You turn on your Samsung TV. You’re ready to watch something specific. But before you even touch the remote, Samsung TV Plus launches on its own, fills your screen with a random channel you didn’t choose, and starts blasting audio at full volume. Every single time.
It’s one of the most complained-about behaviors on Samsung smart TVs, and it gets more frustrating the hundredth time it happens than the first. Samsung TV Plus is a free, ad-supported streaming service built directly into Samsung’s Tizen OS, and the company has made it the default landing experience on many of its TVs. That’s great for Samsung’s ad revenue. Not so great for anyone who just wants to turn on their TV and get to their actual apps.
The good news is that you can stop this. There are several ways to do it, ranging from a setting change that takes thirty seconds to a home screen configuration that prevents Samsung TV Plus from ever loading automatically again. This guide covers all of them.
Why Samsung TV Plus Keeps Launching by Itself
Before jumping into the fixes, it helps to understand why this happens so you can choose the right solution for your situation.
Samsung TV Plus autoplays because Samsung configured it as the default content source on many of its smart TVs. When your TV powers on and doesn’t detect an active HDMI input or a previously active streaming app, Tizen OS falls back to Samsung TV Plus as the default experience. Samsung benefits from this because every minute you spend watching Samsung TV Plus generates ad revenue, even if you didn’t intentionally choose to open it.
In some firmware versions, Samsung TV Plus is also set as the first item in the home screen app row, which means returning to the home screen after exiting an app can accidentally trigger it. On newer Tizen versions, the autoplay behavior is baked deeper into the OS than it used to be, which is why simple workarounds that worked on older Samsung TVs may not work on newer models.
The fix depends on whether you want to stop it from autoplaying on startup, stop it from appearing as the default when you press the home button, remove it from your home screen entirely, or change what your TV defaults to when you first turn it on.
Change Your TV’s Last Viewed Source to Prevent Autoplay on Startup
This is the fastest fix and works well on most Samsung TV models from 2019 onward. The core issue with autoplay is that Samsung TV Plus launches when the TV can’t find an active input. Telling the TV to remember and return to whatever you were last watching changes that default behavior immediately.
Press the Home button on your remote and navigate to Settings using the gear icon. Go to General, then Smart Features (on newer models this may be listed as Auto Start App or similar). Look for an option called Autorun Last App or Start with Last App. Turn this on.
With this setting enabled, your TV will remember whatever you were watching or using when you last turned it off and return to it when you turn on again. If you were using Netflix, it goes back to Netflix. If you were watching a broadcast channel, it returns there. Samsung TV Plus only fills the gap when there’s nothing to return to, which becomes much less common once the TV has a recent viewing history to reference.
This setting doesn’t permanently eliminate Samsung TV Plus from the TV, but it stops the autoplay behavior for most people within one or two viewing sessions.
Remove Samsung TV Plus from the First Position on Your Home Screen
Even with the last-viewed setting enabled, the home screen layout can still be a trigger point. If Samsung TV Plus is pinned to the first position in your app row and you press the Home button, the TV highlights it by default and sometimes begins autoplaying content in the background preview. Moving it out of the prime position reduces accidental triggering significantly.
Press the Home button to bring up the home screen. Navigate to Samsung TV Plus in the app row at the bottom. Press and hold the Select button (the center of the directional pad) until an options menu appears. Look for Move to see options for repositioning. Move it to a position further down the row, toward the end where it won’t be automatically highlighted.
While you’re rearranging, move the apps you actually use most, Netflix, YouTube, Disney Plus, or whatever you watch regularly, into the first one or two positions. Your TV will default to highlighting whichever app is first when you open the home screen, so putting your actual preferred apps there makes them the default rather than Samsung TV Plus.
On newer Samsung TV models running Tizen 6.0 or later, you can also look for an option to remove Samsung TV Plus from the home screen row entirely. Hold the Select button on Samsung TV Plus and look for Remove or Delete from Home Screen in the menu. Note that this only removes it from the visible home screen. It doesn’t uninstall the app since pre-installed Samsung apps cannot be fully removed through standard settings.
Disable Autoplay in Samsung TV Plus Directly
Samsung TV Plus itself has an autoplay setting within its own menu that controls whether content starts playing automatically when you open it or navigate to it. Disabling this doesn’t stop the app from launching but does stop it from immediately blasting audio and video the moment it appears.
Open Samsung TV Plus from your home screen. Once it’s open, look for a Settings icon or menu within the app itself. The location varies slightly by firmware version but is usually accessible from the top right corner of the Samsung TV Plus interface. Inside the settings, look for Autoplay or Auto Play Content and turn it off.
With autoplay disabled inside the app, even when Samsung TV Plus loads on startup it will open to a channel guide or menu rather than immediately playing content. This is a partial fix that reduces the most intrusive part of the behavior, the automatic audio, even if the app itself still appears.
Set a Specific App as Your TV’s Default Home Screen App
On Samsung TVs running Tizen OS 5.0 and later, you can designate a specific app as the automatic startup destination, which means your TV bypasses Samsung TV Plus entirely on boot and goes straight to your preferred streaming service.
Press Home to open the home screen. Go to Settings, then General, then then look for Start Setup or Smart Features. Inside Smart Features, look for Autorun Smart Hub or a similar option. Some firmware versions also have an App Auto Launch setting that lets you select which app opens automatically when the TV starts.
If your TV has this option, select your preferred streaming app, whether that’s Netflix, YouTube, Prime Video, or any other installed app, and set it as the auto-launch destination. Your TV will then bypass the home screen and Samsung TV Plus entirely on startup and open directly to the app you specified.
This option isn’t available on every Samsung TV model or firmware version. If you don’t see it in your General settings, the home screen and last-viewed-source approach described earlier is your closest equivalent.
Adjust Your HDMI and Input Settings to Redirect Startup
Another effective approach involves how your TV handles input detection on startup. Most Samsung TVs have a setting called Anynet+ (also known as HDMI-CEC) that automatically switches to an active HDMI input when it detects a connected device powering on. If you have a streaming device, gaming console, or cable box connected via HDMI, enabling Anynet+ means your TV goes directly to that input when it detects the device is active rather than defaulting to Samsung TV Plus.
Go to Settings, then General, then External Device Manager. Look for Anynet+ (HDMI-CEC) and make sure it’s turned on. Also enable Auto Source Switching or similar if your model shows that option. When your external device (like a Roku, Apple TV, PlayStation, or streaming stick) is powered on before or at the same time as your TV, the TV should detect the active HDMI signal and go directly there instead of loading Samsung TV Plus.
If you always watch through an external device rather than Samsung TV Plus or the Samsung smart TV’s native apps, this is arguably the cleanest solution. Your TV becomes essentially a display for your preferred external device and Samsung TV Plus never gets a chance to load.
Use the Home Screen Editor to Limit What Appears on Startup
Newer Samsung TVs, particularly those from 2021 onward running updated Tizen versions, have a Home Screen Editor that gives you more control over the layout and content of the Samsung smart hub. This tool can limit how prominently Samsung TV Plus appears in your TV’s interface.
Press the Home button and look for a pencil or edit icon near the home screen, or navigate to Settings and look for Home Screen Settings or Home Screen Editor. Inside this editor, you can reorganize the app row, remove tiles from the featured content area, and sometimes adjust whether Samsung TV Plus content appears in the preview strip above the app row.
The preview strip, also called the Content Row or Universal Guide, often autoplays Samsung TV Plus content in the background as you navigate the home screen. Within the Home Screen Editor, look for options to disable the preview feature, minimize the content row, or replace it with your own recently watched content from other apps instead.
Disabling the preview autoplay within the home screen editor stops the background video and audio that plays as you browse the home screen without affecting your ability to still open Samsung TV Plus if you ever want to.
Disable Samsung TV Plus Through the App Settings or Data
If you want to be more aggressive about preventing Samsung TV Plus from loading, you can disable it through the app management settings in your TV’s menu. While you can’t fully uninstall pre-installed Samsung apps, you can disable them, which stops them from running in any capacity including as a startup default.
Go to Settings, then Support, then Device Care (on some models this is called Self Diagnosis or Device Manager). Look for Manage Storage or App Manager within this menu. Find Samsung TV Plus in the list. On models that allow it, you’ll see an option to Disable the app. Disabling it prevents the app from launching, removes it from your home screen app row, and stops it from being used as a default source on startup.
Not all Samsung TV firmware versions allow you to disable Samsung TV Plus through this method. If you don’t see a Disable option (only Clear Data or Clear Cache), the app management on your model doesn’t support disabling pre-installed apps. In that case, the combination of the home screen repositioning, the last-viewed-source setting, and the in-app autoplay setting provides the best practical result without disabling the app entirely.
Factory Reset as a Last Resort for Firmware Bugs
In rare cases, Samsung TV Plus autoplays persistently even after applying all the settings above due to a firmware bug where the TV’s default source setting gets reset after a power cycle, or where a recent firmware update overwrote previous settings.
If you’ve configured everything correctly but the behavior returns after restarting your TV, first check whether a newer firmware update is available. Go to Settings, then Support, then Software Update, then Update Now. Firmware updates sometimes include fixes for known issues with default source settings and autoplay behavior that Samsung identified from user complaints.
If no update is available and the problem persists across restarts despite your settings being configured correctly, a factory reset clears any firmware state corruption that might be causing the issue. Go to Settings, then General, then Reset. Enter your PIN (the default is 0000 if you haven’t set one). After the reset, reconfigure your settings starting with the last-viewed-source and home screen positioning steps described above before doing anything else.
A factory reset is time-consuming since it requires setting up all your apps and accounts again, so exhaust the other options first. But for firmware-level bugs that ignore setting changes, it’s the most reliable resolution.
What to Do if Samsung TV Plus Is Your Only Free Content Option
A note worth including for users in regions where Samsung TV Plus is one of the primary free content sources available: completely disabling or hiding it may not be the ideal choice if you occasionally use it intentionally for background TV or news channels.
In that case, the best approach is keeping the app available but removing the autoplay behavior specifically. Combining the Disable Autoplay setting within the app, the last-viewed-source setting in General, and moving Samsung TV Plus away from the first position in the home screen row gives you a situation where the app is accessible when you want it but never starts on its own when you don’t.
The goal isn’t necessarily to eliminate Samsung TV Plus entirely but to make it something that only plays when you actively choose it, just like every other app on your TV.
If your TV has also been experiencing other performance issues like slow loading, poor streaming quality, or connection drops, those problems often compound the frustration of autoplay behavior. Slow streaming on your Samsung TV or any connected device often traces back to network-level issues worth investigating separately. The complete breakdown of why your internet speed feels fast but streaming still buffers and lags explains exactly what causes this and how to fix it at the source.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Samsung TV Plus keep coming back even after I move it on the home screen?
Some Samsung TV firmware versions automatically reset the home screen layout after a major update or after the TV is power-cycled in certain conditions. After a firmware update, revisit your home screen layout and reposition Samsung TV Plus. Also confirm that the Autorun Last App setting under General is still enabled since firmware updates occasionally reset individual settings.
Can I completely uninstall Samsung TV Plus from my Samsung TV?
No. Samsung TV Plus is a pre-installed system app embedded in the Tizen operating system and cannot be fully uninstalled through standard user settings. What you can do on models that support it is disable the app through Device Care or App Manager, which prevents it from running without fully removing its files. On models that don’t offer a disable option, the combination of repositioning, autoplay settings, and default source configuration provides the most effective workaround.
Does disabling Samsung TV Plus affect any other features on my TV?
Disabling Samsung TV Plus does not affect any other Samsung smart TV features, your other streaming apps, broadcast reception, or any connected device inputs. Samsung TV Plus operates as an independent application, and disabling it has no effect on the TV’s other functions. Your settings, connected apps, and Wi-Fi configuration all remain intact.
Why does Samsung TV Plus start playing even when I’m trying to get to the home screen?
This typically happens when Samsung TV Plus is positioned first in the home screen app row and background preview playback is enabled. The TV begins loading and playing Samsung TV Plus content in the preview strip as you navigate the home screen, even before you select anything. Moving Samsung TV Plus away from the first position and disabling the preview or autoplay feature in the Home Screen Editor addresses this specifically.
Does turning off Autoplay in Samsung TV Plus settings actually work?
It works for stopping the immediate audio and video playback when the app opens, but it doesn’t prevent Samsung TV Plus from loading as the startup destination if that’s what your TV defaults to. The in-app autoplay setting and the system-level default source settings need to both be configured for the most complete result. Neither one alone fully solves the problem on most models.
Will enabling Anynet+ affect anything else on my TV?
Anynet+ (HDMI-CEC) allows your TV and connected HDMI devices to communicate and control each other. Enabling it means your TV may automatically switch to an external HDMI device when it powers on, which is the useful behavior for avoiding Samsung TV Plus. The potential side effects include your TV turning on when you turn on a connected console or your TV volume being controllable from a connected soundbar remote. For most users these are convenient features rather than problems, but if you prefer complete independence between your TV and connected devices, you can keep Anynet+ off and use the other methods instead.
My Samsung TV doesn’t show the settings mentioned in this guide. Why?
Samsung has released many different TV models across many years, and the Tizen OS version and firmware version vary significantly between them. Some settings mentioned in this guide are available on 2021 and later models but not on older ones. Some are available on specific regional firmware versions but not others. If a menu path doesn’t match what you see on your TV, search your specific model number on Samsung’s support site at samsung.com/support to find model-specific instructions for your firmware version.
Is there a way to make my TV start directly on Netflix or YouTube instead of Samsung TV Plus?
Yes, if your TV’s firmware version supports the Autorun Specific App or App Auto Launch setting under Smart Features in General settings. If this option is available on your model, you can select Netflix, YouTube, or any installed app as the automatic startup destination. If your model doesn’t show this option, setting the last-viewed content to be from Netflix before turning off the TV achieves a similar result through the Autorun Last App setting.
Does a newer Samsung TV have better options for controlling Samsung TV Plus?
Generally yes. Samsung has added more granular home screen customization and app management controls to newer Tizen versions in response to years of user complaints about Samsung TV Plus autoplay. If you have an older Samsung TV, your options are more limited than on a 2022 or newer model. Keeping your TV’s firmware updated gives you access to any new controls Samsung has added through software updates for your specific model.
Can I report this issue to Samsung to get it changed in a future firmware update?
Yes. Samsung collects feedback through the SmartThings app connected to your TV and through their official support channels. Going to Settings, then Support, then Contact Samsung (where available) allows you to send direct feedback. Widespread user feedback about specific behaviors has influenced Samsung’s firmware decisions in the past, and reporting the autoplay behavior as unwanted contributes to that feedback pool.
The Bottom Line
Samsung TV Plus autoplaying on startup is a deliberate design choice by Samsung, not a bug, which is why it doesn’t have a single obvious off switch. But it is absolutely controllable through a combination of the settings covered in this guide.
Start with the two fastest fixes: enable Autorun Last App under General settings, and move Samsung TV Plus away from the first position in your home screen app row. These two changes alone stop the autoplay behavior for the majority of users. Add the in-app autoplay toggle within Samsung TV Plus itself for an additional layer of control. If you use external devices through HDMI, enable Anynet+ to have your TV automatically default to those inputs instead.
For the most complete solution on supported models, disabling Samsung TV Plus through Device Care removes it from the equation entirely while keeping all your other TV functions working normally.
Your TV should start on what you want to watch, not what Samsung wants you to see. These settings put that choice back in your hands where it belongs.