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Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →You generally can’t replace a Samsung TV’s built-in Smart Hub with a third-party launcher using the documented settings covered here. You can personalize Smart Hub’s app row or change which screen appears when the TV starts. For a substantially different TV-style home screen, connect a separate streaming device over HDMI and use its interface while that input is selected.
What “replace the home screen” means on a Samsung TV
Samsung’s documented controls let you choose the startup destination and arrange apps within Smart Hub. The official materials cited here do not describe installing a third-party launcher that takes over the TV’s built-in home screen. That distinction matters: changing the first screen shown at power-on is not the same as replacing the interface.
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There are three practical routes, depending on what you want to change:
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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware match| Option | What it changes | Best suited to | Key limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Start Screen Option | Whether the TV opens Smart Hub Home or shows the last used source first on documented 2025 models | Changing what appears after power-on | Does not replace Smart Hub; the menu path is model- and year-specific. Samsung’s 2025 instructions |
| Smart Hub app personalization | Favorite apps and their placement in the Home Screen or launcher | Making commonly used apps easier to reach | App installation and display depend on the TV model. Samsung personalization information and Samsung Developer documentation |
| External HDMI streaming device | A separate operating-system interface while you use that device’s HDMI input | Getting a different TV-style home screen | Requires a separate device and available HDMI connection; Samsung’s built-in interface remains in place. Google TV Streamer (4K) |
Change which screen opens when the TV starts
Samsung’s support instructions for 2025 Samsung TVs describe a setting that determines whether Smart Hub Home launches at power-on. The listed menu path is:
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- Open Settings → All Settings → Advanced Features → Start Screen Option.
- Turn on Start with Smart Hub Home to open Smart Hub Home whenever the TV turns on.
- Turn the option off to show the last used source first.
Samsung’s June 19, 2025 support article says enabling the setting makes Smart Hub Home launch automatically when the TV turns on. This changes the startup behavior, not the TV’s underlying launcher. Menu availability and labels can vary; check the manual for your exact model if the option is missing. Read Samsung’s instructions.
Make Smart Hub apps easier to reach
If your main goal is a cleaner or more convenient app row, use Smart Hub’s own personalization options rather than looking for a replacement launcher. Samsung describes selecting favorite apps for the Home Screen, and its developer documentation describes adding an app to Home and moving it with the remote. These controls arrange apps within Samsung’s interface; they do not establish that a different system launcher can be installed.
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- The Google TV Streamer (4K) delivers your favorite entertainment quickly, easily, and personalized to you[1,2]
- HDMI 2.1 cable required (sold separately)
- See movies and TV shows from all your services right from your home screen[2]; and find new things to watch with tailored recommendations for everyone in your home based on their interests and viewing habits
- Watch live TV and access over 800 free channels from Pluto TV, Tubi, and more[3]; if you find an interesting show or movie on your TV, mobile app, or Google search, you can easily add it to your watchlist, so it’s ready when you are[2]
- Up to 4K HDR with Dolby Vision delivers captivating, true-to-life detail[4]; and you can connect speakers that support Dolby Atmos for more immersive 3D sound
Which apps can be displayed or installed depends on the TV model. Samsung’s personalization page and developer guidance may describe different contexts, so use the instructions applicable to your television and confirm app availability for its model and region.
Use an HDMI device for a different TV-style interface
A streaming device supplies its own interface. For example, Google describes the Google TV Streamer (4K) as an HDMI-connected device with a personalized Google TV home screen that brings streaming services and installed apps together. Once you switch to the streamer’s HDMI input, you see and navigate its Google TV interface rather than Samsung Smart Hub. Switching back to the TV’s built-in experience returns you to Samsung’s interface.
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- Voice remote control: Just press the Google Assistant button and ask it to find, play and control content
- Chromecast Built-in: Easily cast movies, shows, and photos from your Android or iOS device to your Android TV
- Easy Setup: Access your Google account and configure the device, language and Wi-Fi network
Before choosing a device, check that the TV has an available HDMI input and that the services and apps you need are offered in your country. Also consider the resolution and audio capabilities you want; the cited product page describes the Google TV Streamer (4K), but does not establish compatibility with every Samsung TV or every regional service. See Google TV Streamer (4K).
Which route should you choose?
- You only want a different startup screen: Check whether your model offers Start Screen Option; the documented path above is for 2025 Samsung TVs.
- You want your usual apps closer at hand: Personalize the Smart Hub Home Screen and arrange supported apps.
- You want a substantially different home screen: Use a separate HDMI streaming device and its interface. This is an alternative interface on that input, not a replacement for Samsung’s built-in Smart Hub.
What not to assume
The official Samsung sources linked above document Smart Hub customization and startup settings, not a supported method for installing an Android TV launcher as the Samsung TV’s system launcher. They also do not establish that rooting, firmware modification, or developer workarounds are safe, supported, or available across models, so this article does not recommend them.
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- Ask to control your TV with your voice, and quickly cast your photos, videos, music and more from your phone, tablet, or PC to your TV with Chromecast built in
- Built-in Virtual Assistant – just press the mic button on the remote to get what you want
- Built-in content and entertainment including YouTube, Play Movies & TV, and more
- Support for thousands of Apps on the Play Store
- 2K resolution TV streaming
Samsung’s Smart Hub Preview documentation is a separate developer feature for 2016–2021 TVs; it concerns app-content previews, not replacing the home screen. Samsung Developer: Smart Hub Preview.
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