How much storage does a Smart TV typically have?

Smart TVs have become quite common in buildings and homes around the world, and by the end of 2026, more than 50% of all households worldwide are expected to own one, up from 34% in 2020. Smart TVs are popular for many reasons, including voice assistants, regular software updates, and easy access to the internet, which allows viewers to stream their favorite shows without using a dongle or external device. But these popular features require an operating system (OS) to work. And an operating system needs storage space to occupy and function. Yet most smart TVs come with surprisingly little storage.

Typically, new smart TVs come with around 8GB of storage, and the operating system alone takes up a lot of that. On Samsung TVs, for example, system files can take up to 20% of the total storage.

Aside from the TV’s operating system, a number of things can also eat deeply into your smart TV’s storage. One of the most common culprits is pre-installed applications (bloatware). Most smart TVs come with apps already loaded into the TV right from the factory. Generally, these apps are popular streaming services like YouTube, Netflix, Prime Video, etc. Then there are apps you personally install, which take up their own space in addition to what’s preloaded.

Another silent storage consumer on your smart TV is cache and temporary data. Apps on your smart TV tend to store temporary data to improve performance. For example, Netflix stores thumbnails of shows you’ve recently watched so you don’t have to re-download the image when you return to your watchlist. This cache builds up and takes up more storage over time, especially if you use many different apps.

First things first: clear the app cache and temporary data. On most smart TVs, you can do this in the settings. How simple it is depends on your exact model. Clearing the app cache is safe and does not delete the app itself. Note that this is not always a permanent solution because as you continue to use these apps, the deleted data will rebuild over time.

A permanent option is to uninstall apps. Start with the apps you don’t use, especially the bloatware mentioned above. Go through your list of apps and any app you haven’t opened even once in the last three months has probably become unusable and needs to be uninstalled. As for bloatware, depending on the model and manufacturer of the TV, uninstalling it is not always easy and is sometimes even prohibited by TV manufacturers. So you may need to consult your manual or use unconventional methods that we would never recommend, but that someone mentioned in a Reddit post seven years ago.

If all else fails or you don’t want to deal with all the technical jargon, a nice shortcut is to simply use a separate streaming device like a Fire TV Stick, Roku, or Google TV Streamer. These devices come with their own storage, operating system, app ecosystem, and internet connection. All you usually have to do to get one working is plug it into your TV, set it up, download your favorite apps, and you’re ready to binge.