How to Open a Browser on Any Smart TV
Whether you can get an internet browser on a Smart TV depends on its operating system. Many Samsung and LG models include one, Fire TV offers Amazon Silk, Google TV may offer third-party browsers, and Roku plus VIZIO SmartCast/VIZIO OS have no general-purpose browser. This guide covers the main platforms and the simpler setup: browse the web on your phone, then cast compatible non-DRM video to your TV.
How to open a browser on your TV
Open Home or Apps on a supported Samsung or LG TV and select Internet or Web Browser. On Fire TV, search the Appstore for Amazon Silk. Google TV may offer third-party browser apps. Roku and VIZIO SmartCast/VIZIO OS have no general-purpose web browser.
- Samsung, LG: browser built in — open "Internet" / "Web Browser" from the app row.
- Fire TV: install Amazon Silk from the Appstore.
- Google TV / Android TV: no official Chrome; third-party TV browsers via Play Store.
- Hisense: varies across VIDAA, Google TV, Fire TV, Roku TV, XClass and Xumo models.
- Roku, VIZIO SmartCast/VIZIO OS: no general-purpose web browser to install.
Best route for compatible web video: CastBrowser keeps the website, search, and keyboard on your phone, detects an accessible non-DRM video source, and sends that video through a receiver supported by the TV. The TV gets the video—not your tabs, messages, or the rest of the phone screen.
Browse on your phone, watch on your TV — get CastBrowser free.
Smart TV Browser Compatibility at a Glance
| TV platform | Browser option | Where to find it | Better video route |
|---|---|---|---|
| Samsung Tizen | Built-in Internet app | Home → Apps | DLNA or Web Receiver |
| LG webOS | Built-in Web Browser | Home → Web Browser | DLNA, AirPlay, or Web Receiver |
| Fire TV | Amazon Silk | Find → Search → Silk | Cast from CastBrowser |
| Google / Android TV | Third-party apps | Apps → search “browser” | Chromecast built-in |
| Roku | No open-web browser | Not available | Roku-native casting |
| VIZIO SmartCast / VIZIO OS | No general-purpose browser | Not available | Google Cast or AirPlay where supported |
The simpler video workflow
How to Get Internet and a Browser on a Smart TV, Platform by Platform
First, connect the TV to the internet (Settings → Network on every platform — Wi-Fi or Ethernet). Then the browser situation splits sharply by operating system:
Samsung Smart TV (Tizen)
Many Samsung Tizen TVs include an Internet app — press Home, look in the app row, or search Apps. Availability and menus can vary by model and region. Its weaknesses include remote-control typing, no desktop extensions, and inconsistent playback of modern streaming video. If a video will not play, see the phone-browser alternative below or the Samsung casting guide.
LG Smart TV (webOS)
LG ships a Web Browser app on many webOS TVs—it is available from Home. It works for simple pages, while remote typing, older engines, memory, and media support can limit modern video sites. The dedicated LG webOS browser alternative compares DLNA, phone-side browsing, Web Receiver, AirPlay, and Google Cast; use the LG casting guide for receiver setup. LG browser instructions.
Fire TV and Fire TV Sticks
Amazon Silk is the official browser for Fire TV, with voice search via Alexa. It plays some web video but struggles with sites that expect a phone or desktop. Full detail: internet browser on a Fire Stick. Amazon Silk documentation.
Google TV and Android TV
There is no official Chrome app for Google TV, but TV-focused options such as BrowseHere, TV Bro, and Puffin TV Browser may be available depending on the device and region. They are useful when you need a complete webpage on the television. If your goal is compatible web video, Google Cast or a receiver app lets you browse and type on the phone instead. Compare both approaches in our Android TV and Google TV browser guide, or follow the steps for casting to Android TV and Google TV.
Roku TVs and Sticks
Roku has no open-web browser. Roku's current support documentation says its streaming players and Roku TVs do not provide the ability to browse the internet on the television. The practical options are a different stick or phone-side browsing with casting; the full breakdown is in internet browser on a Roku TV. Official Roku answer.
Vizio SmartCast
VIZIO SmartCast and VIZIO OS do not provide a general-purpose web browser, and there is no Chrome, Firefox, or Safari app to install. Browse the web on your phone and cast compatible non-DRM video with Google Cast or AirPlay where the model supports it. Setup details: cast to Vizio TV.
Hisense TVs
Hisense sells TVs on several systems, so check yours: some VIDAA models include a browser, Hisense Google TV models follow the Google TV rules above, Hisense Fire TV models can use Silk where available, and Hisense Roku TV has no open-web browser. Hisense also sells XClass and Xumo models in some markets; browser and receiver availability varies by model there too. See how to cast to a Hisense TV.
Skip remote-control typing — CastBrowser turns your phone into the TV's browser.
Why TV Browsers Disappoint (Even When They Exist)
Three structural problems, common to every brand:
- Typing with a remote. Entering one URL takes a minute of arrow-key hunting. Search, logins, and anything interactive are worse.
- Old engines, weak hardware. TV browsers run dated engines with limited memory. Heavy modern pages crash or scroll at a slideshow pace.
- Web video rarely plays. Modern sites stream with adaptive HLS/DASH and codecs TV browsers often can't decode. Pages load; the video errors. This is the single most common complaint about every TV browser.
The Better Setup: Phone as the Browser, TV as the Screen
Flip the model. Your phone gives you faster typing, bookmarks, and a browser designed for modern pages. What you usually want on the TV is only the video. CastBrowser opens compatible websites in its built-in browser and, when it detects a playable non-DRM stream, sends it through the receiver protocol supported by the TV.
The TV plays the stream in its native player at full quality — no remote typing, no TV-browser codec roulette, and it works identically on the platforms that have no browser at all. For TVs and screens that only have a browser (a monitor, projector, or hotel set), the same app pairs with the CastBrowser Web Receiver at castb.cc. The honest limitation: DRM-protected streaming services can't be cast this way — use their native TV apps.
Get CastBrowser free — the browser stays on your phone, the video goes to the TV.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get an internet browser on my Smart TV?
It depends on the platform. Many Samsung Tizen and LG webOS TVs include an 'Internet' or 'Web Browser' app. Fire TV can install Amazon Silk from the Appstore. Google TV and Android TV sets have no official Chrome for TV, but third-party browser apps may be available. Roku has no open-web browser, and VIZIO SmartCast/VIZIO OS does not provide a general-purpose web browser. On browserless TVs, browse the web on your phone and cast compatible non-DRM video to the TV.
Do all Smart TVs have a web browser?
No. Many Samsung and LG models include one, Fire TV offers Silk as a download, and Google TV may have third-party options. Roku has no open-web browser, VIZIO SmartCast/VIZIO OS has no general-purpose browser, and Hisense availability depends on its platform. Even where a browser exists, TV browsers can have slow remote-control typing, limited engines, and video compatibility problems.
How do I get a web browser on a Vizio Smart TV?
VIZIO SmartCast and VIZIO OS do not provide a general-purpose web browser, and you cannot install Chrome, Firefox, or Safari on them. Browse the web on your phone instead and cast compatible non-DRM video using Google Cast or AirPlay where supported. CastBrowser cannot install a missing browser on the TV.
Can I browse the internet on a Hisense TV?
It depends which system and model your Hisense runs. Some VIDAA models include a browser, Google TV models may offer third-party browser apps through Google Play, Fire TV models can use Amazon Silk where available, and Hisense Roku TV has no open-web browser. Hisense also sells XClass and Xumo models in some markets, where browser and receiver availability varies by model. Check the exact model before relying on a TV browser.
Why won't videos play in my Smart TV's browser?
TV browsers run older engines with limited codec support and memory, so pages may load while video errors or buffers. A practical alternative is to use a current browser on your phone and send only a compatible detected video to the TV. CastBrowser supports that workflow; final playback still depends on the source, DRM, receiver, and codecs.
What is the best browser for watching web videos on a TV?
Honestly: the browser on your phone, paired with casting. Typing with a TV remote is painful, and TV browsers stumble on modern video. CastBrowser is a free phone browser with an ad blocker that detects video on web pages and casts it to Chromecast, Google TV, Roku, Fire TV, Samsung, LG and other DLNA TVs — and its Web Receiver at castb.cc can even use a TV's own browser as the receiving screen when one exists.
Your Phone Is the Best TV Browser
Download CastBrowser free — browse the web on your phone and cast compatible non-DRM video to supported TVs and streaming devices.