Samsung TV Plus not working? Here's how to fix it

While Samsung TV Plus might not have the appeal of streaming services like Netflix or Hulu, it is a completely free option included with all modern Samsung TVs and also available for Samsung phone and tablet owners. There are more than 400 live channels and thousands of movies and shows on demand, including a sizable library of K-Content.

You might be surprised by how strong the catalog is for a free service. If you already use it, you will find plenty to watch. When it stops working, however, things can go wrong for several reasons ranging from server outages to local app issues. Here are some of the most common problems and their possible fixes.

Is Samsung TV Plus down?

If Samsung TV Plus is not working, first check whether the problem is on Samsung’s end. While it does not happen often, streaming services sometimes go down for reasons beyond your control. Sites such as Down Detector are helpful for this, but unfortunately, Samsung TV Plus is not currently supported there.

Instead, try testing the app on multiple devices or networks. If it fails on all of them, the issue is likely either with your network or with Samsung’s servers. If other apps are also having problems, the cause is probably local.

Is your internet working?

If your connection is down, Samsung TV Plus will not function. Take the following steps to make sure your internet or your ISP is not the issue:

• Start by ensuring you can browse and view other sites or services without issue. If Netflix or YouTube works, your local connection is fine. Run a speed test to confirm your connection speed. Samsung TV Plus does not include its own test tool, so use Ookla or Google’s built-in speed test instead. Samsung recommends a minimum of 4 Mbps for SD, 6 Mbps for HD, and 25 Mbps for 4K. If you are using Wi-Fi, verify that your ISP is not experiencing an outage. If you have no connection at all, call your provider.
• On a Wi-Fi connection? Make sure your ISP is working too. If you don’t have any internet access you might have to directly call your provider to find out if there’s an issue on their end.
• Not the problem? Next, you’ll want to try restarting the router. Sometimes software issues can cause the router to misbehave and this can often be an easy fix. If you are willing to put in the extra effort, you can also do a full reset of your router to ensure it’s back to its factory state. This will ensure there are no issues with the hardware itself.
• Don’t have Wi-Fi? Ensure your mobile data is on. For Android, you can do this by going to Settings > Network & Internet > SIMs and then select your Primary SIM. Then you’ll see a switch labeled Mobile Data. Toggle it on if it isn’t already.

Close and reopen Samsung TV Plus

If the internet is fine and the service is online, the problem might be with your device or the app itself. Try closing and reopening the app or browser.

Here’s how to force close the app on Android:

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Go into Apps.
3. Tap on See all apps.
4. Find Samsung TV Plus and tap on it.
5. Hit Force stop.
6. Confirm by tapping OK

Be aware that Samsung Smart TV owners won’t be able to force stop apps in this manner, so you’ll want to jump right to restarting your Samsung TV.

Try restarting your Samsung TV

You can restart your TV in two ways. Turn it on and press the power button on the remote for five seconds to force a restart. Or turn the TV off, unplug it from power for 30 seconds, and then plug it back in. After restarting, check if the issue is resolved.

Update your TV software

Updating the software may fix bugs or improve the Samsung TV Plus experience. If automatic updates are enabled, you are set. Otherwise, you can check manually for updates by going to Menu > Settings > Support. From there, you’ll want to select Software Update and then Update Now.

Clear the cache

Another thing you might want to try is clearing the cache on your device. Here’s how to do it for your Samsung phone or tablet:

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Go into Apps.
3. Find and select the Netflix app under See all apps.
4. Tap on Storage & cache.
5. Hit Clear Cache.
6. You can also select Clear storage for a clean start.

Is the network blocking Samsung TV Plus?

Public or business networks sometimes block streaming to reduce congestion or avoid distractions, especially in schools. If you are on one of these networks, Samsung TV Plus may be restricted.

It might be your location or your VPN

Samsung TV Plus is supported in several countries, though it depends on the device. Here’s a break down below:

• Galaxy Devices with Android 8.0 (O OS) or higher in 11 countries: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Austria, India, Republic of Korea
• 2016-2022 Samsung Smart TVs in 24 countries: United States, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Austria, Switzerland, Netherlands, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Ireland, Belgium, Portuguese, Republic of Korea, Australia, India
• 2017-2022 Family Hub in the Republic of Korea
• 2017 Family Hub in the United States

If you’re in an unsupported region, you’ll need to use a VPN to access the service. In a supported country but still having problems? It’s possible you left your VPN on and it’s set to an incompatible region.

 “There was a problem while trying to play the Samsung TV Plus channel” error

Some Samsung TV Plus users have run into an error that says “There was a problem while trying to play the Samsung TV Plus channel. Check your network settings or try again later”. Here are a few things you can try that may solve the problem:

• First, verify that your connection is working. Regardless, you’ll also want to try restarting the router.
• Still not working? You might want to check your DNS settings. Try switching the DNS to 8.8.8.8. Then reboot.