My Samsung TV was running slow - this 5-second 'cold boot' trick fixed it
Source: ZDNet
*Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET*
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### ZDNET’s key takeaways
- Cold booting can instantly fix your Samsung TV.
- It improves sluggishness, odd behavior, and clears the cache.
- Simply turning off your Samsung TV puts it in standby mode; a cold boot fully powers it down.
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Lately, my [Samsung TV](https://www.zdnet.com/home-and-office/home-entertainment/best-samsung-tv-settings-to-change/) has been lagging. Apps take longer to open, the home menu hesitates before loading, and even turning the TV on feels slower than usual. The sluggishness became annoying, so a ZDNET editor suggested trying a simple “cold boot” trick that takes about five seconds. It clears the TV’s memory cache and forces a full restart.
**Also:** [How to clear your Roku TV cache (and why it makes such a big difference)](https://www.zdnet.com/home-and-office/home-entertainment/how-to-clear-roku-tv-cache/)
Pressing the power button on the Samsung TV remote does **not** truly turn the TV off—it only puts it in standby. Like a phone or PC, the TV has a cache that needs to be cleared regularly. The more apps you open, the more memory it consumes; when that memory gets overloaded, performance suffers. A cold boot flushes the cache and resets the system.
I tried a cold boot, and my TV became far more responsive. If your Samsung TV is stuttering, glitching, taking forever to respond, or even having trouble powering on, try this first.
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**How to perform a cold boot on a Samsung TV**
1. **Turn the TV off** using the remote’s power button (this puts it in standby).
2. **Unplug the power cord** from the wall outlet.
3. **Wait 5–10 seconds.**
4. **Plug the power cord back in** and turn the TV on.
Your TV should now start with a clean cache and improved performance. How to Speed Up a Slow Samsung TV
What you’ll need: a Samsung TV, the original Samsung remote (if you have it), and an internet connection.
1. Cold‑boot the TV with the remote
Long‑pressing the power button forces a full system restart (instead of standby) and clears the memory cache. This is the quickest and easiest method for most modern Samsung smart TVs.
- With the TV on, press and hold the Power button on the remote.
- Keep holding as the TV turns off.
- Continue holding until the TV powers back on and you see the Samsung logo.
[Image: Cold boot your TV: Long‑press the remote’s power button]
Image credit: Samsung / Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET
2. “Discharge” the TV (unplug it)
If you don’t have the remote, you can achieve the same result by cutting power completely.
- With the TV on, unplug the power cord from the wall outlet.
- Wait at least 30 seconds.
- Plug the cord back in and turn the TV on.
[Image: Discharge your TV: Unplug for 30 seconds]
Image credit: Samsung / Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET
3. Update the firmware
Out‑of‑date software can cause glitches and slow performance. Samsung releases updates to improve stability, security, and app compatibility.
- Press the Home button on the remote.
- Go to Settings ► Support ► Software Update.
- Select Update Now.
Tip: Enable Auto Update (Settings ► All Settings ► Support ► Software Update ► Auto Update) so future patches install automatically.
[Image: Check your Samsung TV’s software]
Image credit: Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET
4. Uninstall unused apps
Smart‑TV apps store temporary data that can eat RAM over time. Removing apps you rarely use frees up storage and reduces background resource usage.
- Press Home on the remote.
- Navigate to the app you want to remove.
- Highlight the app and press and hold (or open the Options/Tools menu).
- Choose Remove.
You can reinstall any removed app later if needed.
[Image: Uninstall apps you don’t use]
Image credit: Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET
5. Why does my Samsung TV feel slow?
Smart TVs run a full operating system with multiple apps and background processes. Over time, temporary files and memory usage accumulate, just like on a smartphone. Restarting, clearing the cache, and keeping software up to date can dramatically improve responsiveness.
6. Is a cold boot safe for my TV?
Yes. Both the long‑press power restart and the 30‑second unplug method are standard troubleshooting steps recommended by Samsung support. They do not erase permanent storage, your settings, or installed apps.
7. How often should I cold boot my TV?
There’s no strict schedule. Perform a cold boot whenever you notice:
- Laggy navigation
- Slow app launches
- Delayed startup
Regularly clearing the cache (every few weeks to a month) can keep performance snappy.
For more tips on TV performance, see:
- 11 secret Fire TV remote shortcuts
- 8 HDMI tricks to get the best performance from your TV
- Your TV’s USB port has hidden superpowers