Samsung TV Life Expectancy in Years (And How to Prolong It)

By Trae Jacobs,

When you buy through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Samsung Smart TVs have tons of neat features, but the thing people love most about these TVs is the viewing experience. A Samsung TV will last you a while, but there are ways to prolong their lifespans.

How Long Do Samsung TVs Last?

Samsung TVs are some of the best on the market. Even if you use your TV constantly, you can expect an average lifespan of up to seven years. With more moderate use, Samsung TVs can last up to 15 years.

Samsung is one of the highest-quality TV brands, offering some of the longest lifespans. But, there are some things you can do to make your Samsung TV last longer.

One of the biggest benefits of a Samsung Smart TV is having access to your favorite streaming services without any external devices. But, that’s not the only thing you can use your TV for!

Samsung Smart TVs also allow you to:

Browse the internet
Play video games
Share photos and videos

Prolong Your Samsung TV’s Lifespan

There are a lot of ways to increase your Samsung TV’s life expectancy:

Turn your TV off when you’re not using it
Keep the area around your TV clear
Clean your TV regularly
Use a lower brightness level
Plug it into a power strip
Use a screensaver

Turn Your TV Off When You’re Not Using It

The easiest way to make your Samsung TV last longer is to turn it off when you’re not using it.

Your Samsung TV’s backlight is usually one of the quickest things to go bad, and letting heat build up can make it burn out even quicker.

Most Samsung TVs have Energy Saving Mode, which will automatically shut the TV off after a certain period of time — take advantage of this!

Open your Samsung TV’s Settings.
Select “General” or “General & Privacy.”
Press “Eco Solution” or “Power and Energy Saving.”
Turn “Auto Power Off” on and select timer.

Keep the Area Around Your TV Clear

All TVs need plenty of airflow around the vents so they don’t overheat. Keep the area around the vents clear, and avoid placing it near other appliances that generate a lot of heat.

The easiest way to keep your Samsung TV properly ventilated is to mount it on the wall. Samsung makes their own wall mounts, but you can find much more affordable options online.

If possible, avoid placing your TV in front of a window. Too much sunlight over time can damage your screen.

Clean Your TV Regularly

Like anything else, taking care of your Samsung TV and keeping it clean will help it last for as long as possible.

Get into a good routine of cleaning your TV’s screen, vents, and speakers. You can use a microfiber cloth for dusting and compressed air to blow debris out of the vents or ports.

Use a Lower Brightness Level

Higher brightness levels will make your Samsung TV’s backlight burn out more quickly. To avoid this, set your brightness level lower.

Press the Home button on your remote.
Open the Menu.
Press “Settings,” then “All Settings.”
Select “Picture.”
Open the “Expert Settings.”
Select “Brightness” and adjust it to your liking.

Plug It Into a Power Strip

Power surges and power outages can be a nightmare for your TV.

Instead of plugging the TV directly into a wall outlet, where it’s vulnerable to power surges and other electrical issues, plug it into a power strip with a surge protector.

Use a Screensaver

Your Samsung TV’s screensaver doesn’t just look pretty — it actually serves an important part in protecting your screen from damage!

Leaving the screensaver option on will prevent images from burning into your screen, increasing its lifespan and keeping the picture quality great for years to come.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Often Should You Replace Your TV?

While TVs generally come with life expectancies between four and seven years, how often you should replace your TV really depends on how much time you spend watching TV and how much you care about picture quality.

It’s usually only necessary to replace your TV once you notice signs of wear and tear or damage. Some signs you need to repair or replace your TV include:

Why Do I Have to Keep Retuning My Samsung TV?

Having to retune your Samsung TV a few times a year is normal. But, if you find yourself constantly retuning to find local channels, it could mean:

Your antenna is damaged
You’re using out-of-date software
You don’t have auto-tune set up

Do QLED, OLED, or LED TVs Last Longer?

Generally, LED TVs last longer than QLED and OLED TVs. While you don’t have to worry much about image burn-in with a QLED, LED TVs are the most durable in the long term.

OLED TVs, on the other hand, are most prone to image burn-in over time.

What is and isn’t Worth Repairing on a Samsung TV?

Whether a damaged or broken component on your Samsung TV is worth repairing or replacing depends on the cost of doing so compared to the cost of a new TV.

While small parts, like the TV base or a defective power cord, won’t cost much at all, anything related to your TV’s hardware will probably be equal to or outweigh the cost of a new TV.

Worth Repairing or Replacing	Not Worth Repairing or Replacing
Power cord	Motherboard
Backlights	HDMI ports
TV base	Screen

How to Dispose of a Samsung TV

Samsung has partnered with several electronics recycling organizations as part of their Responsible Recycling Program. If there’s a drop-off location near you, you can bring your old TV and dispose of it there.

If not, your community may have its own electronics recycling program where you can drop it off. Call your local city hall to find out.

Before you get rid of an old Samsung TV, whether you donate, sell, or recycle it, make sure to factory reset it to remove all your personal information. Chances are, you might not have your remote, so here’s a video we made for how to reset your Samsung TV without a remote: