Can You Use a Vizio Smart TV Without Internet?

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Vizio smart TVs offer endless entertainment in which users have many options. Users can watch streaming services, listen to music, and much more. With all the different applications available, you may be wondering if you can use a Vizio smart TV without internet.

Users can use a Vizio smart TV without internet, but it will be very limited to basic display functions. Although the TV will still work without the internet, users will not be able to access any streaming networks or other apps the smart TV has.

Understanding a smart TV and getting to know how it works is important before making a purchase. Continue reading to learn more about using a Vizio smart TV without internet.

Can You Use a Vizio Smart TV Without Internet?

It is possible to use a Vizio smart TV without internet access, but you will definitely not have full access to most of what the smart TV has to offer. Using a smart TV without internet will offer you about the same functionality as a regular television.

What You Have Access to without Internet

There is not much to access on a Vizio smart TV without internet, but if you are planning to get internet soon or even if your internet is not properly working, there are still some things you can do with your TV in the meantime.

Here are the things you will have access to if your Vizio smart TV is not connected to the internet:

  • Cable box television
  • Ability to connect to HDMI

What You Will Have Access to with Internet

Without the internet, you will be missing out on a lot of the “endless entertainment” the Vizio smart TV has. It is probably in your best interest if you plan to purchase a Vizio smart TV that you look into having internet for it.

Here is what you will have access to if your Vizio smart TV is connected to the internet:

  • TV and movie streaming services (Netflix, Hulu, Disney +, etc.)
  • Music and audio streaming apps (Pandora, iHeart Radio, etc.)
  • Sports and news apps
  • Cable TV alternative apps
  • Kid-friendly apps
  • Free games

What If I Can’t Connect to Internet for My Vizio Smart TV?

While having internet is the simplest solution to expanding your accessibility to your smart TV, it’s not always available. Fortunately, there can be some solutions to this.

Personal Hot Spot

This is like using a Wi-Fi connection, but instead, it will use the data from your phone to create a Wi-Fi hotspot and therefore create access to the internet on your smart TV.

Using a personal hot spot from your smartphone for your Vizio smart TV can be done in the same way you would connect to regular Wi-Fi. Once connected, you will have access to all of your television’s apps and features, but the internet will now be provided from the data from your smartphone.

Using this method is a good part-time solution, but it is not the best for the long-term. The connection may not be so great and go in and out since it uses data from your phone and not a stable internet connection. You may also find it uses an extreme amount of data from your phone and can become an issue—money-wise—pretty quickly.

Screen Mirroring

Screen mirroring is another solution to watching something you would like, but it will do so from whatever is playing on your phone. This method will not provide you with the apps your smart TV has. It will simply just mirror what is on your phone.

To do this, you will need to download the Vizio app called SmartCast Mobile. This app will help you connect to your Vizio smart TV and begin to mirror your phone onto it.

In Summary

At the end of the day, it is probably in your best interest to connect your Vizio smart TV to the internet. While there are alternate methods to watch something other than cable if you do not have internet, they are only temporary fixes and can be difficult to arrange.

Your Vizio smart TV can provide you with hundreds of apps and entertainment services. You don’t want to miss out on that by not having internet. If you feel you do not need these features and are okay with just the basic things a TV has to offer, maybe consider a regular TV to help save some money!

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