How To Get Freeview on Samsung Smart TV?

Freeview is one of the most popular streaming services in the UK that allows users to watch live and on-demand content for free.

The app works on different devices, including some Samsung TVs.

In this article, we’ll explain what Samsung TVs you can find the Freeview app on and how to get Freeview on Samsung smart TV– regardless of the model.

Let’s dive in.

Does Your Samsung Smart TV Have Freeview?

Freeview Play– which combines Live TV, on-demand content, and streaming services– is not available on Samsung TVs, but your TV might have Freeview installed if it was manufactured in 2016 or earlier.

Newer models are unlikely to have the Freeview app pre-installed, but you can still watch

Freeview on your Samsung TV in 2022 by downloading the Freeview On Demand app, which gives you access to on-demand content only.

This app is available on all 2017 and newer Samsung Smart TVs.

How To Get Freeview on a Samsung Smart TV?

Here are the different ways to get Freeview on your Samsung Smart TV:

Freeview with an aerial

To watch Freeview on a Samsung TV that does not have the app, you’ll need a set-top box and an aerial to receive signals.

To set it up:

1. Plugin the aerial cable into the aerial slot on the set-top box. The slot is typically marked as ‘RF’ or ‘Aerial’. 
2. Plugin the SCART or HDMI cables into the set-top box and the TV.
3. Turn the set-top box and TV on.
4. Switch the input to HDMI on the TV.

How do I scan Freeview channels on My Samsung TV?

If you can’t access all or some Freeview channels, even when your Samsung TV comes with a Freeview app, you can retune the device.

To do that:

1. Press Menu.
2. Select Broadcasting and then Autotuning.
3. Select Aerial and then Channel type (digital).
4. Select Scan and wait for it to finish.
5. Select Primary region, Secondary region, and Additional region, and press OK.
6. Select Close.

Freeview through other devices

If your TV is not compatible with Freeview and you don’t have an aerial, you can access Freeview content through Amazon’s Fire TV Stick and Roku– both of which are compatible with Samsung TVs.

To get Freeview on your Samsung TV via the Amazon TV Fire Stick, you’ll first need to download the app there. Freeview is not available on Amazon’s store, but you can sideload it and download Freeview from Google or Apple’s app stores.

Once that’s done:

1. Plug your Amazon Firestick device into your Samsung TV.
2. Connect the device and your Samsung TV to the same WIFI network.
3. Go to the Amazon App Store on the Amazon Fire TV Stick device.
4. Search for the Freeview app.
5. Download and install the Freeview app on your device.
6. Launch the app.

To access Freeview on your Samsung Smart TV via Roku:

1. Connect the Roku streaming device and your Samsung TV with an  HDMI cable.
2. Switch the input on the TV to HDMI.
3. Press the Home button on your Roku TV remote.
4. You should find the Freeview Play icon there.

If you don’t see it, you can download it from the Channel Store:

1. Go to the Roku Channel Store.
2. Type ‘Freeview’ in the search bar in the top right corner.
3.  Download and install the app. 

Worth noting: Your Roku device and Samsung TV have to be connected to the same Wi-Fi network.

Direct installation

If you own a Samsung Smart TV that is Freeview-compatible, you can simply download the app directly from the Smart Hub.

To download the Freeview app on your Samsung TV: 

1. Connect your Samsung TV to a Wi-Fi network with a stable internet connection.
2. Go to your Samsung Tv’s Home Screen using the remote control.
3. Navigate to the Samsung Smart Hub.
4. Search for ‘Freeview’ in the search bar.
5. Select ‘Download’.

Bottom Line

Although your device may or may not have direct access to Freeview, there are ways you can watch Freeview content on it, regardless of the model and when it was produced. If the Freeview app is unavailable on your device, you can access it through aerial or streaming devices like Amazon Fire TV Stick or Roku.