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TV frozen or slow? Restart it properly, then clear the clutter

Switching off with the remote only puts a smart TV in standby, so the clutter in its memory stays. A real restart clears it. Start there, then free up memory and storage and update the software. A factory reset is the last step, not the first.

Updated 18 October 2026

First, find out what freezes. If only one channel or one HDMI input freezes, the set-top box or the cable is the likely cause, not the TV. LG's own pages on a freezing picture are about exactly that. If only one app freezes, go to one app freezes. If the menus are slow too, it is the TV: start below.

Restart it properly

Most makers have a restart that you start from the remote. It deletes nothing.

TVHow to restart
SamsungHold the power button on the remote until the TV switches off and on again, about 5 seconds. Samsung says this clears the memory cache.
Sony with Google TV or Android TVPoint the remote at the TV and hold Power for about 5 seconds, or choose Restart if a menu appears after 3 seconds. The TV comes back after about a minute.
Philips with Google TVHold Power on the remote for 3 seconds, or Settings, System, Restart.
TCL with Google TVHold Power on the remote until the power menu appears, then Restart.
Google TV in generalSettings, System, Restart.
Fire TV smart TVsHold Play/Pause and Select together for 3 to 5 seconds.
Roku TVSettings, System, Power, System restart. Roku says this is not the same as pressing the power button.
LGNo remote restart is documented. Unplug it instead, as below.

Unplug it for long enough

If the restart does not help, take the power away completely. Sony says this returns unneeded data and error information in the memory to its defaults. Each maker gives its own time:

  • Samsung: with the TV on, unplug it for 30 seconds. Samsung UK says about a minute, and that this keeps all your data.
  • LG: for a memory shortage, LG says to switch off Quick Start+ first, then unplug the TV for 10 minutes. Quick Start+ is under All Settings, General, System, Additional Settings on 2024 and newer models, and under All Settings, General, Devices, TV Management on webOS 22 and 23.
  • Sony: switch off, unplug, press the power button on the TV once, and leave it without power for 2 minutes. On some Google TV models you hold the TV's power button for about 40 seconds instead.
  • Philips: standby, unplug, disconnect all devices, and wait at least 2 minutes.
  • Google TV and TCL: 1 minute. Fire TV: at least 30 seconds. Roku TV: at least 10 seconds.

Free up memory and storage

Sony says a TV slows down over time from temporary files, and an app can slow down as its storage fills. The makers' tools for this:

  • Samsung Device Care: Settings, Support, Device Care, Start Device Care. It clears the cached memory and closes unused background apps. To clear one app's cache, go to Device Care, Manage Storage, pick the app, View Details, Clear Cache.
  • Sony: clear the cached data under Settings, System, Storage, Cached Data, and uninstall apps you do not use. On Android TV you can clear one app's cache under Settings, Apps.
  • Google TV and TCL: Settings, Apps, pick the app, then Force stop, Clear cache, or Clear data. TCL also says to check how much free space is left.
  • LG: LG offers no cache option. Its fix is to delete apps you do not use, or to delete and reinstall the one that causes trouble.

Samsung's general advice: close apps you are not using, and restart the TV regularly so the memory does not fill up.

One app freezes

  1. Check the internet first. LG says to start there when an app will not open or load. Our TV Internet Speed Test measures the speed that reaches the TV itself.
  2. Close the app completely and open it again. Hisense calls this Forced Closure, Google TV and TCL call it Force stop.
  3. Clear its cache, as above, or on an LG delete and reinstall it.
  4. Update the app and the TV. See our guide on how to update TV software.

If the app still fails after a restart, an update and a reinstall, Samsung says the TV is ruled out and to contact the app's maker. For the big ones we have separate guides: YouTube not working and Netflix buffering.

Update the software

Updates fix known faults. Every smart TV can update over the internet from its settings, usually under Support or About. Our guide on how to update TV software has the path for each brand, and the USB method for a TV that is not online.

Reset it, as the last step

LG names a reset as the step when the screen freezes unexpectedly or the menus get slow because of a system error. Sony's order is a soft reset first, the restart from the remote above, which deletes nothing, then the power cycle, and the factory reset only as a last resort. A factory reset deletes your apps and sign-ins. Our guide on how to reset a TV has the menu path for each brand and year.

Questions people ask

How do I unfreeze my TV?

Restart it properly. On a Samsung or a Sony, hold the power button on the remote for about 5 seconds until the TV restarts. If it does not react at all, unplug it: 30 seconds for a Samsung, 2 minutes for a Sony, 10 minutes for an LG with Quick Start+ switched off.

Why is my smart TV so slow?

Usually because its memory and storage fill up over time with temporary files and apps running in the background. Sony and Samsung both say so. A real restart clears the memory, and clearing the cache and deleting unused apps frees the storage. Then check for a software update.

How do I clear the cache on my TV?

On a Samsung, Settings, Support, Device Care clears the cached memory, and Manage Storage clears one app's cache. On a Sony, Settings, System, Storage, Cached Data. On Google TV and TCL, Settings, Apps, pick the app, Clear cache. LG has no cache option: delete and reinstall the app instead.

Why does my TV freeze on one channel?

If only one channel or one input freezes, the set-top box or the HDMI cable is more likely than the TV. LG's own pages on a freezing picture point to the set-top box and the cable. Restart the box and try another cable.

Does a factory reset make a TV faster?

It can, but it deletes your apps and sign-ins, so the makers call it the last step. Try a restart, a power cycle, clearing the cache and a software update first. Sony's order is soft reset, then power cycle, and factory reset only when nothing else worked.

Sources

Every step on this page comes from the makers' own support pages and manuals: