Smart View App: What Replaced It + the Best Alternative
Looking for the Smart View app and can't find it? That's because Samsung discontinued it in October 2020. The name now refers only to the screen-mirroring toggle on Galaxy phones, while the app's features were folded into SmartThings — and neither does the thing many people actually used Smart View for: playing web videos on a Samsung TV. Here's exactly what changed, what still works, and the free alternative that fills the gap from Android and iPhone.
Smart View in 2026 — the short version
- The Smart View app: discontinued October 2020, gone from both stores.
- TV remote & device features: moved to the SmartThings app.
- "Smart View" on Galaxy phones today: the screen-mirroring toggle in quick settings — still works, Galaxy-only.
- Watching web videos on the TV: the gap none of the above fills — use a casting browser like CastBrowser (free, Android & iPhone).
Cast web videos to your Samsung TV from Android or iPhone — free, no account.
What Happened to the Smart View App?
The standalone Smart View app let you control a Samsung TV, beam photos and local videos to it, and use the phone as a second screen. Samsung retired it on October 5, 2020, pulling it from Google Play and the App Store, and pointed users to SmartThings. Anyone searching for "smart view app" today lands in a confusing spot: the app is gone, but Samsung kept the name alive for a different feature — the screen-mirroring toggle on Galaxy phones.
Smart View the App vs. Smart View the Feature
These get mixed up constantly, so here's the clean split:
- Smart View (feature, current): swipe down on any Samsung Galaxy phone → quick settings → Smart View. It mirrors your entire phone screen to a Samsung TV or Miracast receiver. Works, but it's screen mirroring: compressed picture, lag, notifications on the TV, and heavy battery drain. Galaxy phones only.
- Smart View (app, discontinued): the 2020-retired app whose remote and media-sharing duties moved to SmartThings. SmartThings is a good TV remote and device manager — but it isn't a browser and doesn't play web videos on the TV.
If Smart View mirroring itself is misbehaving — TV not found, black screen, stutter — the causes and fixes are in our screen mirroring not working guide.
The Best Smart View App Alternative for Video: Cast, Don't Mirror
Most people hunting for the old app want one thing: get this video from my phone onto my Samsung TV. For that, casting beats mirroring on every axis. CastBrowser is a free browser with a built-in ad blocker that detects the video on any web page and sends the stream itself to the Samsung TV over DLNA — the receiver already built into every Samsung Tizen TV since 2015. No dongle, no TV-side app, no Galaxy requirement.
| Smart View (mirroring) | SmartThings | CastBrowser | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Works on iPhone | No | Yes (remote only) | Yes |
| Plays web videos on the TV | Mirrored, compressed | No | Yes — native full quality |
| Phone usable during playback | No — screen mirrored | — | Yes, screen can lock |
| Other TV brands (Roku, LG, Fire TV…) | Miracast only | Samsung ecosystem | Yes — 6 protocols |
| Price | Built in | Free | Free, no account |
Fair caveats: DRM-protected streaming services can't be cast by any third-party app — use the TV's own app for those. And for demoing apps or playing mobile games on the TV, mirroring is genuinely the right tool.
One free app for Samsung, LG, Roku, Fire TV & Chromecast — get CastBrowser.
How to Cast to a Samsung TV Without Smart View
- Install CastBrowser (free) on your Android phone or iPhone.
- Connect the phone and the Samsung TV to the same Wi-Fi network.
- Open any compatible website in CastBrowser and start the video.
- Tap the cast icon and pick your Samsung TV from the list.
- The TV plays the stream natively — your phone becomes the remote.
On 2015–2017 Samsung models, enable DLNA first under Settings → General → Network. The full walkthrough, including AirPlay notes for iPhone and troubleshooting, is in how to cast to a Samsung TV. Comparing other Samsung casting apps? See the Video & TV Cast for Samsung alternative comparison.
Ready in step 1 — install CastBrowser free and cast to your Samsung TV now.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened to the Samsung Smart View app?
Samsung discontinued the standalone Smart View mobile app on October 5, 2020, and removed it from the app stores. Its remote-control and media features moved into the SmartThings app. The name survives as the 'Smart View' screen-mirroring toggle built into Samsung Galaxy phones' quick settings — that feature still works, but it's screen mirroring, not the old app.
What replaced the Smart View app?
Officially, SmartThings: it handles TV remote control, device management, and some media sharing. For mirroring a Galaxy phone's screen there's the built-in Smart View toggle. For the third use people loved — playing web video on the TV — neither replacement does it well, which is where a casting browser like CastBrowser fits: it detects video on any website and plays it on the Samsung TV via DLNA at full quality, from Android or iPhone.
Is there a Smart View app for iPhone?
Not anymore. The old standalone Smart View app was available for iPhone through the App Store, but Samsung discontinued it in October 2020. Today's built-in Smart View screen-mirroring feature is Galaxy-only. On iPhone, the current options for a Samsung TV are AirPlay 2 (on most 2018+ Samsung models), the SmartThings app for remote control, or a casting app. CastBrowser on iPhone casts compatible web videos to any Samsung Smart TV over DLNA — including older models without AirPlay.
What is the best Smart View alternative for watching videos on a Samsung TV?
For web video, a casting app beats screen mirroring. Smart View mirroring re-encodes your phone screen — lag, compression, notifications on the TV, heavy battery drain. CastBrowser instead sends the video's own stream to the Samsung TV's native player over DLNA: full quality, phone free to use, screen can lock. It's free, needs no account, works on every Samsung Tizen TV from 2015 on, and also casts to Roku, Fire TV, Chromecast and LG for the other TVs in the house.
Does Smart View still work on Samsung phones?
Yes. The Smart View screen-mirroring toggle in Galaxy quick settings still works and mirrors your phone display to Samsung TVs and Miracast receivers. What no longer exists is the separate Smart View app. If Smart View mirroring is failing — TV not found, black screen, lag — the usual causes are Wi-Fi network mismatch, VPN, or DRM; and for watching videos specifically, casting is the more reliable approach.
Can I cast to an older Samsung TV that has no AirPlay or Chromecast?
Usually yes. Samsung Smart TVs from 2015 onward include a DLNA media renderer, which is exactly what CastBrowser uses — no dongle, no TV-side app, no AirPlay needed. On 2015–2017 models you may need to enable DLNA sharing under Settings > General > Network. DRM-protected streaming services are the exception; those need their own TV app.
The Smart View Alternative That Actually Plays Video
Download CastBrowser free and cast web videos to your Samsung TV — full quality via DLNA, from Android or iPhone, no Galaxy required.