Skip to main content

What is the Samsung Smart TV web browser?

If you have a Samsung TV, there’s an interesting feature that could save you some time: the ability to browse the internet right from your TV at any time with Samsung’s native browser.

Hopping onto a browser on your TV often requires an additional device (like a set-top box or game console) or some type of screen mirroring. But with Samsung’s Tizen-powered TV web browser, you can go online immediately without any complex workarounds. That means it takes only seconds to look up scores, check acting histories, look for tips on games in Samsung’s Gaming Hub, and more. Here’s everything you should know!

Recommended Videos

Samsung Smart TV web browser basics

Samsung TV home menu.
Samsung

Samsung’s Smart TV platform connects to your internet via either Wi-Fi or an Ethernet cable connection, a feature you enable during setup. This allows the Smart TV to run a wide variety of streaming apps, including popular options like Netflix or YouTube TV. But Samsung also has its own browser app, which functions like common browsers such as Firefox or Chrome, but it’s on your TV and controlled via your remote.

This method is a little more cumbersome than using a mouse and keyboard, but you still get many browser benefits on your TV screen without needing to switch to a computer. That’s helpful if you want to look up a quick YouTube video to share with friends, settle an argument by checking the official sources online, or look up quick tips to help with a game, etc. The browser is free to use and doesn’t require any setup.

Accessing the Samsung Smart TV web browser

A Samsung TV menu.
Samsung

Most Samsung TVs have a web browser built right into their menu. You can access that menu at any time by pressing the Smart hub or Home button on your remote.

The browser has a globe or globe-like icon (depending on your Samsung TV interface) and is typically titled “Web” or something similar. If you don’t see it on your home screen, go to the Apps section and look for it there.

Tips for using the Samsung Smart TV browser app

A web page on Samsung's browser.
Samsung
  • You don’t need to use your remote for navigation if you don’t mind a little extra work. A wireless keyboard and mouse can connect to your TV to provide a more traditional browsing experience. The downside is that finding a place for that keyboard and mouse in your home theater can be a little difficult.
  • The three primary tabs in Samsung’s Smart TV browser are Featured, Most Visited, and Bookmarks. Featured is an easy way to access a quick Google search or a video platform like YouTube or Facebook. Most Visited and Bookmarks are only useful if you spend a lot of time on the Samsung browser, so you’ll probably get the most out of the Featured page when beginning.
  • You can search directly from the top bar that says Enter URL or keyword to save a little time. When you select any search box with your remote, a digital keyboard will pop up to use.
  • The Smart TV browser also has a settings menu that you can access from the top-right icon. Here is where you can customize how tabs and toolbars appear or enable a picture-in-picture mode to watch TV while browsing, among other options. It’s definitely worth a visit.
  • You can also use either Google or Bing search engines from this browser, just in case you have a preference.
  • If you want to watch a specific event, it’s better to download an app that carries that event, like YouTube TV or Sling TV, rather than try streaming from the web browser.
  • You can’t have many browser tabs open at once using this app; it’s a good idea to stick with just one tab at a time.
  • Some website elements may not work properly due to Samsung’s Tizen operating system, especially certain HTML5 features, so don’t expect the full range of functionality that you would get from a computer.

What if my Samsung TV doesn’t have a web browser?

Use the search function to find Samsung's browser.
Samsung

It’s unusual, but you can simply download the browser app. On the Home screen, select the Magnifying glass section to begin a search, and type in “web browser.” This should bring up Samsung’s web app, which you can select and then choose to Install.

Samsung Smart TV web browser troubleshooting

If the web app is freezing or crashing, try a little rebooting. Unplug both your router (assuming you are using Wi-Fi) and your Samsung TV. Wait for a couple of minutes, then plug them both back in. Let your Smart TV reconnect to the internet, and then try again.

We would usually recommend checking your browser app for any updates, too, since updates can often bring bug fixes and optimization. However, Samsung doesn’t manage its browser updates that way, and you can’t initiate updates on your end. Instead, Samsung rolls them out automatically, so just make sure your TV is regularly connected to the internet.

Samsung Smart TVs should also have a way to reset the Smart Hub. Go to the Home screen and look for the Settings option, followed by Support, and then Self diagnosis. Here you should be able to choose Reset smart hub. If you are asked for a PIN, consult your manual or enter all zeros.

If a website isn’t loading, then give it a little time. Some websites just won’t play nice with Samsung’s browser. Try navigating to another site to see if it loads properly.

Can I use a different browser on my Samsung TV?

It’s possible, but you’ll need an additional device. Samsung’s own browser is currently the only browser supported on its Smart TV platform. You can’t download Chrome or Opera the way you can on a computer or smartphone. The only solution is to attach an accessory that offers a different platform and use that instead of the Tizen interface. If you attach the latest Google Chromecast, you can use the built-in Google TV platform, which supports the Chrome browser. If you use a Fire TV Stick from Amazon, you can use browsers like Amazon Silk. One big exception is Apple TV, which doesn’t support Safari.

Tyler Lacoma
Former Digital Trends Contributor
If it can be streamed, voice-activated, made better with an app, or beaten by mashing buttons, Tyler's into it. When he's not…
Samsung strengthens its AI vision across its TV and audio lineup at CES 2025
The Samsung S95F OLED on display at CES 2025.

It's January, and you know what that means -- CES 2025 is revving up. Samsung burst out of the gates tonight by announcing its offerings for the year, including its 2025 Neo QLED and OLED TVs, audio products, and more, all of which are poised to push the limits of AI-powered features and functionality. Pricing and availability details are still unknown, but here's what we know so far.
Vision AI features
Before we get into the specific TV models in Samsung's 2025 lineup, it'll be helpful to understand the artificial intelligence direction the company is heading in this year, as this will all play into the TVs and tech to follow.

"Vision AI" is how Samsung is branding it this year, and in addition to enhancements and improvements to its AI Upscaling, Auto HDR Remastering, and Adaptive Sound Pro features from previous-year TV models, Samsung has also added a new Color Booster Pro feature that "leverages AI to offer richer, more vibrant colors than ever before."

Read more
What is Amazon Fire TV? Price, hardware, software, and more
A trio of Amazon Fire TV remote controls held in a hand in front of a television.

We all know the ways that companies name their products can be confusing, and Amazon is no exception here. Amazon Fire TV isn't a TV, or at least, it isn't only a TV. It's the Amazon ecosystem for streaming devices and Smart TVs that all run on Fire OS. Amazon's home entertainment HQ isn't just streaming sticks or the Smart TVs, it's the entire ecosystem from hardware all the way to the OS that powers everything.

Fire OS is the software that runs Amazon's Fire TV and tablets. Fire TV streaming sticks and the Cube are small streaming devices that connect to your TV, and give you access to streaming content. Amazon Smart TVs have onboard access to Fire TV, letting them access everything the streaming sticks can, without needing any accessories to do it.

Read more
Best Walmart TV deals: 43-inch 4K TV for $198 and more
lg 55 inch oled 4k tvs deal walmart class b8 tv

While there are certainly a lot of great Best Buy TV deals and Amazon TV deals, Walmart also has quite a few excellent TV deals for you to pick from. The retail giant is home to quite a few of today’s best TV deals and include 65-inch TV deals, 70-inch TV deals, 75-inch TV deals, and 85-inch TV deals. With so many TV deals going on at Walmart, we thought we’d round up today’s best Walmart TV deals all in one place. You can find them all below, and if you’d prefer to shop for a specific brand, be sure to check out today’s Samsung TV deals, Sony TV deals, LG TV deals, Vizio TV deals, and TCL TV deals as well.
Samsung 65-inch S90C OLED 4K TV -- $1,299 $3,299 61% off

Another excellent OLED TV, the Samsung S90C comes with a few tricks up its sleeve, the most interesting of which is the HDR OLED that has improved contrast and image fidelity. Not only that, but it has a 4K upscaler so you can watch your older content on it, and the Samsung Gaming Hub is perfect for those who don't have consoles or PCs but still want to game. We also appreciate the fact that it comes with Dolby Atmos and the screen is Pantone Validated, so you know the colors you're getting on your screen are perfect.

Read more