Smart TVs serve as terrific gateways into the world of streaming entertainment. Once connected to the internet, you’ll be able to use apps like Netflix, Disney+, and other popular platforms to indulge in your favorite movies and shows. But considering most TVs have web-connected capabilities these days, you may have wondered if it’s even possible to use a smart TV without an internet connection.
Yes, you most certainly can. Smart TVs only require the internet to power specific parts of your TV-watching experience, which pretty much boils down to apps, voice assistants, and software updates. Everything else, from switching inputs to watching cable or a live broadcast with an HD antenna (we recommend these five indoor models on Amazon), works the same as it did on older non-smart models. You can even play media from USB drives or Blu-ray players without ever connecting to Wi-Fi.
Other devices replicate many of the smart features a TV provides, such as web-connected set-top boxes like Amazon Fire TV Stick, Roku Streaming Stick, game consoles with built-in apps, and smart speakers. This means you can still enjoy a smart TV experience even without directly connecting your TV to the internet.
Your OLED doesn’t need the internet to flex
If you’re worried that keeping your QLED or OLED TV offline means you’re somehow wasting the tech, don’t be. Your Sony 4K flagship with full HDR support isn’t suddenly going to look or sound worse just because it’s not sipping Wi-Fi. The panel, the processor, the brightness, the contrast — all of that still performs at its peak whether the TV is online or not.
And leaving your TV disconnected actually gives some breathing room back to the rest of your home network. That extra bandwidth can go straight to the devices that do need it, like your streaming box or game console, which can translate to improved Wi-Fi speeds for all devices, quicker load times, cleaner 4K streams, and fewer buffering interruptions. This empowers you to optimize your home network for a smoother entertainment experience across all your web-connected tech.
Plus, keeping your set offline is a foolproof method for preventing your smart TV from spying on your activities. Samsung, LG, Sony, and all the other TV titans can’t keep tabs on the content you’re streaming and apps you like using if your device has no network connection.
How to stay up to date without staying connected
Even if you decide to live in a world where your smart TV isn’t connected to the internet, it’s still a good idea to stay on top of software updates. From one build to the next, TV makers aren’t just polishing menus or moving around UI elements — they may also be quietly improving picture processing, tightening up audio performance, and patching security quirks you’ll never see but definitely benefit from. Also, if you’re dealing with common TV problems, a software update could get your set back up and running in tip-top shape.
That said, the easiest way to stay current is to briefly hop onto Wi-Fi on your smart TV every now and then, check for updates, then disconnect. It takes a minute, and you walk away knowing your TV is running the latest and greatest updates without committing to a full-time internet hookup. Alternatively, you can keep your TV completely offline and grab updates the old-school way by visiting the manufacturer’s support site.
All you need is a computer and a USB flash drive. Download the latest firmware from your TV manufacturer, copy it over to the USB stick, and safely eject the drive from your PC. Plug it into your TV, and the set should automatically recognize the update files. After uploading the latest software, your TV will likely reset. When it turns back on, it’ll be running the new software and may even show a message that says the update was successful.
