Samsung Tizen
Forgot your Samsung TV PIN? How to reset it, with and without the remote
Nefarius Apps10 min read
The default Samsung TV PIN is 0000. If you forgot the PIN, switch the TV on and enter the reset sequence on the remote. On a Smart remote press Volume, Volume Up, Return, Volume Down, Return, Volume Up, Return. On a standard remote press Mute, Volume Up, Return, Volume Down, Return, Volume Up, Return. The PIN returns to 0000. Without the remote, use the control button on the TV. An already paired phone remote app with volume and back keys enters the same sequence.
What the Samsung TV PIN is
Samsung asks you to create a 4-digit PIN during the first setup of the TV. This step cannot be skipped. The PIN guards the settings that change how the TV works.
The TV asks for the PIN when you change the PIN, reset the TV or reset the Smart Hub. It also asks when you install restricted apps or change parental controls. If you never changed it, the PIN is still the factory value. Samsung sets that value to 0000 on every region page, and three support pages state it in the same words. You can find the rule on the Samsung PIN change guide, the Samsung PIN code guide and the Samsung reset guide.
Write the PIN down once you set a new one. A forgotten PIN blocks the reset menu itself, so you must clear the PIN before you clear anything else.
Reset a forgotten PIN with the remote
The TV must be on before you start. The sequence works from the viewing screen. It uses only volume keys and the Return key, which Samsung also calls back on some remotes.
The first key depends on the remote type. A Smart remote starts with Volume. A standard remote starts with Mute. The rest is the same.
| Remote | Reset sequence |
|---|---|
| Smart remote | Volume, Volume Up, Return, Volume Down, Return, Volume Up, Return |
| Standard remote | Mute, Volume Up, Return, Volume Down, Return, Volume Up, Return |
Follow these steps for a Smart remote:
- Switch the TV on and wait for the picture.
- Press the Volume button once.
- Press Volume Up once.
- Press Return once.
- Press Volume Down once.
- Press Return once.
- Press Volume Up once.
- Press Return once.
The PIN returns to 0000. Samsung documents this exact order on the Samsung PIN change guide.
Follow these steps for a standard remote:
- Switch the TV on and wait for the picture.
- Press the Mute button once.
- Press Volume Up once.
- Press Return once.
- Press Volume Down once.
- Press Return once.
- Press Volume Up once.
- Press Return once.
The PIN returns to 0000. Samsung documents both variants on the Samsung PIN code guide, with Volume for the Smart remote and Mute for the standard remote.
If the first variant does nothing, try the other one. Samsung labels the keys in a different way on some years, and some remotes carry both a Volume and a Mute key. Enter the keys at a steady pace, about one per second. If the TV shows no response, start the order from the start instead of continuing from the middle.
Change the PIN after you get in
Once the PIN is 0000 again, set a new one that you will keep. The menu path depends on the model year. Newer menus use General and Privacy. Older menus use General and System Manager. If neither matches, use Self Diagnosis under Support.
| TV menu | Path to Change PIN |
|---|---|
| 2025 and newer | Settings, All Settings, General and Privacy, Change PIN |
| Older models | Settings, General, System Manager, Change PIN |
| Fallback | Settings, Support, Self Diagnosis |
Follow these steps:
- Press Home on the remote.
- Open Settings, then open All Settings.
- Open General and Privacy on a new set, or General and System Manager on an old set.
- Select Change PIN.
- When asked for the current PIN, enter 0000.
- Enter the new 4-digit PIN.
- Enter the new PIN a second time and confirm.
The TV saves the new PIN at once. Samsung shows the newer path on the Samsung PIN change guide and the older path on the Samsung PIN code guide. The menus and the screenshots vary by model and software version, so follow the labels on your screen when they differ by one word.
Without the remote: the TV button and a phone app
A phone cannot bypass the PIN. It can only replace the remote keys that enter the sequence. That works when the phone is already set up with the TV. If the phone never connected to this TV, pair it first, and expect one extra step on the TV itself.
Use the control button on the TV
Almost every Samsung TV has one physical control. Samsung puts it in three places, and the shape differs by year. You can find the positions on the Samsung control without remote guide.
| Place | How it looks |
|---|---|
| Back of the TV, bottom right | A small stick that moves up, down, left and right |
| Front middle under the screen | Five small buttons, or one single button on 2018 sets |
| Bottom edge on the right side | One button under the bezel |
Follow these steps:
- Press and hold the center of the control to switch the TV on.
- Press the center once to open the on-screen menu.
- Press the center again to move the focus to the next item.
- Press and hold the center to select an item.
Most sets reach the Smart Hub, the menu and Settings through this button. The control is slow, and some settings still need a remote. Samsung says this limit in plain words on the same guide. For the full path with buttons, menus and replacement options, read what to do when you lose your TV remote.
Use a phone remote app that is already paired
If a phone app already controls this Samsung TV, use it to enter the reset order. The app must send Volume Up, Volume Down and back. Both the brand app and a universal app have these keys.
Check three preconditions first. The TV must be on. The iPhone must use the same Wi-Fi network as the TV. The app must have Local Network access. If the TV never appears in the app list, work through the checklist for a TV that does not show up before you continue.
Samsung's own app also works, with one condition. The TV must already be added to SmartThings as a device. Samsung states this requirement on the Samsung control without remote guide. Its Remote menu then controls channel, volume, Home and Settings. On sets from before 2020, adding the TV asks for a PIN.
Tivi, a universal TV remote app for iPhone from Nefarius Apps, fits the same place. If the Samsung was already paired with Tivi on the same Wi-Fi, open it from the saved devices. Then enter the sequence with the volume keys and the back key. Then use the arrows and OK to open Settings and set a new PIN. The full setup is in how to control a Samsung TV with your iPhone. The general iPhone setup is in how to use your iPhone as a TV remote. Tivi controls Samsung, LG, Android TV and Google TV sets with no account. It does not control Roku or Apple TV.
Expect the pairing catch on a first connection. A Samsung shows Samsung's allow this device prompt on the screen, and the answer must come from the TV side, not from the phone. Without the remote, answer it with the TV control button if the model allows it. If the model cannot answer the box with its button, pair the phone after you borrow a remote. Otherwise keep the TV button for the Settings path.
A factory reset also asks for the PIN
A factory reset does not remove a forgotten PIN. It asks for the PIN first. Reset the PIN to 0000 with the steps above, then reset the TV. Samsung lists this order on the Samsung reset guide.
Follow these steps for a full reset:
- Open Settings, then open All Settings.
- Open General and Privacy.
- Scroll to the bottom and select Reset.
- When asked, enter the PIN.
- Select Reset, then select OK and wait.
The TV restarts with factory values. On older menus the path is Settings, Support, Self Diagnosis. Write down the channel list, the Wi-Fi name and password, and the Samsung account details before you start, because the reset deletes them.
The same PIN rule holds for the Smart Hub. To reset apps only, open Settings, All Settings, Support, Device Care, Self Diagnosis, Reset Smart Hub, then enter the PIN and select OK. This deletes accounts, linked services and installed apps, but it keeps the channels and the picture settings.
When 0000 and the sequence do not work
Work through the causes in this order.
If the sequence does nothing, you may use the wrong first key. Repeat the order with the other start key from the table above. Press each key once and at a steady pace. Start from the first key after any mistake.
If the menus look different, you may follow the wrong year path. Try the fallback path under Support and Self Diagnosis. The labels change between years and regions, and Samsung notes this on every guide. Check the model code under Settings, All Settings, Support, About This TV. Open the paper manual for that exact model when the screen disagrees with the steps.
If the screen shows Safety Lock on an older commercial or signage set, the home method may not clear it. Owners of old Samsung signage sets report a 4-digit Safety Lock that stays after the usual resets. One thread describes two Samsung LH55MEBPLGA sets on a campus where every published method failed and the TVs stayed locked out of channel changes. Read that report on the CommercialAV Safety Lock thread. For such sets, use the model manual or the installer or service, and do not guess hotel or hospitality codes from the web.
If nothing responds at all, check the base faults first. Weak batteries, a blocked sensor and a TV that needs a restart cause most remote failures. The checks are in TV remote not working, which starts with batteries and the phone camera test.
The short version
The factory PIN is 0000. With the remote, enter Volume, Volume Up, Return, Volume Down, Return, Volume Up, Return, or the same order starting with Mute on a standard remote. The PIN returns to 0000. Then open Settings and set a new PIN under General and Privacy or General and System Manager. Without the remote, use the control button on the TV. An already paired phone app with volume and back keys enters the same order. A factory reset and a Smart Hub reset both ask for the PIN, so clear the PIN first. On a commercial set with Safety Lock that ignores 0000, use the manual or service.
Common questions
What is the default PIN for a Samsung TV?
The default is 0000. Samsung states it on its US, Philippine and Latin America support pages. If you never changed the PIN, enter 0000 wherever the TV asks for it.
How do I reset my Samsung TV PIN without the remote?
Use the same button order through another control. If a phone app already controls the TV on the same Wi-Fi, use its volume and back keys. Enter Volume, Volume Up, Return, Volume Down, Return, Volume Up, Return. The PIN returns to 0000. If no phone is paired, use the control button on the TV to reach Settings where the model allows it.
How do I change the PIN if I forgot the old one?
Reset it first, then change it. Enter the reset sequence so the PIN becomes 0000. Open Settings, then Change PIN. Enter 0000 as the current PIN, then enter the new PIN twice. You cannot change the PIN without the current one, so the reset comes first.
Why does the reset sequence fail on my Samsung signage TV?
Commercial and signage sets can use a separate Safety Lock that the home consumer sequence does not clear. Owners report cases where every published home method leaves the lock in place. For these sets, follow the exact model manual or ask the installer or service instead of retrying the home sequence.
Can a phone app bypass the Samsung PIN?
No. A phone app sends the same keys as the remote, so it can enter the reset order, but it cannot skip the PIN screen. The TV must be on, on the same Wi-Fi as the phone, and already paired with the app. A first pairing still shows the allow box on the TV, which must be answered on the TV itself.