Philips Google TV 'Couldn't Sign In' — How to Fix It

What it means

'Couldn't sign in' (or 'Can't sign in to your Google account — check your network connection and try again') on a Philips Android/Google TV means the TV reached the sign-in screen but Google rejected the attempt.
The usual culprits are the TV's clock being wrong, a flaky internet connection, two-step verification not being completed, a mistyped password, or — increasingly — your account simply needing the newer phone-based sign-in instead of typing a password on the TV.
Until you're signed in, the Play Store and Google apps won't work, though other inputs still do.

Affected Models

Philips Android TV models (OLED, The One, PUS8xxx, PUS7xxx)
Philips Google TV models
Philips Ambilight TVs on the Android/Google TV platform
Note: older Philips Saphi-platform TVs don't use a Google account

Common Causes

TV's date and time wrong (a clock that's off breaks the secure connection to Google)
Weak or dropping internet connection during sign-in
Two-step verification prompt not approved on your phone
Password mistyped on the TV's on-screen keyboard
Account needs the 'sign in with your phone' / browser method, not an on-TV password
App passwords / older sign-in disabled on the account
Outdated TV firmware, or a glitch a reboot clears
Too many devices signed in, or a security hold on the Google account

How to Fix It

Fix the TV's date and time.

Go to Settings > System > Date & time and turn on 'Use network-provided time' (or set it correctly by hand).
A wrong clock is the classic, easily-missed cause — Google's servers refuse a secure handshake if the TV thinks it's the wrong day.
Reboot the TV afterward and try signing in again.
Check the internet, then reboot.

Make sure the TV's network shows connected with a decent signal (Settings > Network); test with another device.
Reboot your router (off 30 seconds, on) and unplug the TV for a minute.
A wired Ethernet connection makes sign-in far more reliable than weak Wi-Fi.
Use the phone / browser sign-in method.

If the TV offers 'Use your phone or computer to sign in' (showing a short code and a URL like g.co/AndroidTV or a QR code), use that instead of typing your password on the TV.
It's quicker, it handles two-step verification properly on your phone, and it sidesteps most on-TV sign-in failures.
Approve any two-step prompt and re-check the password.

If you do type the password on the TV, watch for the on-screen keyboard auto-capitalising the first letter, and have your phone handy — Google will push a 'Yes, it's me' prompt you must approve within a minute.
If you use a security key or your password manager, the phone/browser method above is easier.
Update the TV, or factory reset if needed.

Install any available system update (Settings > Update Software / System update) — sign-in bugs get patched.
If sign-in still fails on a fully-updated TV with the right time and a solid connection, a factory reset (Settings > Reset) and a fresh setup using the phone method usually does it.
If even that fails — and the same Google account signs in fine on other devices — contact Philips support.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my Philips TV keep saying it can't sign in to Google when my password is correct?

The most common hidden reason is the TV's clock being wrong — fix the date and time (turn on network-provided time) and try again.
After that it's usually the network: weak Wi-Fi or a router that needs a reboot.
And many Google accounts now expect the 'sign in with your phone' method rather than a typed password on a TV, especially with two-step verification on — if the TV shows a code and a URL or QR to scan, use that route; it works when the on-TV password screen won't.