I changed 13 settings on my TV to dramatically improve its performance - here's how
ZDNET senior contributor Elyse Betters Picaro lists 13 practical tweaks that make modern [[smart TV]]s run faster, look better, and respect privacy more. The advice spans visual adjustments like disabling motion smoothing and choosing [[Filmmaker]]/Movie picture modes, to maintenance steps such as keeping TV software up to date, clearing caches, and doing occasional cold reboots. She recommends using wired [[Ethernet]] where possible, checking HDMI ports and cable quality, and offloading apps to external devices like [[Roku]], [[Fire TV]], or [[Apple TV]] if a set is underpowered. Privacy-focused tips cover disabling automatic content recognition and resetting ad IDs. The guide also covers customizing home screens, accessibility options, and creative uses for a TV’s USB ports, with manufacturer-specific pointers for [[Samsung]], [[LG]], [[TCL]], [[Hisense]], [[Vizio]], and [[Sony]], plus practical setup tips.