New smart TV? Remove these apps immediately

Smart TVs separate themselves from regular TVs in a number of ways. For one, you can link up

smart home devices
to them. You can use them to watch manufacturer-provided free TV services through the operating system. You can also download all kinds of apps. In a way, you’re really buying a smart TV for the apps because much of what you’re going to want to do on your smart TV revolves around the apps that you get.

By “get”, we mean download. Because while there are some good apps that come

with your smart TV
, there are plenty of ones that don’t matter to you at all. That’s why it’s important to take stock in what your TV provides you and what you actually want from your TV. After you’ve done that, get rid of the rest.

Whether you have an LG, Samsung, TCL, Sony, or any other type of smart TV, the operating system will have specific apps that are incorporated. Many of them have ones like Netflix, YouTube, Hulu, Disney+, and other

streaming services
that you probably want to keep on your TV. But here are five kinds of apps you should get rid of as soon as you turn on your smart TV for the first time.Channels made by the manufacturer

1

Manufacturer channels

These are usually free but not great

Smart TV manufacturers typically throw on a free app that has some content and will slap their own name on it. For example, the Samsung TV Plus app is not only included on a Samsung TV, but you’ll also have a button for it right on your remote. That way, you can get to it easily. But it’s rarely ever worth it.

It typically has shows that you’ve likely seen or random ones so obscure that there’s a reason you haven’t. There are movies that aren’t at all new and about 500 channels showing one niche thing after another. If you want free streaming platforms, Pluto TV or Tubi offer you way more in terms of what you’ll actually want. Plus, you can get local channels through them as well.

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2

The included Internet browser

This is a no-frills search engine

You can search the Internet from your smart TV. Because it is connected to the web via Wi-Fi, it has the capability of downloading apps. But that also means that it can reach the Internet and use a browser. Usually, there is an included browser from the manufacturer. That browser is usually not worth using.

The reason is that it’s built to only be able to handle extremely basic options. It’s not built for a computer. It’s built for a TV, knowing that you’re going to be typing on it from a remote or through voice commands. So, the manufacturer has made it as basic as possible. Download the Puffin TV Browser if you want something else that will let you search the Internet more easily.

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3

Free gaming apps

Your smart TV can game so much better

Having a smart TV likely sets you up nicely to game on your TV. Whether you’re plugging in a console like a PS5, Nintendo Switch 2, or throwing it back with something from the past, your TV will get it going. But, if you don’t have a console, that shouldn’t actually be a problem. A lot of smart TVs offer gaming apps that act as the console for you. You can either log into your account and play games that you’ve previously purchased or you can buy new games directly to your TV. You can then connect a Bluetooth controller or plug one into the TV and start playing.

TVs that are set up for gaming usually have some free gaming apps. What makes this frustrating is not solely that the games are pretty lame. But they are supported by ads, meaning that you’re going to be bombarded by pesky pop-ups at random times while playing. It feels like you’re dealing with spam when you use one of these free gaming apps. Plus, you may only get a handful of games before you need to pay to upgrade to the higher levels or the better games. For those serious about gaming, just game like a normal user.

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4

Specific channel apps that you don’t watch

Why would this be installed in the first place?

The placement of an app on a smart TV is sometimes dependent on a certain company paying the manufacturer to put it there. If you’re looking through the home menu and you see one that seems out of place, it’s probably because it was paid for to be placed there. No offense to HSN and QVC, but I’ve never watched those channels. Why would I want their specific app as one of the ones on my TV?

You can go through all the apps, including ones for news, sports, and streaming services that you don’t watch and get rid of them. Streamlining your apps menu makes a lot of sense. That way, you can organize it in terms of most used to least used. Make it easy for yourself to get to the apps that you actually use.

5

Any app that hypes up the manufacturer

Trying to be sneaky with us

At least you’re able to find some of these apps with ease. You’re scrolling through the apps menu and you see something like “Samsung Promotion.” It was stated above that when you see channels made by the manufacturers that anything with the manufacturer’s name is probably not going to be very useful to you. This is especially true when it’s an app that doesn’t even show you content.

If you want to learn about a promotion that the company is running, you can look one up on the Internet. Why would you want an entire app dedicated to something like that? It’s a waste of space on your TV. You’re probably not going to open it more than once and that one time is likely going to be because of pure curiosity. Save yourself time and get rid of it.