4 of 5 TV Platforms: Antenna and HDMI Work Without Sign-In

Yes, on most of the platforms we checked: a smart TV can watch an antenna and show whatever you plug into HDMI without an account, and Google TV’s basic TV mode needs no internet connection at all. Of the 5 platforms in the table, 4 have a support page saying antenna and HDMI keep working without signing in. What you give up is the apps and, on Google TV and Vizio, software updates.

The catch is model and timing. Roku says only some of its TVs let you skip the account, and Google says you have to choose basic TV during setup: once Google TV is set up, you cannot switch back without a factory reset.

What each platform says

Platform	Skip the account at setup?	Skip internet at setup?	Still works	Stops working
Google TV	Yes, with basic TV	Yes, with basic TV	Antenna, cable or satellite TV; plugged-in inputs; some pre-installed apps	Installing apps, casting, Assistant search, Play Library; security updates without internet
Roku TV	Some models (unlinked mode)	Some models (“Connect to the Internet Later”)	Live TV from an antenna or cable box; HDMI devices	Roku’s streaming services and Streaming Store apps
Samsung (Tizen)	Yes (Skip)	Not stated on Samsung’s US guide	Antenna TV; HDMI, cable box, console (Samsung New Zealand)	Apps, Samsung TV Plus, Ambient Mode, other smart functions
Vizio	Yes, skip the Walmart sign-in	Not stated	HDMI and antenna inputs	Smart TV features, built-in streaming apps, software updates
LG (webOS)	Not stated; installing apps needs a login	Not stated	Not listed; the guide covers setting the country by hand when offline	Online content and apps need a network

Every row comes from the platform’s own help pages, read on 11 November 2026. Where a cell says “not stated”, the page covers that step of setup and does not say either way.

Google TV: basic TV is the cleanest offline mode

Google’s help page says basic TV is only for “TVs that come with Google TV built in”, not its streaming boxes. Choose it during setup and you can “use your device without a Google Account” and “without an internet connection”. You can still watch cable, satellite or antenna TV through the TV app, play media from other inputs, and use “a limited set of apps that come pre-installed”.

You cannot install apps, cast to the TV, use the Assistant to search, or reach anything that needs a Google sign-in. Google adds one warning: a Google TV left offline gets no security updates, in Google’s words it “won’t get important security updates”. You can move up to full Google TV later from the banner on the home screen, but not the other way: Google says to factory reset if you want to start again.

Roku TV: unlinked mode, on some models

Roku’s support page says “Some Roku TVs” can be removed from a Roku account and used in unlinked mode. In it, you can watch live TV from a cable box or antenna and use Blu-ray players, consoles or other devices on HDMI, but you “will not be able to use or access Roku’s streaming services”.

The route Roku gives is a factory reset with the button on the back or bottom of the TV, held for about 10 seconds, then Set up for home use. If your TV does not require an account and internet connection for activation, the next screen offers Connect to the Internet Later. Roku says that option may not be available on every Roku TV and to check the packaging, so look before you buy if this matters. On Roku’s main setup guide, activation is where you sign in to or create a Roku account.

Samsung: the account can be skipped

Samsung’s US setup guide puts a Skip on the Samsung Account step, and says an account “is required for network-based smart services, including streaming apps and other smart features.” The same guide lets you skip the Smart Hub terms and the software update, but gives no skip on the network step itself, so it does not say whether a new Samsung set will finish setup with no network.

Samsung’s New Zealand FAQ spells out the result of skipping the account: no apps, Samsung TV Plus or Ambient Mode, and access “only” to over-the-air TV through the tuner or an antenna, plus HDMI devices such as a cable box or console. That page is Samsung’s, but not its US one.

Vizio: the Walmart account is optional for basic use

Vizio says that from mid-March 2026, new Vizio and onn TVs ask you to create or sign in to a Walmart account during activation, and that older sets will start asking as updates arrive. You can skip it: “Your TV will still work for basic functions.” HDMI and antenna inputs work without signing in, but Vizio says the account is required for Smart TV features, built-in apps and software updates.

Neither Vizio page we read says whether you can skip connecting to Wi‑Fi at setup.

LG: apps need a login; offline setup is not described

LG’s 2025 webOS guide is the least direct. It says “In order to install apps, you must be logged in”, and that network settings let you “use various services such as online contents and applications.” It covers settings for a TV that is not connected to the network (you set the country by hand), and says software updates can arrive through digital broadcast signals as well as the internet. It does not describe skipping the network at first setup, or say what works without an LG account.

Fire TV smart TVs

We have not included them. Amazon’s own setup help for Fire TV sets is on amazon.com, which we do not use as a source, and the Amazon newsroom and developer pages we searched do not cover setting one up offline.

If you do connect it later

If you connect the TV later, the viewing-data switch has a different name on each brand, and our guide to turning off TV tracking has the menu path for each. Connecting also brings AirPlay on sets that have it, which needs the TV on your Wi‑Fi: which TVs take AirPlay, by brand. Some TV makers’ privacy policies also cover the other devices on your home network. An offline Google TV or Vizio set also misses software updates, so it is worth knowing how many years each platform promises them before deciding. If you are still choosing the set, our shortlist of TVs from the reviews is a starting point; it does not rank offline use.

Questions people ask

Can I use a smart TV without connecting it to the internet?

On a Google TV set, yes: choose basic TV at setup and Google says it works without an internet connection, for antenna, cable and plugged-in devices. Some Roku TVs offer Connect to the Internet Later. Without a connection you lose apps and, on Google TV, security updates.

Can I set up a Samsung TV without a Samsung account?

Yes. Samsung’s US setup guide says you can highlight Skip at the Samsung Account step. Samsung’s New Zealand FAQ says you then lose apps, Samsung TV Plus and Ambient Mode, and keep antenna TV and external inputs such as HDMI, a cable box or a console.

Can I use a Roku TV without a Roku account?

On some models. Roku says some Roku TVs support an unlinked mode, reached through a factory reset, that keeps live TV from an antenna or cable box and the HDMI inputs but drops Roku’s streaming services and apps. Roku says to check the packaging for whether yours supports it.

Do I need a Walmart account for a new Vizio TV?

Only for the smart features. Vizio says new sets from mid-March 2026 ask for a Walmart account at activation, but you can skip it. HDMI and antenna inputs work without signing in; apps, Smart TV features and software updates need the account.

Do I need an LG account to use an LG TV?

LG’s 2025 webOS guide says you must be logged in to install apps. It does not say whether the network step at first setup can be skipped, though it does describe setting the country by hand when the TV is not connected to a network.

Will my TV still get updates if it is offline?

It depends on the brand. Google says a Google TV without internet won’t get important security updates, and Vizio says updates need a Walmart account. LG’s guide says software can arrive through digital broadcast signals as well as the internet.