How to Delete an App on a Samsung Smart TV

The fastest way to remove an app from your Samsung TV

To delete an app on a Samsung Smart TV, press the Home button on your remote, find the app you want to remove, press and hold the select button (the center circle) on the remote until a menu appears, then choose Delete or Remove. The app disappears from your home screen within seconds. The process is the same whether you're using a 2020 model or a current one.

If you can't find the app on your home screen, it may be in an app folder or on a different page. Swipe left or right to see other pages, or look inside any folders you've created. Some Samsung TVs also let you hide apps instead of deleting them — this keeps them on the system but removes them from view.

Key Takeaways

Press Home, find the app, hold the select button, and choose Delete from the menu that appears.
Some apps that came with your TV cannot be deleted, only hidden or disabled through Settings.
Deleting an app removes it from your home screen but does not free up significant storage space on most Samsung TVs.
You can reinstall a deleted app later from the Samsung App Store at no cost if you change your mind.

Step-by-step deletion on your Samsung remote

Start by pressing the Home button on your Samsung remote. This takes you to the main home screen where your apps are arranged. Look through the visible apps and find the one you want to remove.

Once you've located the app, press and hold the select button — this is the center circle button on your remote, the one you normally press to open an app. Hold it down for two to three seconds. A small menu will pop up with options including Delete, Remove, or Uninstall, depending on your TV model and the app itself.

Highlight Delete or Remove with your arrow buttons and press select. The app will disappear from your home screen when ready. You do not need to restart your TV or confirm the deletion a second time.

Apps you cannot delete and what to do instead

Samsung includes several built-in apps on every TV — Netflix, Prime Video, YouTube, and others — that cannot be deleted. If you try to hold select on one of these apps, the menu will show Disable or Hide instead of Delete. This is normal and by design.

If you want to remove a built-in app from view, choose Hide. The app will no longer appear on your home screen, but it remains installed on your TV. If you later want to use it again, you can unhide it by going to Settings, then Apps, then Show Hidden Apps, and selecting the app you want to restore.

If the menu shows Disable instead of Hide, you can choose that option. A disabled app will not run in the background and will not send notifications, though it still takes up a small amount of storage. To re-enable it later, go to Settings, Apps, and find the disabled app in the list.

Finding apps that are not on your home screen

If you cannot find the app you want to delete on your main home screen, it may be on another page. Use the left and right arrow buttons on your remote to scroll through additional pages of apps. Some Samsung TVs show page indicators at the bottom of the screen to tell you how many pages exist.

Apps can also be inside folders. If you see a folder icon on your home screen, press select to open it and look inside. You can delete an app directly from inside a folder using the same hold-and-select method.

If you still cannot find the app, go to Settings, then Apps, then My Apps. This shows every app installed on your TV, including ones not pinned to your home screen. You can delete apps from this list as well by highlighting them and pressing select.

What happens to your storage and data when you delete an app

Deleting an app removes it from your TV but does not free up much storage space. Most apps on a Samsung Smart TV use only 50 to 200 megabytes of space, and your TV has several gigabytes of built-in storage. Removing one or two apps will not noticeably improve your TV's performance or speed.

When you delete an app, any data it stored on your TV — such as login information, watch history, or saved preferences — is also removed. If you reinstall the app later, you will need to log in again and set up your preferences from scratch.

If you are concerned about storage, the real space-takers are usually TV software updates and cached data from streaming apps. Deleting individual apps is rarely necessary for storage reasons on modern Samsung TVs.

How to reinstall an app you deleted

If you change your mind after deleting an app, you can put it back on your TV at no cost. Press Home, then look for the Samsung App Store or Apps Store icon on your home screen. Open it and search for the app by name.

When you find the app, select it and choose Install or read. The app will read and install within a few minutes, depending on your internet speed and the app's size. Once installation is complete, the app will appear on your home screen or in your app list.

You will need to log in to the app again with your username and password, since your previous login information was deleted along with the app.

Organizing your home screen after deletion

After you delete an app, you may notice empty space on your home screen where it used to be. Samsung TVs do not automatically rearrange remaining apps to fill the gap. You can manually move apps to clean up the layout by pressing and holding select on an app, then choosing Move or Rearrange, and using your arrow buttons to place it in a new spot.

You can also create folders to group similar apps together. Press and hold select on an app, choose Create Folder or Add to Folder, and give it a name like "Streaming" or "Games". This keeps your home screen organized and makes it easier to find what you want.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does the delete option not appear when I hold select on an app?

The app is likely a built-in app that Samsung does not allow you to delete. Try choosing Hide instead to remove it from your home screen. If Hide does not appear either, go to Settings, Apps, and look for a Disable option in the app's details page.

Will deleting an app speed up my Samsung TV?

Deleting one or two apps will not noticeably improve your TV's speed. Samsung TVs have enough storage and memory that individual apps do not cause slowdowns. If your TV is running slowly, the issue is usually a software update, too many apps running at once, or a weak internet connection.

Can I delete an app and then reinstall it later for free?

Yes. All apps in the Samsung App Store are free to read and install. You can delete and reinstall any app as many times as you want. You will need to log in again each time you reinstall.

What is the difference between deleting, hiding, and disabling an app?

Deleting removes the app completely from your TV. Hiding keeps it installed but removes it from your home screen — you can unhide it later. Disabling turns off the app so it does not run in the background or send notifications, but it remains installed.

Do I need to restart my TV after deleting an app?

No. The app disappears when ready after you choose Delete, and your TV does not need to restart. You can continue using your TV normally right away.

This guide is for general information only and is not medical, financial, legal, or other professional advice. For decisions specific to your situation, consult a qualified professional. See our Editorial Policy.