How to activate an app on a VIZIO TV

How apps work on a VIZIO TV

Current VIZIO smart TVs run VIZIO OS, which VIZIO previously called SmartCast. VIZIO's own help article explains that apps cannot always be manually downloaded or installed the way they can on a phone or tablet. Instead, the apps that VIZIO and each app provider make available are already part of the system, and new apps and updates arrive automatically while the TV is connected to the internet.

In practice that means "adding" an app on a VIZIO TV is mostly about finding it and putting it on your Home screen. If an app is not offered on VIZIO OS, no setting will make it appear, but you still have other ways to watch, covered below.

Before you start

• Connect the TV to the internet by Wi-Fi or Ethernet in the network section of the TV's settings. VIZIO notes this is how new apps and app updates reach the TV.
• Have your streaming account details ready. The app links to your account with that service; VIZIO does not create it for you.
• Keep a phone or computer nearby to enter the activation code.

Step 1: find the app and add it to your Home screen

These are the steps VIZIO gives for VIZIO OS. Older model years can look slightly different.

1. Open VIZIO Home: press the V or Home key on the remote, or press Input and choose VIZIO Home.
2. Press the Left arrow to open the side menu and select Apps.
3. Use App Search to find a specific app by name, then select it to open it.
4. To keep it handy, choose Home Screen Apps and follow the prompts to add, remove or rearrange the apps shown on your Home screen.

Step 2: sign in with the activation code

1. Open the app and choose Sign in. If asked, pick the option to sign in on the web or with another device.
2. Read the code and the web address on screen. Many apps also show a QR code.
3. On your phone or computer, open that address or scan the QR code. Check that the page belongs to the streaming service.
4. Sign in to your streaming account, type the code exactly as shown and confirm.
5. The TV updates by itself after a few seconds.

New to this? See how to enter an activation code for a walk-through, and signing in on your TV with a QR code if you would rather scan than type.

There is no separate "VIZIO activation code"

Searches such as "VIZIO TV activation code" or "vizio com setup tv activate code" suggest the TV itself needs to be activated with a code from a website. It does not. The codes you see come from individual streaming apps, and each one is entered on that streaming service's own site. Setting up the TV is done on the TV and, for some features, in VIZIO's own mobile app. Be wary of any site that offers to "activate" a VIZIO TV for a fee or asks you to call a number; see how to spot activation code scams.

If the app you want is not on your VIZIO TV

VIZIO's help article lists three alternatives when an app is not currently available on VIZIO OS:

• Cast it with Chromecast built-in (Google Cast). Open the service's app on a compatible Android phone, iPhone, tablet or computer and tap the Cast icon to send video to the TV. You still sign in to the app on your phone, so no TV activation code is needed.
• Use Apple AirPlay 2 from a compatible iPhone, iPad or Mac to stream or mirror to the TV.
• Plug in a streaming device such as Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV or Google TV. Our guides cover activating apps on Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV and Android TV / Google TV.

If a VIZIO app will not load or sign in

• Check the connection. Confirm the TV shows as connected in its network settings, and restart your router if other devices are also slow.
• Power cycle the TV. Many VIZIO models have a soft power cycle option in the system or admin section of Settings. Otherwise, unplug the TV from the wall for about a minute and plug it back in.
• Check for a system update in the system section of Settings, so the TV has the latest app versions.
• Get a fresh code. Codes expire quickly. Back out of the sign-in screen, open it again and use the new code right away. Make sure the phone or computer is signed in to the right streaming account.
• Work through the checklist. Our activation code not working guide covers typos, wrong accounts, network blocks and more, and where to find the activation code helps if no code appears.

Some older VIZIO TVs use an earlier app system with a different menu. If the steps above do not match your screen, look up the user manual for your exact model on VIZIO's support site.

Official VIZIO help

• VIZIO: how to add an app to your VIZIO smart TV
• VIZIO OS overview on vizio.com
• VIZIO support - manuals and model-specific help

For billing or account questions about a streaming service, use that service's own help pages. Comparing brands? Our smart TV overview explains how Samsung, LG, VIZIO and other TVs differ.