Apple TV App Not Working on Samsung TV (9 Fixes)

Are you a fan of Apple? Playing Apple Music on your iPhone or watching content on the Apple TV app on your Samsung TV.

But what happens when the Apple TV app is not working on Samsung TV?

If the Apple TV app opens but you are having problems with playback, account settings, or anything else inside the app, you’re in the right place.

In this article, I’ll discuss the most common fixes for problems with the Apple TV app not working on Samsung TV.

Related Article: Samsung TV App Crashing

Table of Contents show

1. Soft Reset or Cold Reboot the Samsung TV

If there are some corrupt settings on the Samsung TV, then they might prevent the Apple TV app from working properly. Performing a cold boot or soft reset can help your Apple TV app as it stops all the background processes.

There are two methods to do a cold reboot and restart a Samsung TV.

Method 1 – Follow these steps to soft reset a Samsung TV:

Remove TV’s power cord from the power outlet. Leave it unplugged for at least 60 seconds.

Replug the power cable back into the power outlet or surge protector.
Wait for the TV to finish rebooting.

Method 2 – To cold reboot the Samsung TV:

Remove the TV power cable from the wall outlet.
On your Remote Control, Press and Hold the Power button for 30 seconds.
Plug once again the TV back into the power outlet.

Wait for the TV to finish turning on.

2. Check for Samsung TV Firmware Updates

If you’re using an Apple TV app on a newer Samsung TV, sometimes the periodical updates won’t be compatible with older Samsung TV models.

Samsung will release new software updates periodically to fix any bugs or issues. It’s best to download and install the updates. Updating to the latest TV firmware and software can help resolve the Apple TV app issues.

You can download the most recent firmware update for Samsung TVs by accessing the TV Settings screen. You can also download an updated version of the software from its manufacturer’s website.

Follow these steps through the TV menu to update the Samsung TV firmware:

1. On the Samsung TV remote control, Press Home.

2. Select Settings

3. Select Support.

4. Select Software Update.

5. Choose Update Now.

6. The TV will reboot to install the new firmware.

You can download the latest version of the Samsung TV firmware and transfer it to a USB drive.

Follow these steps:

On your desktop or laptop, go to the Samsung download page and locate your exact TV model.
Download the updated Samsung TV firmware version to your computer.

Extract the files and put them on a USB drive.
Insert the USB drive into one of the USB ports on the TV.
On the TV remote, Press Home.

Select Settings.
Choose Support.
Select Software Update.

Start the Software Update Process on the TV.
The TV will reboot and use the latest firmware on the USB drive. Remember, make sure not to remove the USB drive until after the TV has fully rebooted.

3. Remove and Reinstall App

If you see that the Apple TV app isn’t functioning properly on your Samsung TV this might be due to an app conflict. Removing and then reinstalling it might fix the issue.

If there’s an available update, you can always try updating the Apple TV application first before removing and reinstalling it.

Before you uninstall the Apple TV app, remember to keep your login information somewhere to be safe. You will be signed out of the app, and you will need to follow the on-screen instructions to sign in again.

Follow these steps to uninstall and reinstall the Apple TV app on a Samsung TV:

1. Press Home on the remote control.

2. Navigate to Apps.

3. Choose Settings.

4. Navigate to the Apple TV App.

5. Select Delete. If Delete is grayed out, you won’t be able to delete it because it’s a preinstalled app. Instead, Select Reinstall.

6. Press Return on the Remote.

7. Choose Search.

8. In the search bar, enter the Apple TV App Name.

9. Select to Install the Apple TV App.

4. Slow Internet Connection

If you’re experiencing any problems with the Apple TV app, it may be because of the slow network speed when downloading and streaming HD video content.

When streaming content from the Apple TV app, it is required to have at least a download speed of 5 Mbps to stream an HD video. Meanwhile, to stream a 4K video, you will need 50+ Mbps.

There may be several factors that cause the Wi-Fi download speeds to be slow. Here are some of the most common explanations as to why you might experience a slow internet speed.

1. Weak Wi-Fi Signal to the Samsung TV

If the Wi-Fi signal is poor between the Samsung TV and wireless router, the connection may occasionally break and disconnect. It will cause issues when trying to stream content from the Apple TV app.

Check if the Wi-Fi signal from the TV to the wireless router is strong enough. To check whether the Wi-Fi signal is powerful enough, follow these steps.

On the Samsung TV remote, Press Home.

On the Screen menu, Choose Settings.
Select General.
Choose Network.

Select Open Network Settings.
Choose Wireless.
Check the list of wireless networks and see how many signal bars your wireless network has. 1 to 2 bars is a sign of a poor signal.

If there is a large gap between your wireless router and your Samsung TV, then the problem could be due to the distance between them.

Having many obstacles and walls from your Samsung TV to your router can potentially be the reason why your Wi-Fi Signals are poor.

You need to shorten the distance between the router and the TV for a better signal, it’ll be easier for you to move the router closer to the TV rather than the other way around. A shorter distance between the router and your Samsung TV will significantly improve the quality of your Wi-Fi connections.

If the router and Samsung television cannot be moved, then consider buying a Wi-Fi repeater that acts as a middle point for the Wi-Fi signals between the devices.

WiFi repeaters are also known as WiFi extenders. We choose one of the best ones out there that work well in smart homes. They can be found on Amazon:

2. Soft Reset the Wi-Fi Router

If your Wi-Fi router hasn’t rebooted or been shut off for a long time, there could potentially be an issue with its settings. It could cause interruptions and poor internet speeds with the Wi-Fi connection to your devices.

Power cycling or restarting your network device like your router or modem can help if this is the case.

To soft reset, the WiFi Router or Modem, follow these steps:

Remove the Wi-Fi Router plug from the power outlet for at least 60 seconds.
Replug the Wi-Fi Router back into the power outlet.
Make sure to turn On the Router if there’s an On/Off switch.

Wait a few minutes for the Router to boot up and connect to your Internet Service Provider (ISP).

3. Try a Wired Connection

You might need to check if your router has trouble sharing the internet through the wireless network with other devices. Wired networks are more reliable than wireless networks, and they’re easier to troubleshoot if something goes wrong.

A wired connection is best for connecting to your Samsung TV as it offers faster speeds than wireless connections. You can also use an ethernet cable from the TV to connect to the router to check the internet connection.

Follow these steps to connect and use a wired internet connection with your Samsung TV:

Plug the ethernet cable from the LAN port on the back of the Samsung smart TV to a LAN port to your router or modem.
On the Samsung TV remote control, Locate and press Home.

Select Settings.
Choose General.
Select Network.

Choose OK for the TV to use the wired network to access the internet.

If you have an internet connection, the Wi-Fi network’s wireless capability may be having issues. If none of these methods work, then you might have to update the firmware, perform a factory reset, or change the Wi-Fi adapter itself.

4. Disconnect Other Devices from the Wi-Fi Network

Connecting multiple devices to one wireless router at the same time may cause slower speeds for everyone else on the network.

For example, if you have multiple smartphones and several laptops connected to the same wireless network, the internet speed for each device will be very sluggish. It will be even worse if they’re all streaming HD videos on the Apple TV app or downloading files.

Older Wi-Fi routers and modem models often struggle when it comes to handling several simultaneous connections.

If you want to improve your internet speed on your Samsung TV for the Apple TV app, you need to disconnect all the other devices. Then try to reconnect the Samsung TV to the Wi-Fi network once again and check if you’re getting an improvement in your internet speed.

If it solves the slow internet problem, then you can be sure that it was actually a network problem caused by an outdated router. It would be wise to upgrade to a new wireless router that supports simultaneous connections from multiple devices.

5. Change DNS Server

Sometimes unstable Internet connections might cause an Apple TV App issue on the Samsung TV. Having an incorrect DNS server can lead to connection issues to your devices.

The Samsung smart TV automatically uses the DNS servers from your ISP, but you can always change them to other DNS servers that are faster and way more reliable. This way, you can have a way more pleasant streaming/browsing experience.

If your ISP’s DNS server causes issues when trying to access the Apple TV application, you can use Google’s public DNS servers instead. Google’s DNS servers provide a reliable alternative rather than using your ISP’s default DNS servers.

Follow these steps to manually change the DNS settings and use Google’s DNS servers on the Samsung TV:

On the Samsung TV remote control, Find and Press Home.

Select Settings.
Choose General.
Select Network.

Select Network Status.
Choose IP Settings.
Select DNS Setting.

Choose Enter Manually.
Select DNS Server.
Input 8.8.8.8.

Then try to open and reconnect to the Apple TV app again.

6. Reset Smart Hub on Samsung TV

One of the other apps that you are signed in to on the Samsung smart TV could be conflicting with the Apple TV app and causing a problem.

Resetting the Smart Hub on the Samsung TV can help by logging out of all the apps to remove the conflict. If you want to reset the smart hub on the Samsung TV, be sure you have the login info for each app (username and password), so you’ll be able to log back into them later.

For newer Samsung Smart TV models made after 2020, follow these steps:

On the remote control, Press Home.
Select Settings.

Choose Support.
Choose Service Care.
Select Self Diagnosis.

Choose Reset Smart Hub.

For older Samsung TV models made before 2020, follow these steps:

On the remote control, Find and press Home.

Select Settings.
Select Support.
Choose Self Diagnosis.

Select Reset Smart Hub.

If the Samsung TV prompts you to enter a security PIN code when trying to restart the Smart Hub, use the following PIN: 0000.

After resetting, you may need to re-download the Apple TV app.

Apple TV app Not Working on Samsung TV Final Thoughts

There are several things that can go wrong with Apple TV app on your Samsung TV. The majority of issues with the Apple TV app not working on your Samsung TV can be fixed with the solutions above. If none of the solutions work you can always ask Apple Support.

Here are some other apps that can have issues working on a Samsung TV:

Samsung TV and Xfinity App Crashing

Image source: samsung.com