How to Fix a TV's Most Common Problems GA S REGULAR Menu Lifewire Tech for Humans Newsletter! Search Close GO Home Theater & Entertainment > TV & Displays

How to Fix a TV's Most Common Problems

Solve issues with the screen, settings, and more

By Matthew S. Smith Matthew S. Smith Writer Beloit College Matthew S. Smith has been writing about consumer tech since 2007. Formerly the Lead Editor at Digital Trends, he's also written for PC Mag, TechHive, and others. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on February 16, 2022 Reviewed by Jon Fisher Reviewed by Jon Fisher Wichita Technical Institute Jonathan Fisher is a CompTIA certified technologist with more than 6 years' experience writing for publications like TechNorms and Help Desk Geek. lifewire's editorial guidelines Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email TV & Displays Samsung Projectors Antennas HDMI & Connections Remote Controls At a glance, a TV seems simple. However, modern TVs are complex devices with a wide range of features and settings that can be problematic. This article will teach you how to fix a TV suffering common issues. This guide refers to many TV settings in general terms. Your TV may refer to these settings by a different name. We recommend you have the TV manual available for reference.

The Cause of Common TV Problems

A TV can malfunction or appear to malfunction for many reasons, but we can place most problems into a few categories. Brightness: The TV is too dark.Color: The TV's color is unappealing.Aspect ratio: The TV's image looks squashed or stretched.Motion: The TV's motion is too smooth or stutters.Hardware defect: The TV won't turn on or is physically damaged. You can fix the first four issues by changing TV settings. Hardware defects and physical damage, however, will require professional repair.

How to Fix a TV With a Dark Image

A TV with a dark image can be, at best, difficult if not impossible to watch. It may not be bright enough to see in a lit room or fail to show detail in dark content. Here's how to fix a TV with a dark image. Turn off the TV's energy-saving features. Look for Energy Star, Eco, Green, or something similar. Energy-saving features limit a TV's brightness. Turn off the TV's Ambient Light Sensor if it has one. An ambient light sensor will limit a TV's brightness depending on how well lit a room is. Increase the TV's Brightness. Most TVs ship with a default brightness setting much lower than the maximum brightness possible. Change the TV's contrast value to be at the middle of the range of settings available. A contrast setting that's too high can be unattractive, so we recommend keeping value towards the middle of the range available. Change the TV's gamma setting. Gamma settings are often expressed as numbers. A lower number will provide a brighter image. Factory reset your TV. A factory reset will erase any settings you have saved to the TV.

How to Fix a TV With Color Issues

Most TVs offer a wide variety of color settings that significantly change how the TV looks. Adjusting these settings may fix unusual color issues and help you customize the TV to match your preferences. Change the television's picture mode. Most TVs label this as Picture Mode or Display Mode. Flip between modes to see if the color is more to your liking. Change the TV's color temperature. Flip through the available settings until you find a color temperature to your liking. Change the TV's color gamut. Flip through the available gamut to find one that is to your liking. Factory reset your TV.
A factory reset will erase any settings you have saved to the TV. Why Does My TV Look Blue?

How to Fix a TV With a Squashed or Stretched Image

Nearly all modern TVs have a 16:9 widescreen aspect ratio, and most content is made with this in mind. However, you may see squashed or stretched content when connecting devices designed for older displays. Change the TV's aspect ratio mode. One should typically view content formatted for a 16:9 TV in a Widescreen or Wide picture size mode. However, if you're viewing older 4:3 content, look for a 4:3 Aspect Ratio or Normal picture size setting. It will display the content with black bars on either side, which is the correct way to view 4:3 content on a 16:9 widescreen TV.
Change the aspect ratio of the input device connected to your TV. DVD players, Blu-Ray players, game consoles, streaming sticks, and other devices connected to your TV often have an aspect ratio setting. It should default to a setting appropriate to your TV, but, in rare cases, you will need to set it manually.

How to Fix a TV With Motion Issues

A modern TV displays various content with different frame rates and uses an onboard processor to smooth motion. Not everyone likes the results, however. In general, you should turn off a TV's motion clarity setting if the TV's image appears too smooth. Select a less aggressive motion clarity settings if you see halos, blocks, or other issues around fast-moving objects. Increase the motion clarity setting if you think the image stutters or has a low frame rate.

How to Fix a TV That Won' t Turn On

Try replacing the batteries in the remote and make sure the TV is plugged in. Otherwise, a TV that does not turn on when you press the power button likely has a defect that needs repair.

How to Fix a TV With a Cracked Screen or Other Damage

A TV with a cracked screen (or other physical damage) will need to be repaired by a professional. Like older CRT televisions, modern flat-screen TVs are not designed for owners to fix. A cracked screen repair is likely expensive if it's not under warranty. The screen is the most costly component of a modern TV. FAQ How do I fix a TV with no picture but that still has sound? If you have a blank screen but can hear the sound, the power supply board may have a fault. Connect your TV to an alternative power source and see if this solves the problem. You could also be experiencing a backlight error or a damaged TV panel. Check that all connection cables are correctly in place and that your sleep timer isn't activated. How do I fix a flickering TV screen? To fix a glitchy TV screen that's flickering, Try turning the TV on and off, check that all connection cables are in place, and try disabling any energy-efficiency features. You can also try unplugging the TV, waiting five minutes, and plugging it back in. Also, change the input source to test if the problem is with the TV or a component. How do I fix a TV with lines on the screen? To get rid of stripes on your TV screen, try turning the TV on and off, check that the video cables are properly secured, and make sure your TV's OS is updated. You can also try refreshing the OLED screen. If none of these solutions work, reset your TV to factory settings and see if this solves the issue. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire How to Fix Surface Pro Screen Shaking and Flickering How to Fix It When a Second Monitor Is Not Working How to Fix Overscan in Windows 10 to Fit to Screen How to Fix It When a Fire Stick Is Not Loading YouTube Codes: How to Fix Common Video Problems How to Fix a Cracked Phone Screen Why Does My TV Look Blue? How to Fix Screen Burn on Any Screen How to Fix a TV That Turns on By Itself How to Fix the Green Line on an Android Phone How to Fix It When a Laptop Microphone is Not Working How to Fix a TV Screen With Lines The Best Picture Settings for Samsung 4K TV How to Fix a Vizio TV That Won't Connect to Wi-Fi How to Fix Vizio TV Black Screen of Death How to Buy a TV in 2022 Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies