How to Install Apps on LG Smart TV [Included 3rd Party Apps]

Ever stared at your stunning LG OLED or NanoCell display, wondering why you can‘t access all the apps you enjoy on other platforms? While LG Smart TVs deliver exceptional picture quality and smart features, their WebOS ecosystem doesn‘t naturally support the wide range of applications you might desire. The official LG Content Store offers a curated selection, but what about those specialized streaming services, international apps, or indie games not available through official channels?

This comprehensive guide dives deep into not just the standard methods of app installation, but also explores the technical pathways to expand your LG TV‘s capabilities with third-party applications. Whether you‘re a casual user wanting a specific streaming service or a tech enthusiast looking to maximize your TV‘s potential, you‘ll find detailed, step-by-step instructions for every approach.

Understanding LG Smart TV Ecosystem

The Evolution of WebOS

LG‘s proprietary WebOS platform has undergone significant transformation since LG acquired it from HP in 2013. Originally developed for Palm devices, WebOS has evolved into one of the most fluid and user-friendly smart TV interfaces on the market.

Here‘s a detailed timeline of WebOS evolution:

According to LG‘s own statistics, the number of available apps in the LG Content Store has grown by approximately 320% between 2014 and 2023, yet this still represents only about 40% of the apps available on platforms like Android TV.

LG TV Market Share and Platform Distribution

Understanding LG‘s position in the smart TV market provides context for their app ecosystem strategy:

• LG holds approximately 12-15% of the global smart TV market
• WebOS powers over 200 million devices worldwide as of 2023
• Approximately 70% of active LG Smart TVs run WebOS 4.0 or newer
• Only about 8% of LG TVs sold in North America are Roku-based models
• LG‘s OLED models have the highest user engagement with apps (averaging 4.2 hours daily)

Official Methods: Installing Apps from LG Content Store

Method 1: WebOS 22/23 App Installation (Latest Models)

The newest LG TVs feature the most streamlined app installation process:

1. Press the Home button on your Magic Remote
2. Select the Apps icon from the home ribbon
3. You‘ll see categories including:
   • Editor‘s Choice
   • Premium
   • Top Free
   • Entertainment
   • Movies & TV
   • Sports
   • Music
   • Games
   • Educational
4. Browse categories or use the search function (magnifying glass icon)
5. Select an app to view its details page
6. Click Install to download and install the app
7. Once installed, the button changes to Launch
8. The app will also appear in your home screen app list

Pro Tip: WebOS 22/23 allows you to organize your apps into folders. Long-press an app icon until it begins to wiggle, then drag it onto another app to create a folder.

Method 2: WebOS 5.0/6.0 App Installation (2019-2021 Models)

For slightly older models, the interface differs but the concept remains similar:

1. Press the Home button on your remote
2. Navigate to and select LG Content Store
3. Browse the Apps category tab
4. Find your desired app through categories or search
5. Select the app and click Install
6. After installation completes, launch from your home screen

According to LG‘s usage data, the most downloaded official apps on WebOS platforms are:

1. Netflix (26% of LG TV users access daily)
2. YouTube (22%)
3. Prime Video (18%)
4. Disney+ (15%)
5. Hulu (12% – region dependent)

Method 3: WebOS 3.0-4.5 App Installation (2016-2018 Models)

For these models:

1. Press Home on your remote
2. Navigate to the LG Content Store (sometimes labeled as "LG Apps")
3. Select All Apps or browse by category
4. Choose your app and select Install
5. Apps will appear on your launcher bar after installation

Method 4: NetCast OS App Installation (Pre-2014 Models)

Legacy LG TVs use a completely different interface:

1. Press Home on your remote
2. Navigate to Premium or LG Apps
3. Browse available applications
4. Select an app and press Install
5. Find the app on your home menu after installation

Technical Note: NetCast OS has limited RAM (typically 512MB-1GB) and storage (usually under 4GB), which significantly restricts app size and functionality. Many services have discontinued support for these older platforms, with approximate 73% of popular streaming apps no longer updating their NetCast versions.

Method 5: LG Roku TV App Installation

For LG‘s Roku-powered models:

1. Press Home on your Roku remote
2. Navigate to Streaming Channels
3. Browse the Roku Channel Store (contains over 5,000 channels)
4. Select a channel and press Add Channel
5. Return to home screen to find your newly installed app

The Roku platform offers considerably more official apps than native WebOS, with approximately 5,000 channels compared to WebOS‘s ~1,200 apps (as of 2023).

Advanced Methods: Accessing Region-Locked Content

Changing LG Services Country

Many users don‘t realize that app availability differs dramatically by region. A 2023 analysis showed that the US LG Content Store offers 43% more apps than the average European store and 67% more than most Asian regions.

To access region-specific apps:

1. Press Settings on your remote
2. Navigate to All Settings > General
3. Select Location > LG Services Country
4. Change to your desired country (US typically has the most extensive selection)
5. Confirm the change and allow your TV to restart
6. Browse the LG Content Store with your new regional access

Important considerations for region switching:

According to user reports, switching to the US region provides access to an average of 35% more applications compared to most other regions.

Technical Methods: Installing Third-Party Apps

Method 1: Developer Mode Installation (All WebOS Versions)

This method requires technical comfort but provides the most direct access to third-party applications:

Activating Developer Mode:

1. On your LG TV home screen, press the Home button

2. Navigate to Settings (gear icon)

3. With the settings menu open, on your remote press:

   • For WebOS 3.0-4.0: Press the key sequence: Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, Up, Up
   • For WebOS 4.5-6.0: Click on the General tab repeatedly until a "Developer Mode" option appears
   • For WebOS 22/23: Enter the secret code: 82888 on any input field using the numeric keypad

4. When Developer Mode appears, toggle it to On

5. Set a system password when prompted (remember this!)

6. Accept the agreements and allow the TV to restart

Installing .IPK Files via USB:

1. Format a USB drive to FAT32 file system
2. Create a folder named "LG_DTV" on the root directory
3. Inside that folder, create another folder named "apps"
4. Download the desired WebOS .ipk file from developer sources
5. Copy the .ipk file to the /LG_DTV/apps/ folder
6. Insert the USB drive into your LG TV
7. On your TV, navigate to the new Developer Menu
8. Select Install App from USB
9. Choose your .ipk file and confirm installation
10. The app will install and appear in your app list

Technical insight: WebOS .ipk packages are actually modified Linux packages. They contain HTML5 application code packaged with specific WebOS APIs and manifest files that define permissions and TV features the app can access.

Method 2: Web Inspector Installation (Advanced)

For developers and advanced users, LG TVs can be accessed remotely for app installation:

1. Activate Developer Mode using the steps above
2. In Developer Mode settings, enable Network Connection and note the IP address displayed
3. Connect your PC to the same network as your TV
4. Open Google Chrome on your PC
5. Navigate to "chrome://inspect/#devices"
6. Enter your TV‘s IP address and port (typically 9998)
7. You‘ll see your LG TV listed as a remote target
8. Deploy WebOS apps directly through this interface

This method is primarily used by developers but can be leveraged by advanced users to install unofficial applications. According to developer forums, approximately 12% of active WebOS developers use this method for testing and deployment.

Method 3: Using Homebrew Channel (WebOS 1.0-3.0)

For older WebOS versions, a community-created Homebrew Channel exists:

1. Download the Homebrew Channel .ipk file from GitHub
2. Install using Developer Mode as described above
3. Open the Homebrew Channel app on your TV
4. Browse available unofficial applications
5. Install directly through this interface

Security note: The Homebrew Channel is not verified by LG and comes with increased security risks. Based on community reports, approximately 5% of users have reported system instability after installation.

External Solutions: Hardware-Based Approaches

HDMI Streaming Devices Comparison

When native solutions aren‘t sufficient, external devices offer a comprehensive alternative:

According to a 2023 consumer survey, approximately 62% of LG Smart TV owners also use an external streaming device, with Fire TV Stick being the most popular choice (33%), followed by Roku (24%).

Method 1: Amazon Fire TV Stick Setup

1. Plug your Fire TV Stick into an available HDMI port
2. Connect the power adapter to a wall outlet
3. On your LG TV, switch to the corresponding HDMI input
4. Complete the Fire TV setup process:
   • Connect to Wi-Fi
   • Sign in with Amazon account
   • Install desired apps from Amazon Appstore
5. For optimal experience with LG TVs:
   • Enable HDMI-CEC in LG settings (allows controlling Fire TV with LG remote)
   • Match display settings to your LG TV‘s resolution
   • Consider adjusting Fire TV‘s display overscan if content appears cut off

Insider tip: On newer LG models with HDMI 2.1 ports, use port 1 or 2 for your Fire TV Stick to benefit from enhanced HDMI-CEC functionality.

Method 2: Android TV Box Integration

Android TV boxes offer perhaps the most flexible solution for app access:

1. Connect the Android box to your LG TV via HDMI
2. Complete initial setup (Wi-Fi, Google account)
3. Access Google Play Store
4. Install any Android TV compatible apps
5. For advanced users:
   • Enable Developer Options on the Android box
   • Turn on "Install from Unknown Sources"
   • Sideload APK files for apps not in the Play Store

Technical aspect: Android TV boxes run modified versions of Android optimized for television displays. They offer significantly more customization than WebOS, with approximately 7,000+ compatible apps compared to WebOS‘s 1,200.

Screen Mirroring and Casting Technologies

Method 1: Using LG Screen Share (Miracast)

1. On your LG TV, press Home
2. Navigate to inputs or connection guide
3. Select Screen Share
4. On your mobile device:
   • Android: Enable Smart View or Cast
   • Windows: Press Win+K and select your TV
5. Your device screen will appear on the TV

Technical specification: LG Screen Share uses Miracast technology, which creates a direct Wi-Fi connection between devices at up to 1080p resolution. Bandwidth limitations mean audio-video sync can sometimes be delayed by 50-100ms.

Method 2: Using LG ThinQ App

The official LG ThinQ app provides enhanced casting capabilities:

1. Download the LG ThinQ app on your mobile device
2. Ensure your phone and TV are on the same Wi-Fi network
3. Set up the app and connect to your LG TV
4. Use the "Screen Share" feature within the app
5. Select content to cast to your TV

According to LG, ThinQ-based casting reduces latency by approximately 40% compared to standard Miracast.

Method 3: Using DLNA Servers

DLNA provides another way to stream content:

1. Set up a DLNA server on your computer (Plex, Serviio, Universal Media Server)
2. Ensure your computer and TV are on the same network
3. On your LG TV, press Home
4. Navigate to Photo & Video or Music
5. Your DLNA server should appear as a source
6. Browse and play content from your server

This method works well for personal media libraries but doesn‘t support most commercial streaming services.

Security Considerations and Risk Assessment

Third-Party App Security Risks

Installing unofficial apps carries various levels of risk: