Have you ever bought a new gadget and later found out that using some of its basic features is like solving a puzzle? Yep—been there, done that. I had one of those moments with my LG Smart TV running WebOS and let me tell you, it was both funny and frustrating.

Let me take you through my tech adventure—and save you the headache if you ever find yourself stuck like I was.

The Web Browser That Gave Me A Hard Time

So I finally decided to try out the built-in web browser on my LG Smart TV. I thought it would be a breeze—I mean it’s a smart TV, right? With LG’s WebOS, what could go wrong?

But when I clicked the address bar to type a URL, nothing happened. No keyboard. Nada. Just a blinking cursor staring back at me. I thought, “Surely this TV can’t expect me to type with my mind!”

ThinkQ App? Nice Try... But Nope

Like any modern-day problem solver, I whipped out my phone and downloaded LG’s ThinkQ Remote App, hoping it would save the day.

Spoiler alert: it didn’t.

The app was clunky, and I couldn’t figure out how to type into the browser using my phone. So I went down the rabbit hole—Google, forums, tech blogs—you name it. But nothing really helped.

The Unexpected Fix Hidden in Settings

Just when I was about to give up (or worse—buy a wireless keyboard), I took one last look into the settings.

And boom! I found the magic switch—a tiny setting that disables the on-screen keyboard by default. Yep, LG had that option buried where no one looks.

Here’s how I fixed it:

How to Enable the On-Screen Keyboard on LG Smart TV (WebOS)

  1. Open the built-in web browser on your LG Smart TV.

  2. Click on the address bar.

    • If the on-screen keyboard appears, you’re good to go.

    • If not, move on to the next steps.

  3. Tap the menu icon in the browser (usually top-right).

  4. Select “Settings” from the dropdown.

  5. Find the “Pop-up Blocker” option.

  6. Turn OFF the Pop-up Blocker. 

  7. This was the culprit in my case. When enabled, it blocked the on-screen keyboard from appearing!

Once I disabled that setting, the keyboard magically appeared when I clicked the address bar. No more struggling. No extra keyboard needed. Problem solved.

Final Thoughts

Sometimes it’s the tiny settings that can cause the biggest headaches—especially when user manuals are left in the box. If you’re stuck like I was, hope this helps you avoid hours of head scratching.

Got a tech hiccup with your smart TV or gadget? Comment below and share your story—because you’re not alone!