Five smart TV tricks you didn’t know you could do

Your smart TV forms the centerpiece of your living room entertainment, but for most of us, it’s little more than a gateway to Netflix and BBC iPlayer. While we can revel in this brilliant picture quality and endless streaming options, there is a raft of clever, hidden capabilities that could actually transform your viewing experience and even your home life.

If you're only using your smart TV for box sets, you’re not getting the most out of it. Here are five simple things your sleek, internet-connected screen can do that you might have overlooked.

Five things your smart TV can do that you might miss

The hands-free smart home hub

Beyond asking for the weather, your TV's built-in voice assistant can often act as a central hub for your entire smart home. Whether it's Google Assistant or Alexa, you can integrate connected devices like lighting, thermostats and security cameras. Imagine pausing a film and, with a simple voice command, asking the TV to dim the living room lights or check the front door feed in a smaller window. It’s a true command centre hiding in plain sight.

Multi-view for the multitasker

Sick and tired of waiting for that takeaway update and missing the commencement of a football match? Well, most modern smart TVs, especially mid- to high-end ones, boast of a multi-view or split-screen option that allows you to display two sources all at once. You could, for instance, watch news on the left half of the screen and mirror a recipe from your phone onto the right, all on one screen.

Your personal cloud gaming console

With gaming consoles increasingly hard to find, your TV may be the solution. Several smart TV platforms now offer cloud gaming services such as Xbox Cloud Gaming or NVIDIA GeForce Now directly via an app. Simply hook up a compatible Bluetooth controller, and you'll be able to play high-end video games with no additional box required, instantly turning your TV into a gaming machine.

Wireless file transfer from your phone

Forget fiddling with USB sticks to show family photos. Apps available on most smart TV operating systems, such as dedicated file transfer tools or even services like Plex, let you wirelessly beam videos, photos and even music from your smartphone or laptop directly to the big screen. It’s an effortless way to share holiday snaps with everyone. 5. Private listening through Bluetooth headphones Watching a late-night film after the family has retired to bed no longer requires a cumbersome wired connection. Most modern smart TVs can connect Bluetooth headphones or earbuds. Check the audio settings to pair your device, and you're set for crystal-clear sound at full volume without disturbing a soul. This is a godsend if you're in one of those relationships where your bedtimes don't match.

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