your TV back in and open Netflix.

Sign out of Netflix

Another easy way to fix Netflix on your Samsung smart TV is to log out of your account and log back in. Better yet, you can put the old Konami code back into action. If you can access your Netflix profiles, you can also use your remote to navigate the options on your screen’s left side and log out from there.

How to sign out of Netflix using the Konami code:

1. Open the Netflix app on your Samsung smart TV.
2. From the Netflix home screen, press the following sequence on your remote: Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, Up, Up, Up, Up.

How to sign out of Netflix using settings:

1. You can also navigate to your Netflix profiles section.
2. Go into the options on the left side of the screen.
3. Select Get help.
4. Pick Log out.
5. Confirm by selecting Yes.

Uninstall Netflix

Uninstalling an app and redownloading it often works on smartphones, so it’s also worth a try on your TV.

How to uninstall Netflix on your Samsung smart TV:

1. Press the Home button on your remote.
2. Go into the Apps tab.
3. Select the Settings cog.
4. Find Netflix and select it.
5. Select Delete.

To reinstall the app, head back to the Smart Hub screen and navigate to the magnifying glass. Search Netflix either with the keyboard or voice button and select Install.

Disable Samsung Instant On

We all love a TV that fires on all cylinders the second you hit power, but it could be the source of your woes. Samsung Instant On is a speedy feature when it works properly, though it has previously caused problems with select apps. If you disable it, you may get your Samsung smart TV back in order simply by making it not work as hard.

How to disable Samsung Instant On:

1. Go to the Settings cog and select it.
2. Go into the General section.
3. Find Instant On.
4. Toggle the option Off.

Check for updates

Running slightly older versions of the app or OS is usually not an issue, but applications can have problems once they get significantly older. You may want to check if the Netflix app and Samsung Smart TV are running their latest software.

Check for Netflix app updates:

1. Press the Home button.
2. Select APPS.
3. Go to the Settings gear icon.
4. Highlight the Auto Update option and press Enter to enable or disable it. Make sure it’s enabled.

Most apps should update automatically, but you should check, just in case.

Check for Samsung Smart TV update:

1. Go into the Settings.
2. Select All Settings.
3. Hit Support.
4. Select Software Update.
5. Click on Update Now. You can also turn on Auto Update, just to make sure you’re always running the latest OS version.

Is your internet working?

Netflix not working on your Samsung Smart TV could be due to your internet connection. For starters, you need a stable enough data connection. Netflix recommends at least 3Mbps to operate, but that is for streaming in 720p HD resolution. You’ll need 5Mbps for 1080p, or 15Mbps for 4K streaming. You may consider upgrading your internet if your network can’t handle that.

Also, make sure the internet is working overall. You should try using other internet-hungry apps and see if they work. A simple Google search works, too. Also, see if other devices using the same Wi-Fi network are working. If nothing else works, then you know it’s your internet that’s down.

You can also use the TV’s native network status tool. This will tell you if the TV is currently connected to the internet, its Wi-Fi strength, and more.

How to check the network status on Samsung Smart TV:

1. Press the Home button.
2. Select Settings.
3. In the General menu, select Network.
4. Pick Network Status.

Go ahead and restart your router. This usually fixes local network bugs. There’s usually a dedicated restart button, but unplugging the router, waiting for about a minute, and plugging it back also works. It might also help to get some devices out of your Wi-Fi network. Routers can get congested, and getting near (or surpassing) your router’s connection capacity could slow down your whole network. If your router is getting congested too often, your best bet is to upgrade to one that can handle more devices. Here are our favorite routers available.

Is your Netflix plan active?

Talking about paying bills, did you check if your Netflix plan is active? While these payments are automatic, banks and credit cards sometimes decline transactions for many reasons. Go into your Netflix.com account to see if your plan is active.

Netflix might be blocked

There are three main reasons why Netflix might be blocked. For starters, Netflix isn’t available in every country, which could be a reason for Netflix not working on Samsung Smart TV units. Countries where Netflix is not supported are very few now, but there’s still a chance you’re affected by this. Netflix isn’t available in China, Crimea, North Korea, Russia, and Syria.

Also, some of you might be using a VPN for security reasons. Geo-restricted services tend to dislike virtual private networks, and they often block services to those who try to mask their locations. Turn off the VPN if you’re using one.

Another reason why Netflix might not be working on your Samsung Smart TV could be because the network administrator blocked Netflix. After all, it’s a common service to turn off for parents. Check with your Wi-Fi router admin and see if this is the case. If it is, all you can do is ask to have Netflix whitelisted again.

Reset your Smart Hub

If Netflix is still not working on your Samsung smart TV, the last method you can try is to reset your Smart Hub. This is essentially the heart of your TV, so this method is on the extreme side. It will log you out of all of your apps and remove them from your TV, so you’ll have to go back and reinstall everything. You probably only want to do this as a last resort. If you’ve hit this point, here are the steps to follow.

How to reset your Samsung Smart TV Smart Hub:

1. Press the Home button on your Samsung smart TV remote.
2. Using the directional ring, head to the left to the Settings tab.
3. Select All Settings.
4. Navigate down to the Support section.
5. Enter the Device Care menu.
6. Select Device Care.
7. Use the directional ring again to select the bottom option, Reset Smart Hub.
8. Enter the PIN for your TV; it should be set to the default of 0000.

If all else fails, your last resort is to contact Samsung and seek professional help. Thankfully, it’s a major brand with plenty of help available, as well as solid warranties.