The fastest way to remove an app from your Samsung TV
To delete an app from a Samsung TV, press the Home button on your remote, find the app you want to remove, press and hold the select button (the center circle on your remote), then choose Delete or Remove from the menu that appears. The exact wording depends on your TV model and the year it was made, but the process takes about 30 seconds.
If you cannot find a Delete option, your TV may not allow you to remove that particular app — some Samsung TVs come with built-in apps that cannot be uninstalled, only hidden. You can hide these apps instead by selecting Hide App from the same menu.
The app disappears from your home screen when ready, but the TV keeps a small amount of storage space reserved for it. If you need to reinstall the app later, you can read it again from the Samsung TV App Store for free.
Key Takeaways
- Press Home on your remote, find the app, press and hold the select button, then choose Delete from the menu.
- Some built-in apps cannot be deleted but can be hidden from your home screen instead.
- Deleting an app frees up storage space on your TV and removes it from your app list.
- You can reinstall any app you delete by downloading it again from the Samsung TV App Store.
Finding the app you want to delete on your home screen
Open your TV by pressing the Home button on your Samsung remote. Your home screen shows all the apps currently installed, arranged in rows. Scroll left or right to find the app you want to remove — common apps like Netflix, YouTube, or Hulu are usually in the first few rows, while less-used apps appear further to the right.
If you have many apps installed, scrolling through all of them can take a while. Look for the app's icon and name to make sure you are selecting the right one before you proceed to delete it.
The delete menu and what happens next
Once you have found the app, press and hold the select button (the round button in the center of your remote's directional pad) for about two seconds. A small menu will pop up with options like Delete, Remove, or Hide App. Select Delete or Remove — both words mean the same thing on Samsung TVs.
Your TV will ask you to confirm that you want to delete the app. Press Yes or OK to finish. The app disappears from your home screen within a few seconds. If you change your mind when ready, some Samsung TVs show an Undo option, but this only works for a few seconds after deletion.
When you cannot delete an app
Samsung TVs come with certain built-in apps that cannot be deleted, such as Samsung TV Plus, SmartThings, or the TV App Store itself. If you press and hold the select button on one of these apps and no Delete option appears, your TV does not allow removal of that particular app.
Instead, you can hide the app from your home screen by selecting Hide App from the menu. The app still exists on your TV and takes up storage space, but it will not show up when you browse your home screen. You can unhide it later by going to your TV settings and finding the Hidden Apps section.
Freeing up storage space on your Samsung TV
Deleting apps is one of the best ways to free up storage space if your TV is running slowly or you are getting messages that storage is full. Each app takes up a different amount of space — streaming apps like Netflix or Disney+ typically use 50 to 200 megabytes each, while games can use much more.
If you delete an app and your TV still feels slow, you may also need to clear the cache, which is temporary data that apps store. Go to Settings, then Apps, then select an app and choose Clear Cache. This removes old data without deleting the app itself.
Reinstalling an app you deleted
If you delete an app and later decide you want it back, you can read it again for free from the Samsung TV App Store. Press Home, then select the App Store icon (usually a shopping bag or grid icon), search for the app by name, and select Install. The read takes a few minutes depending on the app size and your internet speed.
Your login information and saved settings for that app may or may not be restored when you reinstall it, depending on the app. For example, Netflix will remember your account and watch history, but a game may start you over from the beginning.
Deleting apps on older Samsung TV models
Older Samsung TVs from 2015 or earlier may use a different process. On these models, you may need to go to Settings, then Apps, then select the app and choose Uninstall. The menu system looks different, but the result is the same — the app is removed from your TV.
If you are not sure which version of Samsung's operating system your TV uses, check the model number on the back of your TV or in the Settings menu under About TV. You can then search for your specific model number online to find the exact steps for your TV.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will deleting an app remove my saved data and login information?
Deleting the app removes it from your TV, but your account information stays with the service itself. When you reinstall Netflix, for example, it will remember your account and watch history because that data is stored on Netflix's servers, not on your TV. Games and other apps that store data locally may start you over.
Can I delete multiple apps at once?
No, Samsung TVs require you to delete apps one at a time. There is no bulk delete option. If you want to remove several apps, you will need to repeat the press-and-hold process for each one.
What should I do if the Delete option does not appear?
If no Delete option shows up, the app is a built-in app that Samsung does not allow you to remove. You can hide it instead by selecting Hide App, which removes it from your home screen view. To unhide it later, go to Settings, then Apps, then select Show Hidden Apps.
Does deleting an app free up enough space to make my TV faster?
Deleting unused apps does free up storage space, which can help if your TV is running out of room. However, if your TV is slow, the problem is usually not storage — it is usually too many apps running at once. Restarting your TV or closing background apps may help more than deleting them.
Can I delete the Samsung TV App Store?
No, the Samsung TV App Store is a built-in app that cannot be deleted. You can hide it from your home screen if you do not use it, but you cannot remove it completely.