How to Remove YouTube From Your Smart TV Permanently

The fastest way to delete YouTube from your smart TV

To remove YouTube permanently from your smart TV, you uninstall the app through your TV's settings menu, the same way you would on a phone. The exact steps depend on what operating system your TV runs — Samsung TVs use Tizen, LG uses WebOS, and most others use Android TV or Google TV. In every case, you go to Settings, find Apps or Applications, locate YouTube, and select Uninstall or Remove.

Once you uninstall it, the app is gone from your home screen and cannot be launched. If someone reinstalls it later, you can uninstall it again. If you want to prevent reinstallation entirely, you can disable the app instead of uninstalling it, or use parental controls to lock it — those steps vary by TV brand and are covered below.

Key Takeaways

Uninstalling YouTube removes the app icon from your home screen and prevents it from launching, but the app can be reinstalled later if someone has access to your TV's app store.
Disabling YouTube (available on Android TV and Google TV) removes the app without letting anyone reinstall it without reversing the disable setting.
Parental controls on most smart TVs let you lock YouTube behind a PIN so it cannot be opened or reinstalled without the code.
The steps to uninstall differ by TV brand: Samsung, LG, and Android TV each have their own menu path to the Apps section.
If YouTube is a built-in system app on your TV, you may only be able to disable it rather than fully uninstall it.

Uninstalling YouTube on Android TV and Google TV

Android TV and Google TV are the most common operating systems on newer smart TVs from brands like Sony, Philips, TCL, and Hisense. To uninstall YouTube on these systems, press the Home button on your remote to go to the home screen. Then navigate to Settings (usually a gear icon), scroll down to Apps or Applications, and select Manage Installed Applications.

Find YouTube in the list and select it. You will see an Uninstall button. Press it, and the system will ask you to confirm. Select Uninstall again, and YouTube will be removed. The app icon will disappear from your home screen within seconds. If you later change your mind, you can reinstall it from the Google Play Store by going to Settings > Apps > Google Play Store and searching for YouTube.

Removing YouTube from Samsung TVs

Samsung smart TVs use the Tizen operating system. To uninstall YouTube, press the Home button on your remote and go to Settings. Select Apps, then select the app you want to remove. Find YouTube in the list, select it, and choose Uninstall. Confirm the action, and the app will be removed.

On some Samsung models, YouTube may be a pre-installed system app that cannot be uninstalled — you will see a Disable button instead of Uninstall. If that is the case, select Disable, and YouTube will be hidden from your home screen and prevented from running in the background. You can re-enable it later through the same menu if needed.

Removing YouTube from LG TVs

LG smart TVs run WebOS. To remove YouTube, press the Home button and go to Settings. Select Apps, then select App Manager. Find YouTube in the list, select it, and choose Uninstall. Confirm the action to remove it from your TV.

Like Samsung, some LG models have YouTube as a system app. If you see only a Disable option, select it to hide the app and prevent it from running. The app will no longer appear on your home screen or in your app list, though it remains on the TV's storage.

Disabling YouTube instead of uninstalling it

Disabling an app is stronger than uninstalling it in one important way: a disabled app cannot be reinstalled without you reversing the disable setting. If you uninstall YouTube, anyone with access to your TV's app store can read it again in minutes. If you disable it, they cannot.

To disable YouTube on Android TV or Google TV, go to Settings > Apps > Manage Installed Applications, select YouTube, and choose Disable. On Samsung, go to Settings > Apps, select YouTube, and choose Disable. On LG, go to Settings > Apps > App Manager, select YouTube, and choose Disable. The app will disappear from your home screen and cannot be opened or reinstalled until you reverse the setting.

Using parental controls to lock YouTube

If you want to keep YouTube on your TV but prevent it from being opened or uninstalled, parental controls are a stronger option than disabling. Most smart TVs let you set a PIN that locks specific apps or content ratings. Anyone trying to open YouTube will be prompted to enter the PIN.

On Android TV and Google TV, go to Settings > Parental Controls, select YouTube, and set a PIN. On Samsung Tizen, go to Settings > Parental Settings, select the content type you want to restrict, and set a PIN. On LG WebOS, go to Settings > All Settings > Parental Settings, select the content rating you want to block, and set a PIN. Once a PIN is set, YouTube cannot be opened, uninstalled, or disabled without entering the code.

What happens if YouTube is a system app

Some TV manufacturers include YouTube as a built-in system app that cannot be fully uninstalled. You will know this is the case if the Uninstall button is grayed out or missing. In these cases, your only options are to disable the app or use parental controls to lock it.

Disabling a system app removes it from your home screen and prevents it from running, which is functionally the same as uninstalling it from a user's perspective. The app still takes up storage space on your TV, but you will never see it or be able to launch it unless you reverse the disable setting.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I remove YouTube from my smart TV without going into Settings?

No. You must go through your TV's Settings menu to uninstall, disable, or lock any app. There is no shortcut or quick way to remove an app from the home screen without accessing the full app management system.

If I uninstall YouTube, will it come back automatically?

No. Uninstalling YouTube removes it permanently until someone reinstalls it through your TV's app store. If you want to prevent reinstallation, disable the app instead of uninstalling it.

What is the difference between uninstalling and disabling?

Uninstalling removes the app but allows anyone with access to your TV to reinstall it. Disabling removes the app and prevents reinstallation without reversing the disable setting. If you want to stop someone from putting YouTube back on your TV, disable it rather than uninstall it.

Will removing YouTube free up storage space on my TV?

Uninstalling YouTube will free up a small amount of storage. Disabling it will not, because the app remains on your TV's storage even though it is hidden and cannot run. If storage is your concern, uninstall rather than disable.

Can I set a PIN so YouTube cannot be opened without a password?

Yes. Use your TV's parental controls to lock YouTube behind a PIN. The exact steps vary by brand, but all smart TVs have a parental settings menu where you can set a code that must be entered before YouTube can be opened or changed.

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.