The fastest way to remove an app from your Vizio TV
To delete an app on a Vizio Smart TV, press the V button (or menu button) on your remote, navigate to Apps, find the app you want to remove, press OK, and select Delete or Remove. The app disappears from your home screen within seconds. The process is the same whether you're using SmartCast (Vizio's built-in system) or an external streaming device connected to your TV.
If you cannot find the app in the Apps menu, it may be pinned to your home screen as a shortcut rather than installed as a full app. In that case, highlight the shortcut, press OK, and select Remove from Home instead. The difference matters because removing a shortcut does not delete the app itself — it just hides it from view.
Key Takeaways
- Press the V button, go to Apps, select the app, press OK, and choose Delete to remove it permanently from your Vizio TV.
- Deleting an app frees up storage space on your TV and removes it from your home screen, but you can reinstall it later from the app store.
- If an app is pinned to your home screen as a shortcut, select Remove from Home to hide it without deleting the full app.
- Some pre-installed Vizio apps cannot be deleted, only hidden or disabled through the Settings menu under Apps.
Step-by-step deletion on SmartCast TVs
On Vizio TVs running SmartCast, the deletion process takes about 30 seconds. Start by pressing the V button on your remote — this opens the main menu. Use the arrow keys to highlight Apps and press OK. You will see a list of all installed apps on your TV.
Scroll through the list until you find the app you want to remove. Highlight it and press OK. A small menu will appear with options including Delete, Remove, or Uninstall (the exact wording depends on your TV model and software version). Select that option and confirm when prompted. The app will be gone from your system when ready.
If you change your mind later, you can reinstall the app by going back to Apps and selecting Get More Apps or App Store. Search for the app by name and select Install. This is useful if you delete an app to free up space but want it back in a few weeks.
Removing apps pinned to your home screen
Vizio TVs let you pin app shortcuts directly to your home screen for quick access. These shortcuts look like apps but are not the same thing — removing a shortcut does not delete the app from your TV's storage. To remove a shortcut, go to your home screen, highlight the app tile, and press OK. Select Remove from Home or Unpin.
The shortcut vanishes from your home screen, but the full app remains installed. You can still find it in the Apps menu and launch it from there. This is different from deleting the app entirely, which removes both the shortcut and the full installation. If you want the app completely gone, you must delete it from the Apps menu instead.
Dealing with apps that cannot be deleted
Some apps come pre-installed on Vizio TVs by the manufacturer — apps like Vizio SmartCast, Netflix, or YouTube. These system apps often cannot be deleted through the normal delete menu. Instead, you will see options like Disable or Hide. Selecting Disable turns off the app so it no longer runs in the background, which can free up memory and battery power on your remote.
If you disable an app, it will no longer appear on your home screen or in your app list, but the app files remain on your TV. You can re-enable it later by going to Settings > Apps > System Apps and selecting the app name, then choosing Enable. This approach is useful when you want an app out of sight but may need it again without reinstalling.
Freeing up storage space by deleting unused apps
Vizio Smart TVs have limited built-in storage — typically between 4 and 8 gigabytes depending on the model. When you install many apps, your TV can slow down or run out of space for system updates. Deleting apps you no longer use is one of the fastest ways to improve performance. Streaming apps like Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+ each take up 100 to 500 megabytes of space, so removing even three unused apps can noticeably speed up your TV.
To see how much space your TV is using, go to Settings > System > Storage or About. This screen shows your total storage and how much is available. If you are below 1 gigabyte of free space, your TV may struggle to install updates or run smoothly. Start by deleting apps you have not opened in the past month — you can always reinstall them later if you need them.
Deleting apps on Vizio TVs with external streaming devices
If your Vizio TV is connected to an external device like a Roku, Apple TV, or Amazon Fire Stick, the deletion process happens on that device, not on the TV itself. For a Roku device, press the Home button on your Roku remote, highlight the app, press Options (the star button), and select Remove Channel. For Apple TV, highlight the app, press and hold the touchpad, and select Delete. For Fire Stick, highlight the app, press the menu button, and select Uninstall.
The TV itself does not store these apps — it straightforward displays them from the external device. Deleting from the external device removes the app from your TV screen when ready. Your Vizio TV's built-in storage is not affected because the app was never installed on the TV in the first place. This is why external devices are useful if your TV is running low on space.
What happens after you delete an app
Once you delete an app, it is removed from your TV's storage and no longer appears on your home screen or in your apps list. Any data the app stored — like your watch history or saved preferences — is also deleted. If you reinstall the app later, you will start fresh with default settings, though you can usually log back in with your account to restore some information like your Netflix profile.
Deleting an app does not affect other apps or your TV's core functions. Your channels, picture settings, and other apps continue to work normally. The only change is that you have freed up storage space and removed one app from your system. If you delete an app by mistake, straightforward go to the app store and reinstall it — there is no penalty for uninstalling and reinstalling.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I delete the Vizio SmartCast app?
No, Vizio SmartCast is a system app that cannot be deleted. You can disable it through Settings to hide it from your home screen, but the app files will remain on your TV. If you disable it, you can re-enable it later by going to Settings > Apps > System Apps and selecting Enable.
Will deleting an app speed up my Vizio TV?
Yes, if your TV is running low on storage space. Deleting unused apps frees up gigabytes of space, which allows your TV to run updates and launch other apps faster. If your TV has plenty of free storage, deleting apps will have little effect on speed.
What if the Delete option does not appear when I press OK on an app?
The app is likely a system app that Vizio does not allow you to delete. Try selecting Disable instead to hide it from your home screen. If neither option appears, the app may be part of your TV's core software and cannot be removed without a factory reset.
Can I delete multiple apps at once?
No, Vizio TVs require you to delete apps one at a time. There is no bulk delete feature. If you want to remove many apps, you will need to go through the delete process for each one separately.
Do I lose my login information if I delete an app?
Yes, deleting an app removes all data it stored on your TV, including login information and watch history. When you reinstall the app, you will need to log in again with your username and password, but your account information on the service itself (like your Netflix profile) remains intact.