TVs getting WiFi and other smart features were revolutionary in the world of binge-watching. But sometimes, those features come back to bite us. What if your smart TV is hogging your network without you knowing?
Smart TVs use WiFi when off to check for updates and allow other gadgets to turn them on. These features only work when the smart TV is on standby mode. If the TV is completely turned off, your smart TV won’t use WiFi. Generally, smart TVs won’t use up a lot of WiFi bandwidth when not running.
Who would have guessed that things can get so complicated? This article will clarify a few things about smart TVs and how they use your WiFi when they’re off.
Why Smart TVs Use WiFi on Standby
Standby on traditional TVs is a genius feature. It allows your TV to wake up quickly from its slumber, it lowers stress on the built-in power supply, and your remote can turn it on.
Of course, standby mode isn’t the same as turning the TV off completely.
Your TV is in sleep mode. The main purpose is to keep the IR (infrared) receiver powered so that it can detect signals from your remote. That’s why you see a red LED when the TV is off.
So far, all of this applies to smart TVs as well.
The main difference is that smart TVs also stay connected on standby mode. Most modern smart TVs do, at least. Maybe your model is slightly different in this regard.
This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, though.
If your smart TV is connected to WiFi, it can check for updates and notify you as soon as you turn it on. They usually don’t download the update, but this again varies.
But who cares about humdrum firmware updates?
What matters to us is that smart hubs like Amazon Echo and Google Nest can control the TV.
The WiFi staying on is mandatory for home automation, voice control, and turning the TV on from your smartphone. Otherwise, it just wouldn’t work.
If your smart TV supports the features I just mentioned, then WiFi is on even when the TV is “off.” With “off,” I mean standby because most people don’t actually turn their smart TV off.
Your TV goes into standby mode when you turn it off using a remote, a voice command, your smartphone, or anything similar.
Let’s now talk about how you can actually turn it off.
How To Stop Your Smart TV From Using WiFi
If you don’t want your smart TV to use WiFi, there are a few solutions. Unfortunately, none of them are very practical. But they get the job done.
Turn It Off Using the Button on the Smart TV
Turning a smart TV off remotely only puts it on standby. You can tell that your TV is in standby mode when the LED indicator light is red or orange.
The simplest way to turn your smart TV off completely is to use the button on the TV itself.
With modern edge-to-edge displays, the button is usually on the bottom or on the back of the TV.
You’ll know that the TV is completely off because the LED is no longer glowing.
Unplug the Smart TV Power Cord
If you can’t reach or find the button on your smart TV, just yank the power cord from the socket.
This is an old-school way to turn a TV off, but it’s 100% effective. Unless your TV has magical powers, its WiFi will be off.
Disconnect the Smart TV From Your WiFi Network
Some smart TVs allow you to turn the WiFi on and off, just like on your phone. Unfortunately, many of them don’t.
If your smart TV has an on/off WiFi toggle, that’s an easy way to stop it from hogging your network.
If not, disconnect it from your WiFi. When you want to use its smart features again, you’ll have to type in your WiFi password.
That’s why this is the least convenient method of the three.
Does My Smart TV Use Up WiFi Bandwidth When It’s Off?
Your smart TV doesn’t use up WiFi bandwidth when it’s off. Unless the TV allows you to download updates and content on standby mode, it won’t use a lot of bandwidth. It’ll stay connected to your WiFi router so that you can turn it on remotely via your home assistant.
If you’re downloading a movie or TV show on your TV, it’ll use up all available bandwidth. That’s just the way it is.
But at least it allows for faster downloads at the cost of everybody else struggling to watch a 1080p YouTube video. And that’s only 50 MB per minute.
So, unless you’re downloading something, your smart TV doesn’t use a lot of bandwidth in general. Let alone when it’s on standby.
Most smart TVs will pause all downloads you have queued when you turn it off. So, your TV likely isn’t the cause behind your slow WiFi.
But there’s also the fact that WiFi stays on even when your smart TV is off. It allows you to turn the TV on remotely, and the TV can check for firmware updates.
Even though the TV isn’t downloading anything, the sole fact that it’s a WiFi device means it may cause interference.
One way to remedy this is to use a dual-band WiFi router. It can send both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz WiFi, so it tidies up your network a bit.
Final Thoughts
Most smart TVs continue to use WiFi when you turn them off. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It allows us to control the TV using home assistants and smartphone apps.
A smart TV on standby won’t use a lot of WiFi data. It only checks for updates and prompts from other devices if it’s part of home automation.
If you have any concerns about this, you can always turn the TV off completely using the button on the TV instead of the remote.