3 mistakes everyone makes with Sky Glass

Get the most out of Sky's 4K streaming TV

Sky Glass on a white TV stand
(Image credit: Sky)

The Sky Glass has made quite an impact since its launch late last year, it’s the first truly all in one television set, and it makes streaming TV shows and movies easier than ever before. 

Unlike Sky Q, it does away with the need for a satellite dish completely, relying solely on an internet connection. You can watch live TV, stream on-demand Sky content and access all of your streaming services from one easy to use interface - no extra tech needed! 

While it has had a few teething problems, it’s still one of the best TVs you can buy, and it’s undoubtedly the most efficient TV in the world for streaming. That’s not all it can do though, thanks to a built-in soundbar and extra smart features like voice control, it’s a great package that offers plenty of bang for your buck. 

Whether you’ve already taken the plunge and bought the Sky Glass, or if you’re considering buying one soon, there are a few mistakes you will want to skip over so you can get straight to making the most out of everything it has to offer. 

Sky Glass

(Image credit: Sky)

Not setting it to stream in UHD by default 

Naturally, you'll want to make the most out of the Sky Glass being a 4K TV. As long as your internet speeds are good enough, you'll be able to stream TV shows and movies in stunning Ultra High Definition which will make the world of difference to the viewing experience. 

Surprisingly when you first set up the Sky Glass it is actually set to choose the default streaming format automatically, meaning that the on-screen content will sometimes appear in HD and not in UHD. If you haven’t switched it over to stream in UHD by default then you’re making a big mistake! 

To change this around, just go to ‘settings’ then to ‘picture and sound’, and scroll down to ‘picture’. On the list of options, you’ll see ‘default streaming format’ where you can pick UHD instead of Auto. 

Leaving 'wake using motion' switched on 

Thanks to motion sensors built into the Sky Glass, the TV will automatically switch on when it detects movement during the daytime and evening. While that sounds like a good thing, it actually became really annoying when I was using it and ultimately just wasted energy. I found myself constantly hunting for the remote to turn the TV back off after it saw me and decided to switch itself on. 

Of course, this will only really apply if you wander past the TV a lot or if you go in and out of your living room a few times a day. Anyone who has a separate living space that they only use for cosying up to watch shows in the evening might find it works perfectly. 

To turn this off, you just need to go to ‘settings’ and then scroll down to ‘start up and standby’ where you’ll see the option to turn off ‘wake using motion’. 

Not using it to listen to music 

The combination of a built-in soundbar and Sky Glass’s Audio and Music zone makes this a great entertainment hub as well as a television set. If you haven’t been paying attention then you could really be missing out on some of its best features. 

You can find this zone along the content category bar.  Once you’re in, you’ll be able to access music streaming apps like Spotify, YouTube, BBC Sounds and Amazon Music as well as listen to the radio, watch live concerts, see recommendations for music documentaries or even pick a musical movie. You’ll also be recommended playlists and podcasts from the streaming apps to help you choose what you want to listen to. 

Yasmine Crossland
Freelance Tech Expert

Yasmine is the former Reviews Writer for T3, so she's been knee-deep in the latest tech products for reviewing and curating into the best buying guides since she started in 2019. She keeps a finger on the pulse when it comes to the most exciting and innovative tech and is happy to tell you exactly what she thinks about it too. In her free time, you'll catch her travelling the globe – the perks of being a freelance tech expert – tending to her plants when at home and, but of course, planning her next big trip.