Stephanie Prange

January 26, 2023

Vizio has announced a suite of updates to its TV user interface and mobile app to help customers easily navigate streaming choices.

The new Vizio AutoUpdate and redesigned Vizio Mobile app allow TV owners faster access to to favorite apps, movies and free streaming options.

Vizio’s first announced AutoUpdate of 2023 provides shortcuts for select Vizio TV owners with a new Quick Menu, WatchFree+ Mini Guide and Recent Apps row.

The redesigned Vizio Mobile app for iOS and Android extends the features to smartphones, with quick access to voice controls, simple content discovery features, one-button access to WatchFree+, and streamlined subscription-management tools through Vizio Account.

“At Vizio, the customer experience has been and always will remain the primary focus of everything we do,” Kaitlyn Collins, VP of product marketing for Vizio, said in a statement. “We are dedicated to providing exceptional value with our products, even beyond the original purchase. By delivering new features and capabilities to Vizio users with our free AutoUpdates, we amplify the value of our TV lineup.”

Quick Menu allows Vizio customers to adjust picture settings, pair Bluetooth headphones for private listening on compatible models, activate or disable closed captioning subtitles, and access the full menu of in-depth settings.

Viewers can press left on the remote while watching Vizio WatchFree+ — which now features more than 260 channels and more than 6,000 movies and shows for free — to bring up the new WatchFree+ Mini Guide on the left hand side. The Mini Guide lets viewers scroll through programming on other WatchFree+ channels without interrupting the viewing experience.  

There’s a new addition to the “Apps and Inputs” row on the Vizio Smart TV home screen, allowing users to get to their favorite apps faster. Selecting the “Recent Apps” icon brings up a list of the most recently used apps, letting viewers continue yesterday’s binge session with no delay. 

The newly redesigned Vizio Mobile app makes it easier to control the Vizio entertainment experience, subscribe to streaming services, take advantage of special offers, browse favorite apps, and discover movies and shows.

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Vizio Mobile key features and updates include:

• Voice Control: The push-to-talk feature, now available on the app remote screen, allows for navigation of the catalog of supported apps and free channels using simple voice commands. Viewers can launch favorite apps, movies, and TV shows with Vizio Voice.
• Discovery: Vizio Mobile provides one-click access to entertainment discovery features such as promoted premieres, streaming apps, free content, and seasonal programs directly on the mobile remote.
• Fast Access to WatchFree+: The feature allows one-button access to 260-plus free channels and 6,000-plus on-demand shows and movies.
• Launch Apps: Viewers can open apps on their device to display on the TV screen and create personalized app lists to launch favorites.
• Device Control: Viewers can power their Vizio devices on and off, adjust volume, change inputs, turn on closed captions, set a sleep timer, and control their home entertainment experience from their mobile device.
• Browse Movies and TV Shows: Viewers can access Vizio’s catalog of entertainment across multiple streaming services and free channels.
• Manage Subscriptions: Viewers can use Vizio Account to subscribe, manage, and pay for subscription services and take advantage of special offers. This month’s featured offer comes from Starz. For a limited time, Vizio users can subscribe to the Starz streaming service for only $5 a month for three months using Vizio Account.

“The redesign of our highly rated Vizio Mobile app is a direct reflection of our commitment to deliver the best user experience for millions of users who start their entertainment journey with Vizio on their smartphones,” Steve Yum, VP of product management at Vizio, said in a statement. “Vizio Mobile has everything you need to control your Vizio TV, plus additional features that extend the value of Vizio products across the board.”

Vizio Mobile is available for download free on Google Play and in the App Store.