Samsung is the biggest smart TV manufacturer in the world for one simple reason: its panels are fantastic. However, they have a big problem: the software. All this time, the South Korean company has refused to install Android TV or Google TV on its TVs in favor of the Tizen operating system, which all its smart TVs carry. The problem? That Tizen OS is very closed and limited.
The Tizen app ecosystem is much smaller than Android TV. In addition, in the operating system of Samsung Smart TVs, there is no “APK” concept to easily install applications that do not appear in the store. So, you might be wondering… but is there a way to install unofficial apps from unknown sources on Samsung Smart TV? Below we tell you what we know.
Can unknown sources be enabled on my Samsung Smart TV?
No, it is not possible to enable unknown sources on Samsung Smart TVs as the operating system does not support APKs or any unknown sources. The apps in the Store are the only ones you can install. If you can’t find the app you want on Samsung TV, it’s one of these two reasons.
No version for Tizen OS: There are many apps that do not have a version compatible with Tizen and therefore cannot be installed on Samsung Smart TVs. Note that not all apps available for Android are available for Tizen. If the developer of the app you’re interested in doesn’t create a specific version for Samsung TVs, you can’t install it anyway for your region: Now if you’re sure you want the app, it has a version for Tizen and it should be available on Samsung Smart TVs, then it might be a region issue. That is, your TV is in a different region than the app. This can be solved by following this tutorial to install apps not showing on your Samsung Smart TV.
By the way, if you still don’t know, here is a tutorial on how to download apps on Samsung Smart TV that might be useful for you.
So… Can’t Install APK on Samsung Smart TV?
No, you cannot install APK on your Samsung TV as the operating system (Tizen OS) does not recognize this file format. There is a TPK equivalent to an APK in Tizen, which allows you to install apps externally to your smart TV, but it doesn’t help you install Android apps or apps that don’t have a Tizen version.
In addition, to install TPK on Samsung Smart TV, you need a Samsung author and distributor certificate, which is not entirely easy to obtain. Therefore, TPK files are far from being as functional and useful as APKs.
How to install Android TV on Samsung Smart TV
Currently, the only way to install Android TV apps on a Samsung Smart TV is through a TV box or stick like Chromecast with Google TV or Fire TV Stick. These devices connect to your Samsung TV’s HDMI port and add an Android-based operating system and 100% APK compatibility.
Specifically, I connected the Chromecast to a Google TV with a Samsung Smart TV, and it allowed me to install apps from Google Play and even APKs to my TV. It’s the best purchase I’ve ever made to avoid the limitations of Tizen OS.
You don’t actually need to get a Chromecast with Google TV. There are more devices to add Android to your Samsung Smart TV. In fact, we have listed 7 best Android TV boxes in terms of quality and price that serve the same purpose.
