If you're looking to add a bit of extra functionality to your Sony TV, there are a few apps that you can install.

In this tutorial, our team at Intravert.co will show you how to install apps on a Sony TV, including how to access the app store, download apps, and use the app features.

So whether you're looking to watch your favorite show or check the weather while you're cooking dinner, we'll show you how to get the app installed on your Sony TV!

How to Install Apps on a Sony TV

Things to Remember

To install apps on your Sony TV there are three things you need to remember.

• Firstly, the TV should support APK files and/or provide access to the Google Play Store.

• The Sony TV should be connected to the internet either via Ethernet or Wi-Fi.

• Finally, the TV should have enough storage space to download and install apps.

Steps to Download and Install Apps on a Sony TV

If you’ve met the three conditions mentioned above you will be able to download and install apps on your Sony TV in no time. To do this, there are a few steps you need to follow.

Step 1 -- Turn on the Sony TV and access the Home Menu - In order to start downloading apps such as Hulu, Netflix, Prime Video and more on your Sony TV, turn on your TV and click on the Home Button. This will open the Sony Main Menu from where you can access the Google Play Store and download apps on your TV.

Step 2 -- Select the Apps Page - On the Sony Main Menu page you will see Apps, click on it to open the Google Play Store.

Step 3 -- Search for the App - On the apps page you will see a wide range of apps you can download onto your Sony TV. These apps will be segregated based on their category and if you’re unable to locate any app you want to download, simply tap on the Search bar at the top of the screen to check if that particular app is available to download.

Step 4 -- Install the App on your Sony TV - Once you locate the app in the app page tap on INstall to download and install the app on your Sony TV. Tapping install will automatically begin the download process and you will receive a notification in the upper right hand corner of the TV screen once the app has been downloaded and installed.

Step 5 -- Open the Installed App on your Sony TV - You can launch the apps you downloaded onto your Sony TV in one of three ways. 

1. Either you can launch it directly from the app store page where you clicked on Install
2. You can launch the app from the Recent Apps page in your Sony Main Menu
3. Or you can launch the app by accessing the apps page where your complete list of installed apps are listed and click on the app you just downloaded.

How to Auto-Update the Apps on your Sony TV?

Much like the auto update feature on smartphones and tablets, Sony TVs will let you auto update the apps that are installed on the TV.

To do this, you will need to enable the auto-update setting on the TV and once done you wouldn’t have to worry about manually updating our apps anymore and it will be one task you’d never have to worry about.

• Start by switching on the Sony TV
• Click on Menu and then navigate to the TV Settings page
• Now tap on the Auto-Update option
• Enable the feature and save the setting

Now every app installed on your TV will automatically get updated when a new version of the app is released. You wouldn’t have to worry about updating thm yourself and the only problem here is that if you're currently using an app that has an update, the app will restart automatically once the update has been completed.

How to Add Apps to your Sony TV Home Screen?

When you download apps on your Sony TV you would want them to be easily accessible and preferably have them show up on your Home Screen.

By default, apps you download on a Sony TV will not appear on your Home Screen. However, there’s a way you can go about adding your favorite apps to your Home Screen.

• Start by switching on the Sony TV
• Click on Menu and then navigate to the TV Settings page
• Select the app you want to add to your Home Page
• From the drop-down menu, click on Add to Home

Once you do this, the app will be added to the Home Page apps ribbon and you will then be able to easily launch the app from the Home page itself.

How to Install a Third-Party App on a Sony TV?

Installing a third-party app on a Sony TV is pretty easy and the steps are quite straightforward. But before you can install any external app on your Sony TV there are two things you need to do first: Enable Developer Mode and Install from Unknown Sources.

Once you’ve done this you can install third-party APK files on your Sony TV that are not available on the App Store.

Enable Developer mode

• Start by navigating to the Settings page and tap on Apps from the menu
• You will now be able to view the Pro mode window. In order to be able to install third-party apps, key in the IP address of the computer you used to download the APK file.
• Now restart the Sony TV

Enable Install from Unknown Sources

The next and final step before you can install third-party apps onto your Sony TV is to enable the option “Install from Unknown Sources”. To do this you can follow these steps:

• Navigate to the Settings page and then click on the Personal tab from the Menu
• Tap on Security and locate Unknown Sources
• Enable Unknown Sources and then head back to the Home page.
• Now restart the Sony TV

Install Third-party apps on your Sony TV

• Once you have enabled the above mentioned settings, go ahead and download the third-party app onto your laptop/computer.
• Plug in a USB drive and format the drive according to the format of your TV. So if the TV is a FAT32, format the pendrive as FAT32. Similarly if the TV supports NTFS format, make sure to format the pendrive as NTFS.
• Copy the APK file onto your pen drive and eject the device from your computer
• Proceed to plug in the pen drive to your Sony TV via the USB slot
• Access the File Manager on you Sony TV and then click on USB drive or External Storage
• Now select the APK file from your pen drive and begin the installation process

You may receive a warning message on the TV stating that this app may not be safe to use. If you trust your source then proceed to install the app. However, if you’re skeptical then don't install this file and instead download and install an alternate APK file from another trusted source.

Launch a Third-party Application on your Sony TV

Once you have successfully installed the third-party application on your Sony TV, you will be able to launch the app just like you would any other regular app. You can do so by either opening the Recent folder or by accessing the app from the Apps page. You can even move the app onto your homepage by using the Add to Home Page option from within the App settings.

Troubleshooting Sony TV Not Downloading Apps

There are a number of reasons why your Sony TV will not download or install apps. These issues can range from network issues to old firmware running on the TV. 

Fixes for why your Sony TV won’t install apps

• Hardware glitch - At times your Sony TV or router may face some trouble and will not let you download apps on your TV. To fix this, simply restart both your Sony TV and your router and try again.

• Sony TV is running an old firmware - If your Sony TV is running on an older firmware there are chances that you will not be able to download some apps as they will require the latest software to run. To fix this, launch the Settings page on your Sony TV and then proceed to check if there’s any Sony TV software update available. Installing the update will fix this problem,

• Network Connection Issues - Network connection issues stem mainly from your router and won’t be a problem for your TV. Either refresh the connected network by disconnecting and reconnecting to it or you can restart modem and router and try again.

• Location Settings are Invalid - Some apps are geo-locked and will not work in restricted countries. You can change the location of your Sony TV to your current location or you can try downloading an alternate app that works in your country. 

• File is corrupted - File is corrupted is a notification message you will receive when the downloaded APK or third-party app is not safe to use or is of a different format. Sony TVs will accept only APK files, so make sure the file you downloaded has an APK extension and not EXE or APKX as these would not work on your Sony TV.

Takeaway

Installing apps on your Sony TV is easy and straightforward - all you need is the right guide. By following our step-by-step instructions, you'll be able to install any app you want, with no problems at all. 

So what are you waiting for? Go ahead and start installing amazing apps on your Sony TV today!