Keeping your applications current is a fundamental part of maximizing your smart television experience. Outdated software can lead to crashes, security vulnerabilities, and missing features that diminish entertainment value. This guide provides a clear, step-by-step walkthrough for updating apps on the most common smart TV platforms, ensuring your streaming services run smoothly.
Understanding App Updates on Smart TVs
Unlike a computer or phone, smart TVs often manage background processes differently to conserve memory and processing power. Because of this, apps do not always update automatically in the same way they do on mobile devices. You might open an app and be prompted to update immediately, or you might need to manually check for pending updates. The update process can vary slightly depending on whether you use a television running Android TV, webOS, Tizen, or Roku OS, but the core principles remain consistent across devices.
Checking for Manual Updates on Android TV
If you are using an Android TV device, the Google Play Store acts as the central hub for all your applications. To ensure specific apps are up to date, follow these steps directly on your remote and interface.
Navigating the Play Store
Open the Google Play Store app on your smart television.
Use the directional pad on your remote to navigate to the profile icon or the "Menu" button, usually located in the top left corner.
Select "Manage apps & device" from the dropdown menu.
Selecting Updates
Once you are in the management menu, you will see a list of installed applications. Here is how to filter and update them efficiently.
Switch to the "Updates available" tab to see which apps require attention.
Select "Update" next to an individual app, or choose "Update all" to refresh every application at once.
Updating Apps on Tizen and webOS Devices
Samsung TVs (Tizen) and LG TVs (webOS) handle their ecosystems differently, relying on a dedicated app store located within the settings menu rather than a separate home screen icon. The process is streamlined but hidden in a way that might confuse new users.
Accessing the App Manager
To update your apps on these platforms, you must enter the system settings rather than the store front.
Press the "Home" button on your remote control.
Navigate to "Settings" and then locate "Apps" or "Applications."
Look for an option labeled "App Update" or "Update apps."
Selecting this option will scan your device for any applications that have new versions available. You will usually see an option to update all apps at once, which is the most efficient method unless you are troubleshooting a specific malfunction.
Managing Updates on Roku and Apple TV
Roku and Apple TV operate similarly to mobile app stores, where updates can happen automatically, but manual checks are sometimes necessary to resolve glitches.
Roku Specifics
On Roku, updates are generally automatic. However, if an app is failing to launch, you can force a refresh.
