Only a short time ago, if you wanted to have the latest features on your existing TV, you had to relegate it to secondary room, and then upgrade to an entirely new TV that had everything you wanted.  

While there are plenty of reasons to upgrade to a new TV—better picture technology, bigger screen, or a more premium design—automatic software updates available on all TCL TVs now make getting new features easier than ever!

From Tesla adding the ability to play Asteroids via the steering wheel while your car is charging (I might never leave my car!), to your TCL Android phone getting a screen recorder, software updates not only unlock a better user experience, but they also help your products get better over time. 

Whether you have a TCL Roku TV, a TCL TV with Android TV, or a TCL TV featuring Google TV, you can rely on automatic updates for the latest features, hottest streaming content, and more, without lifting a finger. You can also manually check to make sure you’re up to date with the best experience.

Always Getting Better—Automatically

Here are a few great ways we have recently improved our users’ experience:

  • Of the countless things we have added to TCL Roku TVs over the years, my favorite was when we gave our users the ability to pause and rewind Live TV, for free! As more people shed cable subscriptions, being able to pause and rewind your favorite over-the-air shows is just one of the many ways we’re always improving the customer experience! We have even added things like enhanced audio return (eARC) and Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) for gamers on select models!

  • TCL TVs with Android TV have really evolved into a great experience by adding things such as the Discover tab, letting you find great new content to watch.

  • TCL TVs with Google TV have blown me away with their slick interface, a “content forward” way of organizing your favorites, and great features such as streamlined tabs with an ever-improving Live TV offering.

Beyond all this great stuff, there are teams of engineers tirelessly working to ensure that things “under the hood” are working the best for our users. What’s great is that these updates happen behind the scenes and just allow our users to sit back and enjoy more!

So how does it all work? As with most technology, I think much of it is magic…but here is my simple take on things:

Every so often, your TV reaches out to see if it is running the latest software. If a new version is available, it is simply downloaded, verified, and installed.  Then *poof* your TV will have all the latest features and be running at its best the next time you turn it on, without interrupting your viewing.

Want to check yourself? Well, you can do that too! It’s super easy!

How to Check for the Latest Roku TV Updates Available
  • On a TCL Roku TV, from the home screen, simply go to Settings > System > System Update, and your TV will check for you, and install available software or Channel updates.
How to Check for the Latest Android TV Updates Available
  • If you have a TCL TV with Android, simply press the Settings Button > More Settings > Device Preferences > About > System Update > Network Update.
How to Check for the latest Google TV Updates Available
  • And on a TCL TV with Google TV, all you need to do is Press Settings > System > About > System Update > Network Update and you will be all set.

So, whether you let the TV update itself, or you’re the ambitious type to handle it yourself, all TCL TVs are always ready to help you enjoy more.