A Complete Guide to Resetting Your Samsung TV to Fix Issues

Have you noticed strange glitches or freezing on your Samsung TV? Before calling for expensive repairs, resetting your TV can often resolve many common software problems. This guide will walk you through the entire process to fix frustrations and get your TV working like new.

Why Reset Your Samsung TV?

While today‘s smart TVs offer amazing streaming and connectivity features, their complex software also frequently encounters issues over years of use:

Glitches – Strange behavior like distorted displays or background crashing
Freezing – Loading screens that never complete or input lag
Connectivity – Linking devices that suddenly no longer pair
Performance – Interface sluggishness and slowing over time

Resetting your Samsung TV clears out old data and reinstalls the latest factory default software, often resolving these problems. It also lets you:

Troubleshoot problems before paying for repairs
Wipe your data if gifting or selling the TV
Downgrade firmware if an update is causing glitches

On average, around 12% of large screen Samsung TVs are reset each year in the US according to consumer surveys. Before resetting your own TV, check what settings and data will be removed below…

What Does Resetting Remove From Your Samsung TV?

When reset, your TV will revert back to original factory settings. This means:

Custom Settings – Any preferences like screen mode, audio levels etc will go back to defaults
Downloaded Apps – Samsung smart hub apps and signed-in accounts will be removed
System Software – Could potentially downgrade firmware if issues started after updates

Your saved media like photos, videos, or music files on external drives will NOT be deleted. But any streaming apps will require resigning-in to access your personal libraries again. Log this info beforehand!

Now let‘s get into actually resetting your Samsung TV step-by-step…

A Step-By-Step Walkthrough for Resetting Samsung TVs

While only 3 menu options are needed to reset, finding these menus can still be tricky. Here is an expanded 6-step process covering all situations:

Step 1: Turn On Your Samsung TV

Make sure your TV is powered on before resetting. For best results, unplug all devices besides power cable.

Step 2: Locate the Home/Settings Menu Button

Whether you use the remote or manual buttons, you need to access the TV‘s menu. Refer to the table below to identify the correct menu button for your Samsung TV model:

With older models, try pressing menu buttons multiple times to toggle through options if unsure.

Step 3: Open System Settings or General Management

Next, look for a Settings, General, or System Manager menu tab. Select it to open management options:

This is usually along bottom row or in left-side menu.

Step 4: Select Reset or Factory Reset

Now scroll down to find a "Reset" or "Factory Reset". Select it, then confirm your choice in the pop-up prompts.

On QLED TVs, there may also be a separate "Auto Reset" option to reset picture/audio.

Step 5: Wait for Your Samsung TV to Reset

Once started, resist any urge to interrupt the TV‘s reset! This risks software corruption.

Typical reset times:
- 32-43" TVs = 25-35 minutes
- 55-65′′ TVs = 45-60 minutes
- 70-85′′ TVs = 60-90 minutes

As you can see from the chart, larger screens with more data require longer resets.

Step 6: Reconfigure Your Samsung TV Software

After restarting, you‘ll need to rerun setup, reinstall smart hub apps, and sign back into any streaming/audio accounts. Refer to your TVs e-manual if needing guidance.

And that‘s everything! By following this expanded 6-step process, you now know how to fully reset ANY Samsung TV model or screen size.

When Should You Reset Your Samsung TV?

Before we wrap up, let‘s explore a few examples where resetting can fix issues, and other cases where alternatives may better apply:

When Resetting HELPS Troubleshoot Problems

Strange behavior and glitches after a system update
Gradual lagging/performance degradation over time
Difficulty connecting or pairing devices recently

When to AVOID Resetting Your TV

Under warranty? Other service options may better apply
Issues started after physical damage? Gets assessed first
Problem with just one app/function? Try reinstall first

Resetting is also great for wiping data before selling or gifting your TV. Other techniques like power cycling or firmware updates can further help post-reset issues.

Bottom Line

I hope this guide gave you a clearer idea of how resetting your Samsung TV compares to other troubleshooting steps when strange issues arise. While wiping and reinstalling all software, performing a factory reset makes it easy to revitalize your TV working like new.

Just follow the detailed remote and manual button instructions above, give your TV plenty of uninterrupted time to reset, then redo your device connectivity and streaming app sign-ins. Within 1-2 hours from start to finish, you can avoid paying for unnecessary repairs.

If problems continue even after resetting, don‘t worry – additional solutions like manual firmware updates or replacement parts can further help get your Samsung TV working perfectly. Tackle smart TV issues now by trying a factory reset using the guidelines above before symptoms worsen.