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Skip to main content Tom's Guide Newsletters View Profile Search Tom's Guide You May Like As a TV expert, these are the 5 TV settings that annoy me the most — and how to disable them Here's how to set up parental controls on your smart TV — Samsung, Google TV, Roku and more Your Hisense TV isn’t showing sports at its best — here’s 7 ways to fix it Phone Insights Phone Best Picks Phone Deals Phone Face-Offs Phone How-Tos Phone Reviews Network Carriers Android Phones Google Phones Motorola Phones OnePlus Phones Samsung Phones Nothing Phone TV Best Picks TV Face-Offs Audio Insights Audio Best Picks Audio Deals Audio Face-Offs Audio How-Tos Audio Reviews Over-Ear Headphones Bluetooth Speakers Smart Speakers TV & Audio Brands Entertainment Streaming Devices Prime Video Paramount Plus PlayStation Handheld Gaming Gaming Peripherals Connections Computing Insights Computing Best Picks Computing Deals Computing Face-Offs Computing How-Tos Computing News Computing Reviews VPN Best Picks VPN Face-Offs VPN How-Tos VPN Reviews Operating Systems Identity Theft Protection Parental Controls Malware & Adware Virtual Reality Augmented Reality Smart Glasses Chromebooks Gaming Laptops Apple Desktops Gaming Desktops Android Tablets Computing Brands AI Insights AI Best Picks AI Face-Offs Google Gemini Apple Intelligence Mattress Best Picks Mattress Deals Mattress Face-Offs Mattress How-Tos Mattress News Mattress Reviews Mattress Care Mattress Toppers Pillows & Bedding Smartwatches Fitness Trackers Smart Rings Apple Watch Home Insights Home Best Picks Home Face-Offs Home How-Tos Home Reviews Home Topics Home Appliances Home Office Home Security Home Brands Popular Brands View Phones Phone Insights Phone Best Picks Phone Deals Phone Face-Offs Phone How-Tos Phone Reviews Network Carriers View Network Carriers Android Phones View Android Phones Google Phones Motorola Phones OnePlus Phones Samsung Phones Nothing Phone TV Best Picks TV Face-Offs Audio Insights View Audio Insights Audio Best Picks Audio Deals Audio Face-Offs Audio How-Tos Audio Reviews Headphones View Headphones Over-Ear Headphones View Speakers Bluetooth Speakers Smart Speakers TV & Audio Brands Entertainment View Entertainment View Streaming Streaming Devices Prime Video Paramount Plus View Gaming PlayStation Handheld Gaming Gaming Peripherals Word Games Connections View Computing Computing Insights Computing Best Picks Computing Deals Computing Face-Offs Computing How-Tos Computing News Computing Reviews VPN Best Picks VPN Face-Offs VPN How-Tos VPN Reviews View Hardware View Software Operating Systems View Security Identity Theft Protection Parental Controls Malware & Adware View VR & AR Virtual Reality Augmented Reality Smart Glasses View Laptops Chromebooks Gaming Laptops View Desktops Apple Desktops Gaming Desktops View Tablets Android Tablets Computing Brands AI Insights AI Best Picks AI Face-Offs AI Engines Google Gemini Apple Intelligence View Wellness Mattresses View Mattresses Mattress Best Picks Mattress Deals Mattress Face-Offs Mattress How-Tos Mattress News Mattress Reviews Mattress Care Mattress Toppers Pillows & Bedding View Fitness Smartwatches Fitness Trackers Smart Rings Apple Watch Home Insights Home Best Picks Home Face-Offs Home How-Tos Home Reviews Home Topics Home Appliances Home Office Home Security View Outdoors Home Brands Popular Brands iPhone Air Review iPhone 17 Pro Max Review iPhone 17 Review Meta Ray-Ban Display Best laptops Best Mattress Don't miss these I'm a TV expert who's picky about performance — these are the 5 TVs I'd buy for under $500 right now I’m a gamer and TV reviewer — here are the 5 gaming TVs I’d buy in 2025 I make a living testing TVs — these are the 5 TVs under $1,000 I'd buy right now I test TVs for a living — here are my 5 favorite OLED TVs for PS5 gaming The best TVs under $1000 in 2025 Best 55-inch TVs of 2025 tested: Our top picks from LG, Samsung, Hisense and more Best budget TVs of 2025: Three TVs that look great and don't break the bank Streaming Devices Best streaming devices in 2025 I've tested TVs for over a decade — 5 budget 4K TVs that look like a million bucks from $499 As a TV expert, these are the 5 TV settings that annoy me the most — and how to disable them Here's how to set up parental controls on your smart TV — Samsung, Google TV, Roku and more Your Hisense TV isn’t showing sports at its best — here’s 7 ways to fix it 7 most underrated apps to download to your 4K smart TV This one TV setting is ruining your Netflix shows — here's how to fix it now Just got an antenna for your TV? Here's how you add channels and set it up These 5 smart TV settings make watching so much easier — here's how to enable them Kaycee Hill 27 September 2025 Try smart TV settings for better viewing When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. (Image credit: Shutterstock) Smart TVs pack impressive features, but navigating menus and enjoying content can be challenging for users with visual, hearing, or motor impairments. Many people might not realize their TV already includes accessibility tools designed to create a more comfortable viewing experience. Both Google TV and Samsung smart TVs offer built-in features that can enlarge text, provide audio descriptions, reduce eye strain, and simplify navigation. These settings often go unused simply because people don't know they exist or how to activate them. Understanding these accessibility options can transform how you interact with your TV, whether you need them occasionally or rely on them daily. Here are five settings worth exploring. You may like As a TV expert, these are the 5 TV settings that annoy me the most — and how to disable them Here's how to set up parental controls on your smart TV — Samsung, Google TV, Roku and more Your Hisense TV isn’t showing sports at its best — here’s 7 ways to fix it 1. Enable voice guidance (Image: © Google) Voice guidance shows visual indicators like green borders around selected items so you know exactly what's being read. This makes navigation possible even when you can't clearly see or read on-screen text. Activate TalkBack on Google TV by going to Settings, System, Accessibility, then TalkBack to have your TV read menu options and settings aloud. This feature explains what's selected and what actions are available without requiring you to read small text. On Samsung TVs, enable Voice Guide through Settings, System, Accessibility, then Voice Guide Settings for similar functionality. You can adjust speech rate, pitch, and volume to match your preferences. 2. Turn on closed captions for clearer dialogue (Image: © Future) Enable captions on Google TV through Settings, System, Accessibility, then Captions to display text for all spoken content. This helps when audio isn't clear, accents are difficult to understand, or you're watching in noisy environments. Samsung TV users can access subtitle settings through Settings, General, Accessibility, then Subtitle Settings with similar customization options. Both platforms let you adjust font size, color, and background for optimal readability. Many streaming apps like Netflix and Prime Video also offer additional caption controls within their individual settings menus, allowing app-specific customization beyond your TV's general settings. 3. Use picture-off mode for audio-only content (Image: © Tom's Guide) This option currently remains exclusive to Samsung TVs and isn't available on Google TV or other Android TVs, making it a unique Samsung advantage for audio-focused viewing. The Picture Off feature is accessible through Settings, General, then Accessibility that turns off the display while keeping audio playing. This works perfectly for music streaming, podcasts, or background audio. To return to normal viewing, simply press any remote button and you'll exit picture-off mode. This feature also conserves energy when you only need audio content from your TV's speakers 4. Magnify text and menus for easier reading (Image: © Tom's Guide) Google TV's text magnification feature activates through Settings, System, Accessibility, then Text magnification and displays enlarged versions of selected text in dedicated windows at the screen edges. Samsung TVs offer zoom functionality via Settings, General, Accessibility, then Zoom menus and text that enlarges menu items when you hover over them without affecting the rest of the display. Samsung's implementation typically works better since it enlarges text without obscuring other content, while Google TV's version can sometimes block parts of the interface with its magnification windows. 5. Reduce eye strain with Greyscale mode (Image: © Samsung) Grayscale mode works particularly well for late-night viewing or when bright colors cause discomfort, though you'll need to manually activate it each session since automatic scheduling isn't currently available on either platform. Enable grayscale on Google TV through Settings, System, Accessibility, then Greyscale mode to convert the entire display to black and white, reducing visual complexity and eye strain during extended viewing. Samsung TVs support grayscale through Settings, General, Accessibility, then Grayscale with broader compatibility across older TV models compared to Google TV's newer requirement. Follow Tom's Guide on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our up-to-date news, analysis, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button! More from Tom's Guide 5 ways to stop your smart TV from buffering Speed up your smart TV — here's how to clear the cache 5 Samsung TV settings to change to make your TV look and perform better Streaming device deals not to miss Roku Streaming Stick 4K (2021) $39.99View Deal See all prices Google Chromecast with Google TV $30.32View Deal See all prices Apple TV 4K (2022) $135.49View Deal See all prices Roku Express 4K+ (2021) $29.99View Deal See all prices Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max 2023 $39.99View Deal See all prices We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices Sign up to get the BEST of Tom's Guide direct to your inbox. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. See more TVs How-Tos Kaycee Hill Social Links Navigation How-to Editor Kaycee is Tom's Guide's How-To Editor, known for tutorials that skip the fluff and get straight to what works. She writes across AI, homes, phones, and everything in between — because life doesn't stick to categories and neither should good advice. With years of experience in tech and content creation, she's built her reputation on turning complicated subjects into straightforward solutions. Kaycee is also an award-winning poet and co-editor at Fox and Star Books. Her debut collection is published by Bloodaxe, with a second book in the works. You must confirm your public display name before commenting Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name. As a TV expert, these are the 5 TV settings that annoy me the most — and how to disable them Here's how to set up parental controls on your smart TV — Samsung, Google TV, Roku and more Your Hisense TV isn’t showing sports at its best — here’s 7 ways to fix it 7 most underrated apps to download to your 4K smart TV This one TV setting is ruining your Netflix shows — here's how to fix it now Just got an antenna for your TV? 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