VPN on a TV by brand: Samsung, LG, Sony, Philips, TCL, Xiaomi and Hisense

A VPN for a smart TV depends not on the brand but on the system inside it — and manufacturers change that from model to model. On Sony and Xiaomi the NvoVPN app installs; on Samsung and LG it never does; Philips, TCL and Hisense go either way. Below are 4 steps to figure out in a minute what to do with your specific TV, a table by system, and a breakdown by brand.

1. 1

   Find your TV's system

   Open "Settings" → "About device" (or "System" → "About TV") and find the platform name: Android TV, Google TV, Tizen, webOS, VIDAA, Titan OS, Roku TV or tvOS. This line decides everything, not the brand on the case.

2. 2

   Android TV, Google TV or Fire TV — install the app

   The NvoVPN app installs on this kind of TV as an APK file through the Downloader app, and you sign in with a code from your account instead of typing a password with the remote. Step by step in "How to install a VPN on a TV".

3. 3

   Samsung, LG, Apple TV, VIDAA, Titan OS, Roku — a VPN on the router

   There are no VPN apps for these systems — a limitation of the platforms themselves. The VPN runs on the router instead: the TV joins the home Wi-Fi and gets protected internet along with the rest of the network, with nothing to set up on the TV itself. Guide: "How to set up a VPN on a router".

4. 4

   Check the IP from the TV

   Open the "What is my IP" page in the TV's browser: it shows the NvoVPN server's address, not your provider's. No browser? Check from a phone connected to the same Wi-Fi (if the VPN is on the router), or look at the status in the app on the TV.

Table: what your settings say, and what to do

Sony, Xiaomi and others on Google TV

Since 2023, Sony has shipped its entire lineup on Google TV, and so has Xiaomi, including its streaming boxes. The usual route works here: allow installs from unknown sources for the Downloader app, download the APK and sign in with the code from your account. Step by step in "How to install a VPN on a TV".

Samsung: Tizen

Every Samsung TV runs on Tizen — its own system, not Android. There are no VPN apps in the Samsung store, and APK files do not run on it: a different app format. A developer mode does exist on the TV, but it is meant for testing your own Tizen-format apps and requires a computer with a development environment — this route does not suit an ordinary user, and our app cannot be installed through it either way. There is one option that works: set up a VPN on the router.

LG: webOS

LG is the same story: webOS is not Android, and there are no VPN apps in the LG Content Store. The "Developer Mode" app from the store lets you install a webOS-format program from a computer with the developer kit, but the developer session is time-limited, and apps installed that way are removed once it ends. That is not a solution for a VPN — the router is what is left. Both Samsung and LG also have a built-in browser: it is a handy way to check that the TV is reaching the internet through the VPN — step 4.

Philips, TCL and Hisense: check your model

• Philips. Models before 2024 run Android TV or Google TV, and the app installs. Since 2024, part of the lineup has moved to Titan OS, and in 2026 the manufacturer announced moving the entire lineup to it. Titan OS is not Android, and third-party apps do not install on it.
• TCL. It depends on the country of purchase: in some regions the TVs ship on Google TV, in others on Roku TV. The app installs on Google TV, not on Roku.
• Hisense. In most regions, its own VIDAA system with no third-party apps; some models shipped on Android TV. Check the system name in settings — step 1.

Roku and Apple TV

Roku is a closed system with no VPN apps in its store; the router is what is left. Apple TV allowed third-party VPN apps from tvOS 17, but no client for our protocols exists for tvOS. The App Store has third-party programs that support WireGuard — we have not tested them and cannot recommend them. For Apple TV, the reliable route is the same: the router.

Why the router is the universal answer

One tunnel on the router covers the TV, a streaming box, a console and smart speakers all at once, and for the subscription that counts as one device, not five. The router needs a configuration file from your account: AmneziaWG where the firmware understands it (Keenetic, OpenWrt, GL.iNet), and plain WireGuard where it does not (ASUS, MikroTik). Details by brand are in "How to set up a VPN on a router". If you are in Russia, you specifically need a router with AmneziaWG, since plain WireGuard is throttled there: see the "Are you in Russia?" block in that guide.

If you would rather not replace your home router, there is a middle ground: a small travel router that supports AmneziaWG or WireGuard sits between the TV and your home network and provides Wi-Fi just for it.

FAQ

Does the TV count as a separate device? If the app is installed on the TV, yes — like a phone or laptop, up to five on a subscription. Through a router, the whole home network counts as one device.

Is the speed enough for 4K? 4K needs about 25 Mbps. Through a VPN on a router, speed is limited by the router's processor: budget models give tens of megabits, modern ones hundreds. If video lags, connect the TV with a cable and pick the nearest server.

Will foreign streaming services open? We do not promise access to specific streaming services: many of them detect data-center addresses. A VPN on a TV is about protection and about sites that do not open on your network.

What if I install the app on a streaming box instead of the TV? That is a working way around it for Samsung, LG and Roku: a box on Android TV or Google TV accepts our app, and the TV is just used as the screen.

Related guides: How to install a VPN on a TV · How to set up a VPN on a router · How to block ads through a VPN