How To Reset A Samsung TV

If your television stops working, can’t be turned on, or becomes unresponsive, a reset may help. Resetting a Samsung TV reboots its software which helps fix minor software issues and bugs. There are two ways to restart a Samsung TV, a “Soft Reset” and a “Hard Reset.” A “Soft Reset” won’t erase saved data or menu settings, so you should always try it first. Then if the problem isn’t resolved by a “Soft Reset,” you should try a “Hard Reset,” which will erase saved data and menu settings.

A hard factory reset reboots your Samsung TV to its original factory settings and can’t be undone, so I recommend starting with a soft reset first before performing a hard reset.

A reset can be the fastest and easiest way to solve a software-related problem with your Samsung TV. However, it generally won’t help if the TV is physically damaged or has component failures.

To Soft reset a Samsung TV, power off the TV and unplug it from the outlet > wait about a minute > then reconnect the plug and press the power button on your TV. The TV will turn on and should work fine.

If the problem you’re having isn’t fixed by a “Soft Reset,” try a “Hard Reset,” which reverts the TV to its original factory settings.

Remember, a hard reset returns a Samsung TV to its original out-of-the-box factory settings and erases all your saved data and settings, so try it as a last resort if a soft reset doesn’t work.

Note: If you’re having trouble with your Samsung Smart TV, check for new software updates before performing a reset because they may contain a fix for your problem.

How To Hard Reset A Samsung TV

Hard resetting your Samsung TV with the instructions below will erase all your saved data, and settings will be restored to their out-of-the-box state. Samsung accounts, picture settings, WiFi, passwords, and all your downloaded apps will be deleted. Make sure to write down your router name and password and the passwords to all your apps before performing a hard reset.

Because a Samsung TV hard reset can’t be undone, consider trying a soft reset first. A soft reset fixes many minor software issues but doesn’t erase your saved data, settings, apps, or passwords.

Note: Most Samsung TVs have a default PIN of 0000 in case you’re asked for a PIN number after the reset.

Here’s a step-by-step guide explaining how to Hard Reboot a Samsung TV:

Turn on your TV and press the “Home” button on your remote.
Navigate to “Settings”.
Select “General” > “Reset”.
Enter a 4-digit PIN code when prompted. If you didn’t change the PIN after purchasing your TV, the default PIN should be 0000.
Select “Yes” after the TV reboot pop-up screen appears.
The reboot process will begin, and the TV will turn off when it’s completed.
Turn on the TV again and complete the settings and setup process.

Once you’ve completed all 7 reboot steps, your Samsung TV should be reset to factory settings and should work like new. However, if you’re still having problems with the TV, the issue is hardware related.

Request Remote Samsung TV Support

If you need help resetting your Samsung TV, a service center can access your smart TV remotely and reset it for you. Resetting the TV in this way is considered a hard reset that will erase all your saved data, passwords, settings, and apps. After the reset, your TV will be restored to its factory, out-of-the-box settings.

I recommended writing down the SSID network name of your router and its password, as well as the passwords for all your apps before you reset your TV.

Here’s how you do it:

Press the “Home” button on the remote
Navigate to “Settings”.
Select “Support” > “Remote Management”.
Follow the on-screen instruction.

Note: In order for Samsung to reboot your TV for you, it must be connected to the internet.

How To Reset A Samsung TV Main Board

Over time a Samsung TV’s memory can run low, or an electrical charge can build up inside the TV. The result can be glitches like non-responsive apps and menus or turning on slowly. Discharging or cold booting the TV drains the residual electric charge stored inside, clears the short-term memory cache, and resets the main board.

If your Samsung TV is operating strangely in any way, try the following:

With the TV on, press and hold the power button on your Samsung TV remote until the TV turns off and then back on. When the TV turns back on, it should work normally.

If you don’t have your official Samsung remote that came with the TV, there’s another way you can discharge your TV.

With the TV turned on, unplug it for 30 seconds
Plug it back in and turn it on. When the TV turns back on, it should work normally.

How To Soft Reset or Cold Boot Your Samsung TV by Unplugging It

Unplugging your Samsung TV for about 30 seconds before turning the TV on again is a great way to quickly reset its main board. Over time, a modern smart TV can run short on temporary memory stored in its cache or build up residual electricity in its circuits. Both can cause minor software glitches like unresponsive apps and menus.

A fast reboot clears short-term memory from the main board and drains residual energy, which fixes many of these minor issues.

Here’s how to do it:

Turn off your TV and unplug the power cord from the outlet.
Wait about 30 seconds before plugging the power cord back in.
Turn on your TV.
The TV should now work normally.

Once the TV turns back on, it should work normally. The menus and apps should all load quickly, and the TV should be more responsive. However, if a fast reboot doesn’t work, consider trying a hard reset.

How To Reset the Sound on a Samsung Television

If you’re Samsung TV is experiencing audio issues, you can perform a sound reset to restore all sound-related settings to their factory defaults. Any custom adjustments you made to sound balance, equalizer settings, HDMI audio format, audio delay, and auto volume will be affected once you perform the reset.

If you like the settings you have, write them down so you can adjust the sound settings after the reset is complete.

Keep in mind that resetting your TV’s sound settings won’t impact other configurations or saved data on a Samsung TV. This type of reset is limited to sound only.

Follow these steps to perform a sound reset:

Turn off the TV: Press and hold the power button until the TV powers down.
Access the menu: Press the menu button on your remote.
Enter the PIN: The TV will prompt you to enter a pin. If you haven’t changed the PIN code since buying your TV, the Samsung default is usually 0000.
Navigate to Settings: Use the up and down arrows to navigate to Settings.
Select Sound Settings: Choose Sound Settings from the menu.
Access Expert Settings: Select Expert Settings.
Reset the sound: Choose Reset Sound and press Enter.

Once you complete the sound reset, all your custom settings be reverted to their factory defaults. However, you can adjust them again in any way you like.

How To Reset Your Samsung TV’s Smart Hub Settings

You can reset the Samsung TV Smart Hub feature if you’re experiencing issues with your Smart Hub or want to remove all related services from your account. This reset will disconnect all services from your account and delete individual preferences. To regain access to services, you’ll need to reconnect your account and agree to Smart Hub service agreements.

Pre-installed programs on your TV will continue functioning after resetting your Smart Hub.

To reset the Smart Hub, follow these steps:

Turn off the TV: Press and hold the power button until the TV powers down.
Access the menu: Press the menu button on your remote.
Enter the PIN: The TV will prompt you to enter a PIN code. If you haven’t changed the PIN code since buying your TV, the Samsung default is usually 0000.
Navigate to Settings: Use the up and down arrows to navigate to Settings.
Navigate to Support: Select Support.
Access Self Diagnosis: Choose Self Diagnosis from the menu.
Reset Smart Hub: Select Reset Smart Hub and press Enter.
Wait: Allow a few seconds for the reset procedure to complete.

Once you reset your Samsung TV Smart Hub, you’ll have to reconnect your account and agree to the Smart Hub service agreement again. However, if you’re interested in using another Smart Home Ecosystem, Samsung TVs are compatible with HomeKit when connected to a HomeKit hub.

How To Reset Samsung TV Network Settings

If you’re having trouble connecting your Samsung TV to WiFi, it could be due to incorrect network settings, outdated firmware (software), incorrect DNS settings, or an invalid MAC address. To troubleshoot the problem, start by checking your TV’s WiFi status.

To check if your TV is connected to WiFi, follow these steps:

Access settings: Navigate to the settings menu.
Choose General: Select the General option.
Select Network: Choose Network from the drop-down menu.
Open Network Settings: Select Open Network Settings from the menu bar.
Connect to WiFi: Locate the WiFi network you want to connect to.
Enter password: Enter the password for the WiFi network and click Done.

If the connection fails, try refreshing the network on your TV. Here’s how you can do it on a Samsung TV:

Press the Home button: Use the remote to press the Home button.
Access settings: Navigate to the Settings menu.
Choose General: Select General.
Navigate to Network: Go to the Network menu.
Reset the Network: Choose the Reset Network option.
Enter password: Enter your password when prompted.
Restart your TV: Restart your television.

Following the steps above should help troubleshoot and resolve your TV’s WiFi connectivity issues. But if they don’t check the router, modem, and internet service. The problem could be with your WiFi network and not the TV.

If your router, modem, and internet service are all working, but the TV still won’t connect, contacts Samsung support.

How To Troubleshoot A Samsung TV

If you’re experiencing problems with your Samsung TV that require a reset to fix, you can perform a series of diagnostic tests on the TV to troubleshoot the problem first. Finding and fixing the problem may help avoid a hard factory reset.

Network Status Test:

A network status test will help troubleshoot issues if your Samsung TV won’t connect to the internet or drops WiFi.

Go to Settings: Access the Settings menu.
Select Network: Choose the Network option.
Select Network Status: Look for the Network Status option.
Test begins: The network status test will commence.
Check for an X or Earth symbol: An X or Earth symbol indicates connection issues between your TV, router, or the internet.

Smart Hub Connection Test:

Smart Hub is the primary menu system used by Samsung Smart TVs. Through the Smart hub, you can control all your TV’s functions and can download apps, games and browse the internet. Smart Hub broadens the capabilities of your TV and makes it easier to use.

If you’re having problems with your TV’s smart hub, troubleshoot the issue before resetting the TV.

Go to Settings: Access the Settings menu.
Select Support: Choose Support.
Select Device Care: Look for Device Care.
Select Self Diagnosis: Choose Self Diagnosis.
Start Connection Test: Select Start Smart Hub Connection Test.
Follow instructions: Review and follow the on-screen instructions.
Test completion: Select Close after the test finishes.
Check for specific issues: Identify if the problem lies with your ISP, Samsung server, or a specific app service.

Picture Test:

Fantastic picture quality is one of the reasons why many people love Samsung TVs. However, like any electronic device, picture quality can diminish if the settings are incorrect or there’s a problem with the TV. Before factory resetting your Samsung TV, perform the following picture test to see if you can resolve the issue.

Go to Settings: Access the Settings menu.
Select Support: Choose Support.
Select Device Care: Look for Device Care.
Select Self Diagnosis: Choose Self Diagnosis.
Start Picture Test: Select Start Picture Test.
Verify picture quality: Assess the test picture for good or bad quality.
Check connections: Ensure cable connections, internet connection, and external components are properly connected to your Samsung TV.
Reset picture settings: If the issue persists, consider resetting picture settings by going to Settings > Picture > Expert Settings > Reset Picture > Yes.

If you’re looking for help finding the best picture settings for Samsung TV, click the link. I have an entire article showing you how to do it step by step.

Sound Test:

Great sound is another feature of almost all Samsung TVs. I have a Samsung Crystal UHD CU7000, and the built-in audio is fantastic. If you’re having issues with your TV’s sound quality, you can perform a diagnostic test before resorting to a reboot.

Go to Settings: Access the Settings menu.
Select Support: Choose Support.
Select Device Care: Look for Device Care.
Select Self Diagnosis: Choose Self Diagnosis.
Start Sound Test: Select Start Sound Test.
Confirm sound: Indicate whether you hear the sound (Yes or No).
Check audio setup: The Sound Test will assess if the sound is playing correctly.
Component check: Check audio cables and external components, such as a soundbar.
Reset sound settings: If the sound issue persists, consider resetting sound settings by going to Settings > Sound > Expert Settings > Reset Sound > Yes.

Contact Samsung Support

If you’re experiencing problems with your Samsung TV that troubleshooting and a reset won’t fix, contact Samsung Customer Support. They may have solutions that can help resolve your problem.

You may be eligible for warranty coverage if the issue is hardware-related. Ask Samsung Support if getting a replacement for your defective Samsung TV or repairs are possible.

Why Does My Samsung TV Restart?

If your Samsung Smart TV frequently restarts all by itself, there are usually two common causes: outdated software or a faulty power cord. A reset can usually fix the problem if the restarts are software related or caused by a glitch.

If a reset doesn’t fix the problem, try updating your TV’s software to the latest version. This can usually be done through the TV’s settings menu or by visiting Samsung’s official website for firmware updates.

If the restarts keep happening after updating the software and resetting your TV, you could have a faulty power cord. Check the power cord for any damage or loose connections. If you find any issues, replace the power cord with a new one.

Check the outlet and breaker panel if the issue continues despite these troubleshooting steps because an electrical issue could cause the restarts.

When all else fails, contact Samsung Support for help.

How do I Reset my Samsung Smart TV without the Screen?

If your Samsung TV doesn’t turn on and give you access to the screen, you can still perform a reset.

To do it, follow these steps:

Unplug: Disconnect the TV from the wall outlet.
Press and hold: Locate the power button on your TV and press and hold it.
Hold for a minute: Keep holding the power button for at least a minute.
Plug back in: Reconnect the TV by plugging it back into the wall outlet.
Turn on: Power on the TV using the power button or remote control.

This method can help reset your Samsung Smart TV even if you’re unable to see the screen. It allows the TV to fully power down, drain residual power from its circuits, clear short-term memory, and restart, potentially resolving any issues you may be having.

Conclusion:

Here’s a rundown of the different types of resets you can perform on your Samsung TV. Troubleshooting the problem by performing a soft reset could help fix the issue. I recommend trying soft resets before a hard factory reset because they don’t delete saved data, settings, passwords, and apps like a hard reset does.

Rebooting: Rebooting a Samsung TV is similar to restarting a computer.
Regular Reboots: Smart TVs, like PCs, benefit from frequent reboots to install software updates.
Simple Restart: A simple shutdown and restart might solve the issue without further troubleshooting or a factory reset.
Cold Booting: Performing a cold boot can help by clearing unnecessary data and removing excess power.
Sound Reset: If you encounter audio problems on your TV, a sound reset will restore sound-related settings to factory defaults.
Smart Hub Reset: If your Samsung TV has Wi-Fi connectivity issues, a Smart Hub reset may be necessary. This will disconnect all services and remove individual preferences.
Hard Reset: A hard reset deletes all your saved data, passwords, settings, and apps and returns the TV to its default out-of-the-box condition.

Summary: How To Reset A Samsung TV

A hard factory reset reboots your Samsung TV to its original factory settings and can’t be undone, so I recommend starting with a soft reset first before performing a hard reset.

A reset can be the fastest and easiest way to solve a software-related problem with your Samsung TV. However, it generally won’t help if the TV is physically damaged or has component failures.

If the problem you’re having isn’t fixed by a “Soft Reset,” try a “Hard Reset,” which reverts the TV to its original factory settings.

Remember, a hard reset returns a Samsung TV to its original out-of-the-box factory settings and erases all your saved data and settings, so try it as a last resort if a soft reset doesn’t work.

Note: If you’re having trouble with your Samsung Smart TV, check for new software updates before performing a reset because they may contain a fix for your problem.

If you have any questions or comments about how to reset a Samsung TV, email any time.