How to Set Up a New Smart TV

A new smart TV can feel overwhelming before you turn it on. There are cords to connect, apps to sign into, and a remote with what seems like too many buttons. This guide takes you through every step in plain language, starting with getting the TV out of the box and ending with watching your first show.

The encouraging news: every major smart TV brand — Samsung, LG, Sony, TCL, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV — includes a setup wizard. When you first power on the TV, it walks you through each step with on-screen instructions. You do not need to memorize anything beforehand. This guide helps you understand what each step is asking so you are not surprised.

Choosing the right TV size before you buy

If you have not purchased your TV yet, here is a practical rule of thumb for sizing. Measure the distance (in feet) between your couch and where the TV will sit. Multiply that distance by 8. And you get the recommended screen size in inches. For example, if you sit 8 feet away, look for a TV around 55 to 65 inches. Sitting too close to a screen that is too large can cause eye strain. Sitting too far from one that is too small means straining to read text.

Most living rooms with a couch 8 to 10 feet from the wall do well with a 55-inch TV. A bedroom with a viewing distance of 5 to 6 feet is more comfortable with a 40 to 50-inch screen.

What "smart TV" means

A smart TV is a television that connects to the internet, the same way your phone does. Once connected, it can run apps — Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Hulu, Disney+, and many others — without a separate streaming device. Many smart TVs also come with apps pre-installed (you will see them on the home screen when the TV starts up).

If you also have a cable or satellite box, a streaming stick (like a Roku or Amazon Fire Stick), or a DVD player, you connect those devices through the HDMI ports on the back or side of the TV. HDMI is the standard rectangular connector that carries both video and audio through a single cord.

What you will need before starting

• Your Wi-Fi network name and password (check the label on your router — the box your internet provider gave you — if you are unsure)
• The email address and password for any streaming services you want to use (Netflix, Prime Video, etc.)
• A pen and paper to write things down as you go
• Someone to help lift the TV out of the box — modern TVs are thin and lighter than older models but can still be awkward to handle alone

After the initial setup

Take a few minutes to adjust the picture settings. Most TVs ship from the factory in "Vivid" or "Dynamic" mode — a very bright, blue-tinted setting designed to stand out in a store. In your home, this setting often looks harsh. Look for a picture mode called "Movie," "Cinema," or "Filmmaker Mode" and select it. This setting is calibrated to show colors as they were originally intended and is much easier on the eyes for long viewing sessions.

For sound, the built-in speakers on flat-screen TVs are often thin-sounding because there is not much space inside the slim frame for speakers. If voices sound muffled or hard to understand, look for a setting called "Speech Enhancement," "Clear Voice," or "Dialogue Boost" in the sound settings. Turning it on can make a noticeable difference without buying a soundbar.

Source: Consumer Reports — TV Buying Guide (consumerreports.org) and Samsung Support — Smart TV Setup (samsung.com/us/support/).