Web browsers for Smart TVs will allow you to stream movies or play games from the internet. The right web browser for Smart TVs will also work well with a remote control and give you an easy way of browsing websites without using your PC, laptop etc.
I take a look at different Smart TV web browsers and compare them based on their features, benefits, and performance. Not all browsers are will give the same, excellent user interface for all screen sizes, so I’ll look at ones that offer compatibility between screens from different TVs.
These are the 5 Best Web Browsers for Smart TVs:
- Google Chrome TV Web Browser
- Mozilla Firefox TV Web Browser
- Samsung Smart TV Internet Browser
- TVWeb Browser
- Puffin TV Browser
Let’s get into the details of each Smart TV browser and its pros and cons.
5 Best Smart TV Web Browsers
1. Google Chrome TV Web Browser
With Google Chrome, you’ve got a good chance of getting the most features from your smart TV. Unfortunately, this isn’t directly available on your Android TV Play Store.
If you want it for your smart TV, you’ll need to sideload the Chrome browser app onto your TV with a downloaded APK file. It will have many of the same features as the mobile browser, since it’s an APK file. That’s one unfortunate downside.
The biggest advantage of using Google Chrome is it allows Chrome users to sync all their emails, browser bookmarks, history, and passwords onto your Smart TV. That means you’ll be able to jump from your TV to your phone to your laptop, and have all the same settings for a seamless browsing experience.
Unfortunately, Chrome might not be compatible with all Android TV remote controls, which makes it a bit more difficult to navigate with.
2. Mozilla Firefox TV Web Browser
Mozilla Firefox is another popular internet browser app for your smart TV that needs to be sideloaded onto your TV. The Google Android TV Play Store has stricter requirements when it comes to Android TV apps. Thankfully, the sideloading of apps isn’t difficult, so don’t let it deter you.
You can also sync your Firefox browser onto your TV, which means you’ll be able to carry on browsing from one device and back to the other. Sync your mobile browser history and bookmarks.
The biggest benefit that many users see when using Firefox is the ability to use extensions. Chrome extensions have more issues on Smart TVs, so this is a nice advantage to using Firefox. If you have a specific browser extension that you usually have on, like an ad blocker, give this one a go.
Another added benefit from testing is faster streaming of videos on YouTube, including faster than the YouTube app itself. The exceptional browsing speed is great to have.
3. Samsung Smart TV Internet Browser
While the Samsung Smart TV Internet Browser is the default web browser that’s built-in to Samsung TVs of course, but they also have a version that works for other Smart TVs too. Yes, you’ll also need to install this browser through sideloading onto your Android TV.
The Samsung browser has a simple, compact design to give you more space to view web pages as you’re browsing. It’s easy to navigate web sites and jump to different tabs. With its more basic features, it also offers a better user experience and excellent browsing speed. You can also change your default search search to Google or Bing.
Ad blockers aren’t a problem and you’ll also be able to adjust text sizes for easier reading. There’s also a high contrast mode that makes it easy to surf the internet at all times of the day and night without hurting your eyes.
4. TVWeb Browser
Finally, a Smart TV Browser that doesn’t require sideloading, the TVWeb Browser. It’s a dedicated TV app that’s designed to run on the Android TV operating system.
TVWeb is a simple, minimalist browser, but still packed with a number of features like bookmarks, browing feature, UserAgent switching, selecting your own search engine, an on-screen mouse pointer, and voice search.
One nice benefit is its ability to display a Google Sheet without any problems. You may need to zoom out, depending on your TV screen size.
Some have reported issues with navigation, as well as lack of advanced features, since this is more of a basic browser.
5. Puffin TV Browser
The Puffin TV Browser is another web browser that doesn’t need to be sideloaded. The Puffin TV browser is optimized for Android TV devices, includes all the latest web content, and has a simple installations process for those looking to go from mobile to living room.
Puffin TV also has a different way of internet browsing that doesn’t require you to enter one character at a time into the URL. It scans QR codes and makes accessing web pages faster.
Puffin TV Browser’s best feature is its intuitive remote interface that borrows from your phone’s control system to make your internet browsing experience straight-forward and faster. You’ll be able to use the remote control’s arrow buttons to navigate the TV’s larger screen.
Puffin is a browser exclusive to Smart TVs, so it is the best Android TV browser out there and offers a more secure browsing experience, but it has one significant drawback.
It’s a Freemium browser. It has a Free daily quota usage of one hour. After that, you’ll need to pay $1/month or $10/year as of writing in 2021. If you’re a light user, it’s not a problem. Give it a try and see if it’s for you.
There are some other web browsers like the Amazon Silk. While the Silk browser is good for Amazon Fire TV Stick and the ability to use voice commands with Alexa, many have reported issues with other Smart TVs.
Why Won’t My Web Browser on My Smart TV Connect to Wi-Fi?
If your Smart TV and Web Browser isn’t connecting to Wi-Fi, try these troubleshooting steps and fixes. You can try each of these fixes to see what works.
1. Check that the Smart TV is connected to your Wi-Fi network. If it’s not, connect the TV to the network. If you’re having trouble connecting to the network, try resetting your Wi-Fi router and connecting your TV to the Wi-Fi network again.
2. Restart your Smart TV and see if the TV and Browswer will connect to Wi-Fi.
3. Check that your Smart TV’s firmware is up to date. If not, update the firmware.
4. If you’re connected to the Wi-Fi network, but no internet, do you have any VPNs or Proxies? They could be causing issues too. Disable them to see if you’re able to connect to the internet.
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FAQs Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can You Delete the Default Browser On A Smart TV?
You can’t delete the default browser on a Smart TV, unfortunately. But you can install a third-party browser like Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Samsung Smart TV Web Browser, and the Puffin TV Browser.
2. What Is The Best Web Browser For Smart TVs?
The best web browser for Smart TVs is the default browser that’s pre-installed on the TV itself. The browsers are made to work natively, so it should offer you the best, most seamless user experience.
3. Can Smart TV Web Browsers Open All Websites?
Smart TV Web Browsers can open most websites, but not all. There will be some web technologies, like Adobe Flash, that won’t work on mobile and TV browsers.
4. How Do You Update a Smart TV Web Browser?
There are a couple ways to update a web browser on a Smart TV. One way is to go into the app settings and check to see if there are any updates for the browser. The other way if you use the native web browser is to update the Smart TV firmware, as that will update everything.
5. Are Smart TV Web Browsers Safe To Use?
Web browsers on a Smart TV are similar to desktop and mobile browsers when it comes to safety and security. Entering sensitive, personal information into browsers will always come with risks, so users need to be diligent when entering in information. The browsers and Smart TVs are still connected to the internet, so it’s good to have safe and secure practices, like firewalls.
6. What Web Browsers Can You Use On Smart TVs?
There are many third-party browsers you can use on Smart TVs, like Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Samsung Smart TV Web Browser, and the Puffin TV Browser.
