If you have a television with Android TV or Google TV, you enjoy one of the best operating systems on the market: it is the one with the most applications, it has many customization options, with Chromecast integrated to stream content from your phone, … but like any other OS, Android TV is not without bugs. If your TV with Android TV is giving you problems with its softwarethese are the most common major errors and how you can fix them.
To use: For the instructions below, I used a TCL TV running Android 10. Although similar, the steps may vary depending on your TV.
connectivity issues
Like any other smart TV, Android TV needs internet to work. If you’re having trouble with your Wi-Fi, there are several possible causes and ways to fix them.
The first thing is to check the network status. Check that your phone can connect to the internet at your home and if so, go to “Settings” (the gear icon at the top right of the main screen) and enter “internet red“. Once inside, click on “network discovery” to find out what’s wrong: Between the TV and the router or between the router and the connection?
If your TV cannot connect to the routerrestart the latter, leaving a few minutes of margin before turning it back on.
Check that you are trying to connect to the correct network, this is especially important if you have a dual-band router, as not all Android TVs support 5Ghz.
Another option you can try is to go to “internet red“, enter the Wi-Fi that is giving us problems and delete the network so that it appears again and thus configure it again by entering the password. It could also be due to the proxy, something you will also find under “Network & Internet” > “Proxy settings”. Make sure the selected option is none. Under “IP Settings”, verify that DHCP is enabled.
There are times when internet connection fails due to date and time issues. Go to the settings and there in “device preferences” >”Date and hour” and activate the automatic option. If you have it activated but the date and time do not correspond to reality, you can deactivate it and enter it manually.
A specific application is slow
You might not have any issues in general with Android TV but when you enter a certain app, a sluggishness suddenly appears on the scene. Be warned, this is not the same as when an app is having trouble loading or loading content, in which case it could well be a connection issue.
You can try to solve it from settings and enter “Apps“. There it touches on “Delete data“y”empty the cache“. In this case, you will have to log in again.
If the above doesn’t work, the next step is a classic: uninstall and reinstall the appsomething you can do directly on the same screen we were on or from the Google Play Store.
Another possibility could be that your TV is about to run out of storage space, which results in various issues. In this case, try deleting the apps you don’t use. How do I know how much space is available? Check it in settings, “Device Preferences” > “Storage”. There you can also see what occupies the most.
Keep in mind that there are apps that experience crashes after an update, so in this case you will have to wait for the development team release the next update that fixes it
Android TV is slow
One day you turn on the television and find that Android TV is slower than usual. This can be due to a wide variety of causes ranging from lack of storage space to the controller being the problem.
A good idea is to take a look at the available space of the TV as in the previous point and if we see that there is little left, Let’s delete the apps we don’t use.
The next step will be clear app data and cache one by onealthough we recommend that you keep the cache of the ones you use the most, for example HBO Max or Netflix.
Some TVs with Android TV like my TCL have a specific function called “Speed up the system” Next to the settings cog there is a shield and if pressed it performs system operation optimization, for example closing processes, errors and cleaning.
It should be checked that there is no widespread problem that can be fixed with an update. So, you can check if there are any pending updates in settings, “System Preferences” > “Information” and click there on system updates.
The remote can also be the cause of the lag.To check if he is responsible, try what the experience is like by turning your mobile into a remote control for your TV to see if things improve. If so, try changing the batteries.
A pending download on the Google Play Store
Although you may have seen and experienced it on your Android phone before, it also happens on TVs that a download is pending to eternity.
You can try to solve it by entering the settings gear and in “Apps“click on”See all appsThere, locate “Google Play Store” and use one of the best possible remedies: clear cache and clear data.
Use the option “Speed up the system” (the shield next to the gear) is also a good idea, although it will show and clean up processes that were left halfway through.
What if it won’t let me install apps? In this case, we invite you to free up storage space by deleting applications or, if they cannot be uninstalled, by disabling them.
If all else fails, you can always take drastic action: go to settings and “Device Preferences” > “Recover” and there select return to factory settings.
You can’t complete a purchase on Android TV
If you want to buy a paid application and your Android TV does not allow it, it may require additional verification of your payment method to become effective.
Unfortunately this is not something that can be done from the TV, but you always have the option of choosing another payment method that does not require this extra charge, although the easiest way is to make the purchase from another devicefor example your phone or tablet.
So, once you have selected it from that device in question and you are going to make the purchase, make sure that brands you want to install on Android TVso that it automatically appears on your TV once it has been synced.
Netflix not playing in 4K
If you have a subscription to the Netflix Premium plan, you will probably be able to enjoy its specific content in 4K, although this applies to other streaming services that offer this resolution.
If you find 4K content to be lower resolution, there are two main reasons for this:
PhotoNetflix | Photo freestocks and Unsplash
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