Adding YouTube TV to Your Samsung TV Home Screen
YouTube TV appears on your Samsung TV home screen after you read the YouTube TV app from the Samsung App Store and sign in with your account. The app then stays on your home screen as a tile you can tap to open it directly. The whole process takes about five minutes and requires only your Samsung remote and your YouTube TV login information.
Samsung TVs made after 2016 have the Samsung App Store built in, which is where you find and install YouTube TV. Older models may not support the app, though you can still watch YouTube TV through a streaming device like a Roku, Fire Stick, or Google Chromecast plugged into an HDMI port.
Key Takeaways
- Press the Home button on your Samsung remote to reach the home screen, then navigate to the Samsung App Store tile.
- Search for "YouTube TV" in the App Store, select the official app from Google, and choose Install to read it to your TV.
- Open YouTube TV from the home screen, sign in with your Google account or YouTube TV account email, and follow the on-screen prompts to link your TV.
- The YouTube TV tile will remain on your home screen after installation, letting you open the app without going through the App Store each time.
- If YouTube TV does not appear in your App Store, your Samsung TV model may be too old; check Samsung's support page or use an external streaming device instead.
Finding and Opening the Samsung App Store
Start by pressing the Home button on your Samsung remote. This takes you to your TV's home screen, which shows a row of app tiles at the bottom. Look for a tile labeled "Samsung App Store" or sometimes just "Apps"—it usually has a colorful icon with multiple squares or a shopping bag symbol.
Use the arrow buttons on your remote to highlight the App Store tile, then press Enter or Select. The App Store opens and shows you featured apps, categories, and a search bar at the top. This is where you will find YouTube TV.
Searching for and Installing YouTube TV
Once the App Store is open, navigate to the search bar at the top of the screen using your remote's arrow buttons. Press Enter to set up the search field, then use the on-screen keyboard to type "YouTube TV." The keyboard appears on your screen, and you select letters using your remote's arrow buttons and press Enter to confirm each letter.
After you type "YouTube TV," a list of results appears. Look for the official YouTube TV app—it has the YouTube TV logo (a red play button with "YouTube TV" text) and is published by Google. Select it and choose the Install button. The app downloads to your TV, which usually takes one to three minutes depending on your internet speed. You will see a progress bar or a message saying "Installing" while this happens.
Signing In and Linking Your Account
Once YouTube TV finishes installing, you can open it directly from the App Store, or it will appear as a new tile on your home screen. Press the YouTube TV tile to launch the app. The first time you open it, you will see a sign-in screen asking for your Google account email or YouTube TV account email.
Enter your email address using the on-screen keyboard. YouTube TV then asks for your password. Type it carefully—the keyboard hides characters as you type for security. After you enter your password and press Enter, YouTube TV connects to your account and loads your channels and recordings.
Some Samsung TVs show a second step: a code appears on your screen, and YouTube TV asks you to visit a website on another device (like a phone or computer) to enter that code. This is a security check. Open a web browser on your phone, go to the URL shown on your TV, and type in the code. Once you do, your TV automatically signs in.
Finding YouTube TV on Your Home Screen
After you sign in, YouTube TV becomes a permanent tile on your Samsung TV home screen. Press Home on your remote to return to the home screen, and you will see the YouTube TV tile among your other apps. It usually appears at the end of the row or in a section labeled "My Apps" or "Downloaded Apps," depending on your TV model.
You can now open YouTube TV anytime by pressing Home and selecting the YouTube TV tile. You do not need to go through the App Store again. If you want to rearrange your home screen so YouTube TV appears closer to the beginning, most Samsung TVs let you hold down the Select button on the YouTube TV tile to move it left or right.
Troubleshooting If YouTube TV Does Not Install
If you search the App Store and YouTube TV does not appear, your Samsung TV model may be too old to support the app. Samsung TVs from 2016 and newer usually have YouTube TV available, but some older 2015 models or budget models do not. Check your TV's model number (usually on a sticker on the back or in Settings) and search Samsung's support website to confirm whether YouTube TV is available for your specific model.
If your TV does not support YouTube TV through the App Store, you can still watch it using an external device. A Google Chromecast, Amazon Fire Stick, Roku, or Apple TV plugged into an HDMI port on your Samsung TV will let you install and use YouTube TV. These devices cost between $30 and $100 and connect to your TV's HDMI port, then to your home WiFi network.
If YouTube TV is available for your TV but the install button does not work, restart your TV by unplugging it for 30 seconds, then plugging it back in. Also check that your TV is connected to WiFi and that the connection is stable. A weak WiFi signal can cause app downloads to fail or hang.
Managing Your YouTube TV App
Once YouTube TV is on your home screen, you can manage it like any other app. If you want to remove it, highlight the YouTube TV tile, press and hold the Select button, and choose "Remove" or "Delete." This removes the tile from your home screen but does not erase your account or recordings—you can reinstall it anytime from the App Store and sign back in.
To update YouTube TV, open the Samsung App Store, search for YouTube TV, and if an Update button appears instead of Install, select it. Samsung usually updates apps automatically in the background, so you may not need to do this manually. You can check your TV's settings to turn on automatic app updates if you prefer not to update manually.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use the same YouTube TV account on multiple Samsung TVs?
Yes. Sign in with the same email and password on each TV, and your channels, recordings, and watch history sync across all of them. YouTube TV allows you to watch on multiple devices at once depending on your plan, so you can watch different shows on different TVs simultaneously.
What if I forget my YouTube TV password?
Go to the YouTube TV sign-in screen on your TV and look for a "Forgot password?" link. Select it, and YouTube TV directs you to a website where you can reset your password using another device like a phone or computer. Once you reset it, return to your TV and sign in with your new password.
Does YouTube TV cost extra if I add it to my Samsung TV?
No. YouTube TV is a paid subscription service, but the cost is the same whether you watch on your phone, computer, or Samsung TV. You pay one monthly subscription fee and can watch on any device where you sign in. The app itself is free to read from the Samsung App Store.
Why does my YouTube TV app keep signing me out?
YouTube TV may sign you out if your TV loses internet connection or if you have not used the app for several weeks. Check that your TV is connected to WiFi and that the connection is stable. If the problem continues, uninstall YouTube TV from your TV, restart your TV, and reinstall it from the App Store.
Can I watch YouTube TV offline on my Samsung TV?
No. YouTube TV requires an active internet connection to stream live TV and on-demand shows. If your internet goes out, you cannot watch YouTube TV on your TV or any other device. Some streaming services let you read shows to watch later, but YouTube TV does not offer this feature.