To get back to regular TV on your Samsung smart TV, press the Source button on your remote and select TV or Live TV from the input list. If you have a Samsung Smart Remote, press Home, navigate to Source or Connected Devices, and choose TV or Live TV to return to broadcast television.
Switch back using the source button on a universal remote
If you are using a universal remote and want to get back to regular TV from smart TV, press the Source button to open the input menu. Use the directional arrows to cycle through the available inputs until you see TV or Live TV highlighted. Press the center select button to confirm your choice. This method works for any external device you have connected, including cable boxes or antennas, and is the fastest way to return to live broadcasting.
Switch back using the home button on a Samsung Smart Remote
When you want to watch live TV on Samsung smart TV using the Samsung Smart Remote, press the Home button to open the Smart Hub. From the Smart Hub menu, navigate to either Connected Devices or Source (the label varies by model year). Scroll through the list of input sources and select TV or Live TV. Your television will immediately switch to broadcast channels, allowing you to watch live TV on a smart TV without any additional steps.
Use the TV control button if you lost your remote
If your remote is missing or not working, you can still turn on broadcasting on Samsung smart TV using the physical control button. Locate the small joystick or button beneath the Samsung logo on the bottom center of the TV bezel. Press it once to bring up the on-screen menu. Press the button repeatedly to navigate to the Source option, then long-press (hold the button down) to select it. From the source list, use short presses to highlight TV or Live TV and long-press again to confirm.
Access Samsung TV Plus for free live channels
If you want free live channels without a physical connection, Samsung TV Plus offers them over the internet. Press the Home button on your remote and select the Samsung TV Plus app from the app row. This service provides dozens of ad-supported channels covering news, sports, entertainment, and more. Note that Samsung TV Plus requires an active internet connection and is available on 2016 and newer Samsung Smart TV models.
Stop your TV from starting on the wrong input
To switch to cable on Samsung smart TV automatically at startup, you can adjust several settings. First, disable Autorun Smart Hub by going to Settings > General > Smart Features and turning it off. Next, disable Autorun Samsung TV Plus in the same menu (or under Advanced Features > Startup Screen on some models). Finally, enable Autorun Last App so the TV remembers the last input you used. If your TV keeps switching to a game console or streaming stick, Samsung's Anynet+ (HDMI-CEC) feature is likely the cause. To change the startup screen on my Samsung smart TV, you can disable Anynet+ in Settings > General > External Device Manager to prevent auto-switching when an HDMI device powers on.
Troubleshooting: no signal or missing channels
If you cannot get regular TV on a smart TV and see a "No Signal" message, first verify that your antenna or cable is securely connected to the TV's RF input. If you need to get my channels back on my smart TV, perform a channel scan by going to Settings > Broadcasting > Auto Program or Channel Scan. Weak remote batteries can prevent input switching, so replace them if needed. As a backup, the SmartThings app on your smartphone can function as a remote to switch inputs. To turn off auto-detect HDMI on Samsung TV, disable Anynet+ in the external device manager settings. Keeping your TV's software updated ensures compatibility with broadcast standards and input switching features.
For the wider topic, see watching live TV on a smart TV.
