How To Substantially Reduce Data Usage on a Samsung Smart TV

Samsung offers several smart TVs ranging from basic entry-level to high-end TVs with impressive features.

However, most of their smart TVs require a lot of data to work correctly to provide the best experience.

So, how do you reduce data usage on a Samsung Smart TV?

Here are a few essential ways to reduce data usage on a Samsung Smart TV:

1. Downgrade your video streaming quality.
2. Disable features you don’t use.
3. Delete unused apps and games.
4. Update your Samsung Smart TV’s firmware.
5. Enable the Data Saver feature.

Read on for more insights into each method mentioned above to reduce data usage on your Samsung Smart TV. I’ll walk you through each step in great detail.

How To Check Your Samsung Smart TV Data Usage

Most Samsung smart TVs have a preinstalled data usage meter that helps you keep an eye on your monthly data usage.

Here’s how to view your monthly data usage in 5 steps:

1. Open the Smart Hub menu.
2. Tap the Navigation bar.
3. Use the arrows to navigate the screens and the circle icon to select DETAILS from the display.
4. Take a look at your data usage.
5. Select CLOSE to exit.

Knowing the amount of data you use every day will help you track your usage over time.

It’s essential to be aware of how much data you are using to keep an eye on it and adjust the settings if necessary.

It’ll also help you figure out any potential problems with specific apps.

1. Downgrade Your Video Streaming Quality

Streaming services like YouTube and Netflix use up a lot of data when streaming HD content, but they’ll still work fine when set to Standard definition (SD).

Reducing your video streaming quality is a straightforward way to reduce high data usage on your Samsung smart TV.

It reduces both mobile data usage and bandwidth speeds at home. 

To downgrade video quality, open the streaming app and select a lower resolution.

For example, here are the steps to reduce the streaming quality on YouTube:

1. Open the YouTube app.
2. Tap the overflow menu on the top right corner of the screen
3. You will see a list of resolutions to choose from. Select any resolution below 1080p for best results.

Netflix also offers SD streaming capabilities, so you can set the streaming quality to SD in the app’s settings if desired.

If you’re looking for an incredible entertainment experience, I recommend connecting the Roku Express HD Streaming Media Player (you can get it easily on Amazon) to your Samsung Smart TV.

The media player lets you stream a massive selection of TV channels.

It’s also very compact, and the installation process is a breeze, making it a worthwhile addition to your home entertainment system.

2. Disable Features You Don’t Use

Most Samsung Smart TVs come with several features that you may not use, such as 3D Support, voice control, or even the Internet Browser.

These features are great, but they use up a ton of data.

Here’s how to disable a feature you don’t use on a Samsung Smart TV:

1. Press the Home button on your remote control.
2. Navigate to Settings.
3. Select General and tap OK on the remote control.
4. Select Smart Features and click OK.
5. Deactivate all the features you wish to disable.
6. Turn the TV off and back on to save your preferences.

You can disable the following features if you never use them:

• 3D support
• Voice recognition
• Internet Browser

3. Delete Unused Apps and Games

When apps are installed, they often update themselves, causing them to run in the background.

This is one of the most significant sources of excessive data usage on Samsung Smart TVs – the apps will continue to run in the background, even if you never open them.

To prevent this, delete old, unused apps and games you no longer play.

Not only is this good for reducing data usage, but it also helps prevent slow performance.

The steps to delete apps from a Samsung Smart TV vary with the model year. 

Here’s how to delete apps on specific models according to Lifewire: 

Samsung 2020, 2021, and 2022 smart TV models:

1. Press the Home button on the remote control.
2. Navigate to Settings and press OK on the remote.
3. Select Support and press OK.
4. Select Device Care and select OK.
5. Navigate to Manage Storage.
6. Select Apps.
7. Tap Delete and confirm.

Samsung 2017, 2018, and 2019 smart TV models:

1. Press the Home button on the remote.
2. Navigate to Apps on your TV screen.
3. Select Settings and click OK on the remote.
4. Select Downloaded Apps.
5. Select Delete.
6. Follow the subsequent prompts to confirm.

Samsung 2015 and 2016 smart TV models:

1. Press the Home button on your remote.
2. Navigate to Apps on your Samsung TV screen.
3. Select Apps and click OK on the remote.
4. Select My Apps and click OK on the remote.
5. Select Options.
6. Select Delete.
7. Follow the subsequent prompts to confirm.

Here’s a great video demo demonstrating how to delete an app from your Samsung smart TV:

4. Update Your Samsung Smart TV’s Firmware

Another simple way to reduce data usage on a Samsung Smart TV is by updating the firmware.

According to Samsung Support, updating the TV’s firmware eliminates bugs and potential vulnerabilities, so it’s essential to stay updated with new releases.

For existing TVs, the latest firmware is automatically installed when connected to the internet.

However, you can also install updates manually.

Here’s how to check for an update manually:

1. Press the Menu button on your remote.
2. Select Support and press OK.
3. Select Software Update and press OK.
4. Follow any prompts that appear on-screen to download and install updates.

In most cases, this helps prevent slow performance or malfunctions due to old firmware.

5. Enable the Data Saver Feature

Data Saver Mode is a feature on Samsung Smart TVs that helps reduce data usage. It’s crucial to enable this mode to stay within your data limit and reduce your internet service provider (ISP) costs.

Here are the steps to enable Data Saver on your Samsung Smart TV:

1. Go to the Home screen using the Home button on your remote control.
2. Navigate to Settings and select OK.
3. Select Network and Internet.
4. Tap Data Saver and press OK.

Wrapping Up

These are just a few tips for reducing your data usage on a Samsung Smart TV.

Besides these measures, you can contact your internet service provider to help you monitor your usage. This can help you avoid incurring extra charges.

Remember:

• Streaming in lower resolutions reduces data usage.
• You can always deactivate any features or apps you don’t use.
• Updating your TV’s firmware helps save data.