Removing Netflix from a television is often necessary for users who are shifting to a different streaming service, troubleshooting a malfunctioning app, or simply cleaning up their home screen. The process varies slightly depending on whether the TV is a smart television with built-in apps or connected to streaming hardware like a Fire TV Stick or Apple TV. This guide provides specific steps for the most common scenarios.
Removing Netflix from Built-in Smart TV Apps
If your television runs on a native smart platform like Samsung Tizen, LG webOS, or Sony Android TV, the app can usually be managed directly from the set-top interface. Unlike mobile devices, you cannot fully "delete" system apps on most TVs, but you can hide or deactivate them to free up space and reduce clutter.
Samsung Tizen TVs
On Samsung TVs, the Tizen interface allows for significant customization of the home screen. To remove Netflix from view, you highlight the app, press the "Options" or "Enter" button on your remote, and select "Remove from Home Screen." This action hides the icon but preserves the app data, allowing you to reinstall it instantly from the app list without downloading it again.
LG webOS TVs
LG televisions running webOS use a card-based interface for app management. To hide Netflix, you place the cursor over the app icon, press the "Settings" button on your remote (often represented by a gear icon), and choose "Remove." Similar to Samsung, this hides the app rather than uninstalling it. To restore it, navigate to the "LG Content Store," find Netflix under "My Apps," and select "Add to Home Screen."
Removing Netflix from Android TV and Google TV
Televisions running Google’s Android TV or newer Google TV operate differently depending on whether the device is a television with Android built-in or a streaming dongle/box. The key distinction is between "User apps" and "System apps."
For User Apps (Downloaded by You)
If you downloaded Netflix from the Google Play Store, it functions like a standard mobile app. To uninstall, navigate to the app in the Settings menu, select "Apps," find "Netflix," and choose "Uninstall." This completely removes the application and frees up storage space on the device.
For Pre-installed System Apps
If Netflix was included pre-loaded by the manufacturer, it is likely a system app that cannot be fully uninstalled. In this case, you can disable it. Go to Settings > Apps > Netflix > Disable. Disabling the app stops it from running and removes it from your interface, but it keeps the app data intact in case you need to reactivate it later.
Removing Netflix from Connected Streaming Devices
Many users access Netflix not through the TV itself, but via a dedicated streaming device connected to the HDMI port. Managing these apps requires interacting with the device's specific interface rather than the television's interface.
Amazon Fire TV Stick/Box
To remove Netflix from a Fire TV device, navigate to the app, highlight it, and press the Menu button (three horizontal lines) on your remote. Select "Uninstall." If you are using a Fire TV Stick Lite or a device without an uninstall option, you can alternatively go to Settings > Applications > Manage Installed Applications, select Netflix, and choose "Uninstall."
Apple TV and Roku
On Apple TV, you press and hold the Netflix icon until the icons jiggle, then press the Delete button on your remote to hide it. To fully delete it, go to Settings > General > Reset and confirm the reset, though this is a nuclear option for stubborn apps. On Roku, you highlight the channel, press the * button on your remote, and select "Remove channel." Note that removing a channel on Roku requires you to re-download the app and log in again, as the channel data is not saved in the cloud.
