Do you ever feel like no matter how much you spend on a fancy smart TV, the performance is never all that great and gets worse over time? If your Android TV is running poorly with laggy menus, slow apps, and a stuttering user interface and experience, you’re not alone.
Thankfully, you can fix most of that in just a few seconds, and it’s easier than you think.
If you’re trying to scroll through apps, navigate a menu, or change channels, but things keep slowing to a crawl, there’s a simple fix. And while various factors could be contributing to a slow or laggy Google TV, or an older Android TV, these two hacks are the easiest place to start.
Do a full power cycle and unplug it from the wall
Clear the cache and then power cycle that TV
When was the last time you fully powered off a TV, turned it back on, and gave it a fresh start? I’m not talking about hitting the power button and resuming your binge session the next day, but a full power cycle.
Almost all relatively modern TVs, especially smart TVs, don’t actually turn off when you hit the power button. Instead, they enter an “energy savings” or “auto standby” mode where it appears off, but that’s just the screen shutting down while everything in the background continues running. That’s how the TV turns on so quickly vs. when you plug it in for the first time, and that’s how TVs receive automatic software updates.
Before we turn everything off, it’s a good idea to clear your TV’s app cache. The cache is a set of temporary files that installed apps create during normal operation. These cache files serve your apps with the data they need, but residuals are left behind or become corrupted. While this varies by brand and model, you’ll typically find the option to clear your cache in the “Storage” settings on your TV.
Now, we’re ready to proceed. You can solve most Google TV…