10 most common Google TV problems and how to fix them

Google TV is a popular operating system for smart TVs, with dozens of third-party OEMs and multiple devices at different price points. While it offers a rock-solid user experience, a long list of features, and thousands of apps and games, it isn’t free of glitches and hiccups. Such technical and software issues can quickly turn excitement into frustration. This guide goes over step-by-step solutions to get you back to enjoying your favorite shows and movies in no time.

Common Google TV problems

Here are the common Google TV problems reported by users:

• Network glitches or the Wi-Fi doesn’t work
• Sound glitches and audio problems
• The app doesn’t open, crashes, or has a buggy performance
• An unresponsive or slow Google TV OS
• Google TV doesn’t connect to the remote
• Specific games don’t launch or work
• The soundbar doesn’t work
• Streaming glitches or video playback errors
• A black or unresponsive home menu

Now, let’s go over the top troubleshooting solutions.

1 Restart Google TV

Most Google TV users keep their smart TV on sleep so that it’s ready to use within a few seconds. Rebooting your Google TV is a handy trick to fix common glitches on your smart TV. Unplug the TV from the power source and turn it on after some time. Or, reboot it from the Settings menu.

1. Open your Google TV home and go to Settings in the upper-right corner.
2. Open All Settings.

3. Scroll to System.

   

4. Select Restart from the following menu and you are good to go.

   

2 Update Google TV

You may run into common Google TV problems if your smart TV runs an outdated OS. Here’s how to update your smart TV to the latest version.

1. Go to the System menu in Google TV Settings (check the steps above).
2. Select About.
3. Click System update and install the latest Google TV version on your smart TV.

   

3 Forget and reconnect to your Wi-Fi

Did you have a video playback error on your Google TV? That’s mainly due to a sketchy Wi-Fi connection on your smart TV. First, place the router near the Google TV, and if the issue persists, reconnect your Wi-Fi network.

1. Open Google TV Settings and scroll to Network & Internet.
2. Select your connected Wi-Fi network.

   

3. Click Forget network and confirm your decision.

   

4. Go back to the main menu and connect to your Wi-Fi network again.

4 Reset the sound on Google TV

Do you have audio issues on your Google TV? Incorrect sound settings can lead to such problems. Reset the sound on your Google TV and try again.

1. Open Google TV Settings and select Display & sound.
2. Click Sound to open the Sound menu in the sidebar.
3. Click Sound Reset and confirm your decision.

   

5 Close background apps

If your Google TV home feels unresponsive or slow, close background apps on your device. This is an effective trick to speed up your smart TV in seconds.

1. Open the Settings menu and go to the System.
2. Scroll to Storage and select Apps.

   

3. Select See all apps.
4. Select an active app from the following menu.

   

5. Click Force stop.

   

6. Repeat the same for other active apps.

6 Clear the cache and data of troubling apps

Are you facing issues with a specific app on your Google TV? First, go to the Google Play Store and install the latest app update. If there’s an account authentication error, sign out of your account and sign back in using your account credentials. If you still have issues, clear the app cache and data.

1. Go to the See all apps menu in Google TV Settings (refer to the steps above).
2. Select a troubling app.
3. Select Clear cache and Clear data from the following menu.

   

7 Check and free up storage

Most Google TVs come with limited storage. Installing unnecessary apps and games fills up the device’s storage space and leads to performance glitches. Here’s how to check the storage breakdown on your Google TV and uninstall services and games.

1. Navigate to the Storage menu in Google TV Settings (check the steps above).
2. Check the detailed storage breakdown on your device.

   

3. Select apps and click See all apps.

   

4. Click Uninstall and confirm your decision.
5. Repeat the same for other unnecessary apps and free up space on your device.

8 Forget and add the remote again

Does your Google TV remote fail to play along with your smart TV? Change battery cells and try again. You can temporarily use the Google Home app to activate a digital remote on your device. Now, use it to connect your remote to Google TV.

1. Open Google TV Settings and scroll to Remotes & Accessories.
2. Select your Bluetooth remote and click Forget.
3. Select Pair accessory and connect your remote again.

   

9 Check game compatibility

While Google TV has thousands of games on your smart TV, not every title is compatible with a big screen. Here’s how to check game compatibility on your device.

1. Open the Google Play Store on the desktop.
2. Find the game you want to play.
3. Click Install and check its compatibility on your smart TV. Check the screenshot below for reference.

   

10 Reset Google TV

When none of these tricks work, it’s time to reset Google TV to factory settings and start from scratch. When you reset it, the system deletes your apps and files from your Google TV.

1. Go to the System menu in Google TV Settings (refer to the steps above).
2. Open the About menu.
3. Select Reset.

   

4. Click Factory Reset and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the reset process.

Get your Google TV up and running

Frequent Google TV glitches can turn your ideal weekend into a nightmare. From buffering videos and buggy apps to Wi-Fi connectivity woes and audio dropouts, the tricks above help you get back on track in minutes. After your Google TV works just the way you like it, check out our top tips to get the best out of your smart TV.