The fastest way to restart an app on Samsung TV
To restart an app on your Samsung TV, press and hold the Back button on your remote for about three seconds. This closes the app completely. Then navigate back to the app in your Apps menu and select it again to launch a fresh version.
If the Back button method does not work, you can also restart an app by going to Settings > Apps > App Management, finding the app in the list, selecting it, and choosing Close or Force Stop. Wait a few seconds, then reopen the app from your home screen.
Most app problems—freezing, slow loading, crashing—clear up after a full restart. This is different from just pausing the app; restarting forces it to reload from the beginning and clears its temporary memory.
Key Takeaways
- Press and hold the Back button on your remote for three seconds to close an app when ready without navigating menus.
- If that does not work, go to Settings > Apps > App Management, select the app, and choose Force Stop or Close.
- Wait a few seconds after closing before reopening the app to let the system fully clear it from memory.
- Restarting an app clears temporary files and cached data that often cause freezing, lag, or crashes.
- If an app continues to malfunction after restarting, uninstalling and reinstalling it may be necessary.
Using the Back button method (quickest option)
The Back button is the fastest way to force-close an app on most Samsung TV remotes. It looks like a curved arrow pointing left and is usually located in the upper left area of your remote. Press it once to go back one screen within an app; press and hold it for three seconds to exit the app entirely and return to your home screen.
After the app closes, wait about five seconds before reopening it. This gives your TV's system time to clear the app from active memory. Then use your remote to navigate to the Apps section, find the app you just closed, and select it to launch a fresh instance.
This method works on Samsung Smart TVs from 2016 onward. If your remote does not have a visible Back button or this method does not close the app, move to the Settings menu approach instead.
Closing an app through the Settings menu
If the Back button does not work, you can restart an app by accessing your TV's system settings. Press the Home button on your remote to go to the home screen, then navigate to Settings (usually a gear icon in the top right corner).
From Settings, select Apps or Applications depending on your TV model. Then choose App Management or Manage Apps. Scroll through the list until you find the app you want to restart, select it, and look for a button labeled Close, Force Stop, or Uninstall. Choose Close or Force Stop—do not select Uninstall unless you want to remove the app entirely.
After you select Close or Force Stop, the app will shut down. Wait five to ten seconds, then press Home again and reopen the app from your Apps menu or home screen. The app will now start fresh with no cached data or background processes running.
What happens when you restart an app
When you restart an app, your TV clears the app's temporary memory (called the cache) and stops all background processes. This is why restarting often fixes problems like apps freezing mid-video, taking too long to load, or crashing when you try to open them.
Restarting does not delete your saved passwords, login information, or personal settings within the app. Those are stored separately and will remain the same when you reopen the app. You will still be logged in to services like Netflix, YouTube, or Spotify after a restart.
The only data that gets cleared is temporary—things like partially loaded images, buffered video, or incomplete downloads. This is why the app often runs faster and more smoothly after a restart.
When to restart versus uninstall and reinstall
Restart an app first if it is freezing, loading slowly, or crashing occasionally. A restart solves most of these problems and takes less than a minute. If the same app continues to malfunction after you have restarted it two or three times, then uninstalling and reinstalling may be necessary.
To uninstall an app, go to Settings > Apps > App Management, select the app, and choose Uninstall. Then go to your TV's app store (Samsung TV Plus, Google Play Store, or LG Content Store depending on your model), search for the app by name, and select Install. This downloads a fresh copy of the app and often fixes problems that a straightforward restart cannot solve.
Uninstalling takes longer than restarting and will log you out of the app, so you will need to sign back in. Reserve this step for apps that remain broken after restarting.
Restarting multiple apps at once
If several apps are running slowly or freezing, you can close them all without restarting your entire TV. Use the Back button method on each app one at a time, or go to Settings > Apps > App Management and close each problematic app individually.
Closing multiple apps frees up your TV's memory and processing power, which can improve overall performance. However, if your TV itself is running slowly even after closing apps, you may need to restart the entire TV. To do this, unplug the TV from power for 30 seconds, then plug it back in and wait for it to fully boot up.
Common mistakes when restarting apps
The most common mistake is not waiting long enough after closing an app before reopening it. If you close an app and when ready reopen it within two or three seconds, the app may not have fully cleared from memory, and you will not see any improvement. Always wait at least five seconds, and ideally ten seconds, before launching the app again.
Another mistake is confusing "Close" with "Uninstall." If you accidentally select Uninstall, the app will be removed from your TV entirely, and you will have to reinstall it from your app store. If this happens, do not panic—just go to your app store, search for the app, and select Install to put it back.
A third mistake is restarting an app when the real problem is your internet connection. If an app is slow or crashing because your WiFi is weak or unstable, restarting the app will not help. Check your WiFi signal strength in Settings > Network, or try moving your TV closer to your router.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will restarting an app delete my saved games or progress?
No. Restarting an app clears only temporary files, not saved data. Your game progress, bookmarks, watch history, and other saved information will remain intact. You will still be logged in to your accounts after the restart.
What is the difference between closing an app and restarting my TV?
Closing an app stops only that one program and clears its memory. Restarting your TV shuts down everything—all apps, all background processes, and the entire system—then boots it back up. Restart your TV only if multiple apps are slow or if closing individual apps does not help.
How do I know if an app needs to be restarted versus uninstalled?
Restart first. If the app works normally after restarting, you are done. If the same problem happens again within a few days, restart again. Only uninstall if restarting does not fix the problem after two or three attempts, or if the app crashes every single time you open it.
Can I restart an app while I am using it, or do I have to close it first?
You must close it first. You cannot restart an app that is currently running. Close it using the Back button or Settings menu, wait a few seconds, then reopen it to start fresh.
Why does my app still freeze after I restart it?
If restarting does not fix the problem, the issue may be your internet connection, your TV's storage space, or a bug in the app itself. Check your WiFi signal, make sure your TV has at least 1 GB of free storage space in Settings > Storage, and consider uninstalling and reinstalling the app if the problem persists.