Compatibility & scope
Based on Samsung's EU English e-manuals for M- to H-series TVs (as listed on Samsung UK support pages). Every manual says recording and Timeshift may not be supported depending on the model or region, and the manuals are shared by many models, so a manual covering your TV doesn't prove your model records. The manuals say only programmes received through an aerial can be recorded; satellite and cable reception isn't covered here. Samsung's US manuals (2021–2026) say recording isn't supported in the USA and Canada. The 'Format Device' message and NTFS formatting come from Samsung's troubleshooting pages; the manuals don't give a separate formatting menu path, so none is given here. Documentation reviewed; no TV or drive tested for this article.
In this guide
What your TV can record
Some Samsung TVs sold in the UK and Europe can record programmes from the TV’s own aerial tuner onto a USB hard drive. They can also pause and rewind live TV (Samsung calls this Timeshift). Three limits decide whether this works for you:
- Aerial channels only. Samsung says you can record only programmes received through an aerial. You can’t record a set-top box or games console on HDMI, Samsung TV Plus or streaming apps.
- A hard drive, not a memory stick. Samsung says USB memory sticks and flash drives aren’t supported.
- Not every model. Every manual says recording may not be available, depending on model and region. Samsung’s US manuals say it isn’t supported in the USA or Canada at all.
The manuals don’t list which models record. A quick check (our suggestion based on the steps in the manuals, not a test Samsung describes): connect the hard drive, open the Guide, highlight a programme that’s on now and press Select (on 2017–2021 TVs, press and hold it). If Record is in the pop-up menu, the recording feature is there. If it isn’t, see If recording doesn’t work.
Before you start
- Use a USB hard drive. Samsung recommends a USB 2.0 or later hard disk at 5,400 rpm or faster. RAID-type drives aren’t supported.
- Expect the TV to wipe it. If the TV shows Format Device, the drive has to be formatted before it can record. The TV formats it as NTFS, erasing everything on it. Use a drive with nothing on it that you want to keep.
- Leave enough free space. Timeshift needs at least 1.5 GB free and a scheduled recording at least 100 MB.
- Set the clock for scheduled recordings. The paths are in Schedule a recording.
- Recordings stay on this TV. They’re copy-protected (DRM), so they won’t play on a computer or another TV. They also won’t play on this TV if its video circuit board is replaced.
Record what you’re watching
Make sure you’re watching a channel from the TV’s aerial, then:
| Your TV’s menu | How to start recording |
|---|---|
| Settings on the Home screen leads straight to General, 2019–2021 TVs (R, T and A series) | Press the 123 button twice (or the colour button once, if your remote has a separate one), then select Record. The 2019 and 2021 manuals add a press of Select before Record |
| Same layout, 2018 TVs (N series) | Press 123 or the colour button, press Select, then select Record |
| Same layout, 2017 TVs (M series) | Press the colour button, then select Record |
| Home shows a Menu item, or the left directional button opens the menu (2022–2026 TVs) | Press the 123 button, use the directional buttons to move to the control pad, and select Record |
On most remotes, Play/Pause is a shortcut. Samsung’s manuals say pressing it during a broadcast pauses the picture and shows the recording and Timeshift controls, and the 2023–2026 manuals list it as another way to start recording.
To record from the Guide instead, press the channel button in (rather than up or down) to open the Guide. Older TVs also have it at Home → Live TV → Guide. Highlight a programme that’s on now, press Select (press and hold it on 2017–2021 TVs), then select Record.
A recording can last up to 720 minutes. Samsung notes it may start a second or two late.
Schedule a recording
Set the TV’s clock first, or scheduled recordings won’t work:
| Your TV’s menu | Where the clock is |
|---|---|
| Settings leads straight to General (2017–2021) | Home → Settings → General → System Manager → Time → Clock |
| Home shows a Menu item (2022) | Home → Menu → Settings → All Settings → General & Privacy → System Manager → Time → Clock |
| Left directional button opens the menu, and All Settings has no Advanced Features | Home → left directional button → Settings → All Settings → General & Privacy → System Manager → Time → Clock |
| Left directional button opens the menu, and All Settings has Advanced Features | Home → left directional button → Settings → All Settings → General & Privacy → Time |
The 2022 and later manuals say to set Clock Mode to Auto. The third layout is in Samsung’s UK manual for some small and budget models (such as the UE32H5000F). The fourth is in the UK manuals for C-, D-, F- and H-series TVs.
Then choose one of three ways:
- From the Guide: highlight an upcoming programme, press Select and select Schedule Recording.
- While watching: press Select to open the programme details, use the left or right directional button to move to a later programme, press Select and select Schedule Recording.
- By date and time: open the recording manager (table below), go to Schedules, and select Add Recording (Schedule Recording on 2022 and later TVs). Set Aerial, Channel, Repeat, Date, Start Time and End Time, then select Save.
| Your TV’s menu | Where the recording manager is |
|---|---|
| 2017–2019 TVs (M, N and R series) | Home → Live TV → Schedule Manager or Recordings |
| 2020–2021 TVs (T and A series) | Home → Live TV → Recordings |
| 2022–2026 TVs | Press 123, move to the control pad, and select Schedule Manager or Recordings |
A clock symbol appears next to programmes and channels scheduled for recording. You can have up to 30 scheduled recordings and scheduled viewings in total. From Schedules you can edit, delete or view a schedule. With Edit, a recording can start up to 10 minutes early and end up to 10 minutes late. The 2018 and later manuals also list Start Recording Early and Continue Recording After under Settings in the same screen.
If you’ve set a sleep timer or Auto Power Off, the TV keeps recording and switches off when the recording ends (2018 and later manuals). See Set the sleep timer on a Samsung TV.
Pause and rewind live TV (Timeshift)
- While watching an aerial channel, press Play/Pause. Or open the same menu you use to start a recording (see Record what you’re watching) and select Timeshift.
- The TV starts saving the programme to the drive, so you can pause, rewind and jump back.
- Press the down directional button for the controls: Pause/Play, jump back or forward 10 seconds, rewind and fast forward, and slow motion while paused.
- Select Go to Live TV to catch up, or Stop Timeshift to end it.
To keep what you’re watching, select Record in the controls. The recording includes what Timeshift has already saved.
Timeshift keeps up to 90 minutes and needs at least 1.5 GB free. It doesn’t work on locked channels, and some Broadcasting settings are unavailable while it’s running.
Watch or delete recordings
Open the recording manager (see the table above) and select Recordings. Choose a recording to play it, or highlight it for Play, Delete and View Details.
If recording doesn’t work
- There’s no Record option, or Schedule Manager opens instead of Recordings: Samsung’s first check is that a USB storage device is connected to the TV. On 2017–2021 TVs, Live TV shows Schedule Manager in place of Recordings when no USB device is connected. If the hard drive is connected and Record still never appears, your model or region may not support recording.
- “Format Device” appears: the drive must be formatted before use. This erases everything on it.
- You can’t record from HDMI or Samsung TV Plus: recording only works for digital broadcast channels received by the TV’s own tuner.
- A recording stopped early: recording stops if the signal gets too weak, or if free space drops below 50 MB. If you’re recording and using Timeshift at the same time and space drops below 500 MB, the recording stops.
- A recording won’t play on a computer: that’s expected. Recordings only play on the TV that made them.
Sources & scope
Pages 32, 137, 141–143, 146–148, 201–203, 295
View sourceSamsung UK download listed for the QE65QN70HAU and other H-series TVs. Consulted: remote control buttons, Using the Guide, Recording programmes, Using Timeshift, Buttons and functions available while recording a programme or Timeshift, Before Using the Recording and Timeshift Functions, and Recording Issues. Button icons checked visually on pages 137, 141 and 146.
Pages 142–144, 201–203, 279
View sourceSamsung UK download listed for C-series TVs such as the UE85CU7110K. Same steps and limits as the H-series manual. The UK manual for D- and F-series TVs (BN81-27185C-660, pages 140–141, 199–201, 277) matches it.
Pages 120–122, 186–188
View sourceSamsung UK download listed for small and budget models such as the UE32H5000FK, UE24F6000FK and QE40Q5FAA. Same recording steps; clock under General & Privacy → System Manager → Time → Clock.
Pages 27, 117, 121–123, 183–185, 234
View sourceSamsung UK download listed for B-series TVs such as the QE50LS03BGU. First manual in this set with the control-pad steps (press Select, not press and hold, in the Guide). Button icons checked visually on page 121.
Pages 24, 102–104, 106, 155–156
View sourceSamsung UK download listed for A-series TVs such as the UE50AU9070U. Recording & Schedule Manager at Live TV → Recordings. Button icons checked visually on page 102.
Pages 23, 82, 85–89, 136–137, 176
View sourceSamsung UK download listed for T-series TVs such as the QE55Q90TAT. Button icons checked visually on pages 85 and 89.
Pages 36, 87–89, 150–152
View sourceSamsung UK download listed for R-series TVs such as the UE50RU7410U. Recording & Schedule Manager at Live TV → Schedule Manager or Recordings.
Pages 87–91, 145–147
View sourceSamsung UK download listed for N-series TVs such as the QE65Q7FNAT. Button icons checked visually on page 87.
Pages 59–65, 112–114, 135
View sourceSamsung UK download listed for M-series and some N-series TVs. PDF page numbers; the printed page numbers are 6 lower (53–59, 106–108, 129). Page 135 describes the Play/Pause control bar and pressing the channel button to open the Guide. Button icons checked visually on pages 61 and 64.
Pages 156
View sourceSamsung US download for the QN65QN90CAFXZA. Cited only for Samsung's statement that recording and schedule recording are not supported in the USA and Canada; the 2021, 2022 and 2024–2026 US manuals say the same.
These instructions are based on manufacturer documentation. They have not been device-tested for this guide.
Based on Samsung's EU English e-manuals for M- to H-series TVs (as listed on Samsung UK support pages). Every manual says recording and Timeshift may not be supported depending on the model or region, and the manuals are shared by many models, so a manual covering your TV doesn't prove your model records. The manuals say only programmes received through an aerial can be recorded; satellite and cable reception isn't covered here. Samsung's US manuals (2021–2026) say recording isn't supported in the USA and Canada. The 'Format Device' message and NTFS formatting come from Samsung's troubleshooting pages; the manuals don't give a separate formatting menu path, so none is given here. Documentation reviewed; no TV or drive tested for this article.