Samsung is the largest Smart TV manufacturer in the world for one simple reason: its panels are fantastic. However, Samsung has a big problem: the software. Samsung has consistently chosen to use the Tizen OS operating system on its Smart TVs instead of Android TV or Google TV. The issue is that the Tizen OS has restrictions and limited capabilities.
Tizen’s app ecosystem is significantly smaller than Android TV. Moreover, Samsung Smart TVs do not support the installation of apps from outside the official store, unlike devices that use the Android operating system. You might be wondering if there is a method to allow the installation of unofficial apps on Samsung Smart TV from unknown sources. Below, we will share what we know about enabling unknown sources on Samsung Smart TV for installing unofficial apps.
Can unknown sources be activated on my Samsung Smart TV?
Unknown sources cannot be enabled on Samsung Smart TVs because the operating system does not support APKs or any type of unknown sources. You can only install apps available in the store on your Samsung Smart TV. If you can’t find an application on your Samsung TV that you wanted, it is for one of these two reasons:
- It does not have a 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. Not all apps available for Android can be found on Tizen OS. If the developer of the app you want has not made a version for Samsung TVs, you cannot install it.
- If the app you want is not available on your Samsung Smart TV, it may be due to regional restrictions. Ensure the app has a Tizen version compatible with Samsung Smart TVs. That is, your TV is from a different region than the regions where the app is available. You can resolve this issue by following a tutorial to install apps that are not visible on your Samsung Smart TV.
It is not possible to install APK on a Samsung Smart TV because…
No, you cannot install APK on your Samsung TV, since its operating system (Tizen OS) does not recognize this file format. Tizen has an equivalent to the APK called TPK. While TPK allows you to install apps externally on your Smart TV, it does not support the installation of Android apps or apps without a Tizen version.
Moreover, obtaining a Samsung Author and Distributor certificate is necessary to install TPK on a Samsung Smart TV, and it is not an easy process. Therefore, TPK files are not as practical or useful as APKs.
How to install Android TV apps 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 such as the Chromecast with Google TV or the Fire TV Stick . These devices connect to the HDMI port of your Samsung TV and add an operating system based on Android and 100% compatible with APK.
I have particularly connected a Chromecast with Google TV to my Samsung Smart TV, and it has allowed me to install apps directly from Google Play and even APK to my TV . It is by far the best purchase I have made to get rid of the limits of Tizen OS.