Google Photos is moving to Samsung TVs, but don’t get too excited just yet: the first rollout is limited to compatible 2026 models, and it’s more of a curated memories feed than the full app people use on phones and the web. That makes sense – TVs are for passive viewing, not scrolling through your entire camera roll while pretending the family dog needs a feature-length retrospective.
The feature gives Samsung owners a way to surface shared moments on a bigger screen, which is exactly the kind of home-entertainment crossover both Google and Samsung like to show off. It also fits a broader trend: photo services are leaning harder into ambient display and memory curation, the same playbook Apple has pushed with screensavers and digital photo views, except here the experience is tightly fenced in.
How Google Photos works on Samsung TVs
Google says Photos will appear through the ”Daily+ row,” the ”Daily+ app launcher,” and the ”Daily Board widget.” The row serves up memories that refresh automatically, while the launcher and widget surface them in a larger, more visual format. What you won’t get is open-ended browsing of your full library, so this is less ”TV version of Google Photos” and more ”living room slideshow with guardrails.”
- Available on compatible 2026 Samsung TV models
- Shows curated memories, not the full Google Photos library
- Appears in Daily+ row, Daily+ app launcher, and Daily Board widget
Setup uses a QR code and account approval
The setup is straightforward enough. Open the Google Photos section on the TV, scan a QR code with your phone, sign in if needed, and then confirm the connection with a code and permission prompt. That kind of friction is probably unavoidable on TV hardware, but it also keeps the feature from becoming a free-for-all on a shared screen in the middle of the house.
Privacy controls are built in
Google is also giving users some control over what appears. In Settings, you can hide specific people, pets, or dates from highlights, choose which memories show up in the main Photos view, and hide a memory after it appears. That’s a sensible move, because the last thing anyone wants is a surprise guest appearance from an ex, a batch of blurry pet photos, or a vacation from a year best forgotten.
For now, Google Photos on Samsung TVs is limited to 2026 Samsung TV models, but there’s a decent chance the feature expands to more compatible models later. Samsung has been stacking more software services onto its TVs, and this is another way to make the screen feel less like a passive panel and more like a household display hub. The question is whether Google keeps it this restrained or eventually lets people browse deeper from the couch.