How To Update Apps on a Bravia Smart TV

Evan Gower October 23, 2021

There are two reasons why it’s important to make sure all your apps get updated regularly. First, updates fix most of the bugs that develop in your apps. The second reason is that an update can provide you with new functions to choose from. Leaving your apps without updates means you’re missing out on some important possibilities to make them more enjoyable.

Bravia smart TVs are not an exception when it comes to frequently updating apps. Since these smart TVs come with a decent number of pre-installed apps, users find it difficult to update each and app individually. To make this even trickier, the number of apps increases with every download.

Luckily, Sony has thought of this, giving users the option to update their entire software with a few clicks. This article will show you how to use these options.

Determining if Your Bravia TV Uses the Android OS or Not

Updating apps on a Bravia smart TV with the Android OS is no problem. If it doesn’t use Android OS, then the process will be a little different because your TV has pre-installed apps that come from a different server. Skip down to the system software update section, if you fall into the non-Android OS category.

Updating Apps on Your Android Bravia Smart TV

This section will show you how to easily update your Bravia smart TV apps in just a couple of seconds. Generally speaking, there are two methods that you can use. The first one allows your smart TV to update its apps automatically, and the second one requires manual updating. Both of these methods are quite easy to use.

Note, non-Android OS Bravia TV come with pre-installed apps that are pulled from a server, so you’ll have to check for updates to the system software to update them. If your TV doesn’t have an option to search for updates then it can only receive automatic updates when they’re available. Make sure the Automatic Software Update feature is on if your TV has it.

Updating Apps Automatically on an Android OS Bravia TV

This feature allows its users to rest free, knowing that their smart TV will do all of the work for them. Here is how you can use it.

Press the Home button on your remote control.
Locate Apps and select the Google Play Store option.
Now, select Settings.
Look for the Auto-Update Apps feature and select it.
Select the Auto-Update Apps At Any Time option.

What you need to know is that you won’t have control over your device’s memory, as all of the updates will be done automatically, as soon as they become available on the Google Play Store. In other words, your device’s memory will be filling up in the background without you knowing the specifics.

Updating Apps Manually on an Android OS Bravia TV

If you want to update your Bravia smart TV apps by yourself and keep track of your smart TV’s memory, this method is for you.

Just like in the previous approach, press the Home button on your remote control.
Select the Google Play Store from Apps.
Select the My Apps option, and now you can view all of the apps that are stored on your Bravia smart TV, assuming they were downloaded from the Google Play Store. If you have downloaded any third-party apps from unofficial websites, those apps won’t be displayed here.
After you have done that, all that you need to do is select the Update All feature, and all of your apps will be updated with any newer versions available on Google Store.

What’s good about this method is that you will have full control over the updates. However, you’ll have to remember to update your apps and do it by yourself.

Updating Your Bravia Smart TV System Software

If you want to update your smart TV’s entire software, this section will show you everything that you need to know.

First of all, this kind of update goes beyond installed apps, as you are basically upgrading the programming of your device. Most of these updates are done automatically, but Sony occasionally offers updates via digital cable signals or antennas.

So, if your smart TV’s software hasn’t already asked you to update its entire firmware and you know that a newer version is available, you should search for it manually. Here is what you need to do.

Press the Home button on your remote control. In case your device is running on Android 8.0 (Oreo), select the Apps option.
Now, select Help, if you don’t see it, then select Settings and
Then, go to Customer Support, it might also say Setup or Product Support.
From here, select Software Update.
Some TVs have an Automatic Software Download or Automatically Check for Update feature, turn it to On if it isn’t already.
To save the changes, press the Enter button.
You might seen a screen that shows Newer version not detected, that’s not uncommon.

If software updates are available, they take about 15 minutes or more.

Use the Latest Apps on Your Bravia Smart TV

By following some of the previously mentioned methods, you can always use the latest apps available for your smart TV. If you decide to go for manual updates, make sure to incorporate them into your schedule. If you ignore new updates, you may miss out on some real treats.