Vizio smart TVs force you to use a Walmart account

Did you recently purchase a Vizio TV? Or maybe you were thinking about buying one? If so, you should know that you’ll need to start using a Walmart account with your TV if you want access to smart TV features.

Vizio TV owners are sharing a notice they recently received from the company. In the email, the TV brand warns users that it is transitioning to use Walmart sign-ins for “all newly purchased Vizio OS smart TVs.” The message adds that customers will soon have the option to merge their Vizio account with a Walmart account. This option will start with newly purchased TVs and will extend to customers who already have a TV at a future date.

Since the middle of 2024, Vizio TVs have required users to create a Vizio account. According to the Vizio OS site, having an account gave users access to exclusive offers, subscription management, and tailored support. At the same time, these accounts were also tied to the company’s ad and tracking business. Shortly after this rollout, Vizio was bought by Walmart in December 2024. This transition seems to suggest that Walmart is interested in bringing Vizio closer to the fold.

In a statement to Ars Technica, a Walmart spokesperson confirmed that a Walmart account will be mandatory on “select new Vizio OS TVs.” This will allow users to complete the onboarding process and give them access to smart TV features. The spokesperson adds:

Customers who already have an existing Vizio account are being given the option to merge their Vizio account with their Walmart account. Customers with an existing Vizio account can opt out by deleting their Vizio account.

It’s unclear what models are affected by the new rules. However, Vizio’s email suggests that this change will eventually expand to all new models.

An update to the Walmart customer privacy page also appears to confirm that smart TV functionality won’t be available unless you have a Walmart account. The page specifically states that when a Vizio account is merged with a Walmart account, “VIZIO will provide Walmart with data needed to enable sign-in and Smart TV functionality.”

The move appears to be an attempt to bolster Walmart’s ad business. According to Ars Technica, Vizio’s ad business made a gross profit of $115.8 million in its final quarter as its own company. In February call with investors, Walmart CFO John David Rainey reportedly claimed that Vizio “saw triple-digit growth in advertising” during the company’s fiscal Q4. That adds onto Walmart’s existing $6.4 billion ads business.