Getting half of the original piece…
That’s fun if we’re talking about working hours.
Or the number of pages you need to read.
But when it comes to your Vizio TV’s brightness…
Seeing half of its screen darker isn’t beneficial at all.
So it’s time to fix this.
Continue reading to discover:
- The most common reasons why half of your Vizio TV screen is dark.
- How you can reset your device’s picture settings to solve this problem.
- 7 effortless fixes you can try to make your TV’s brightness return to normal again.
- And much, much more…
Why is half of my Vizio TV screen dark?
Half of your Vizio TV screen is dark because your TV’s processor is stuck. Sometimes this also happens when you’ve changed the TV picture settings too much. And in other cases, this problem is caused by the TV’s malfunctioning Ambient Light Sensor.
Vizio TV half screen darker: 7 fixes
#1: Stream on a different platform
Before you try to change any settings or cables on your TV…
You should try streaming on a different platform.
That’s because the apps and channels on your device can also have brightness issues.
That said, the first fix you should try is to watch on a different platform.
“Do I need to use a specific app/channel?”
No, you don’t.
All that matters is that you try watching on a different platform.
For example, if you’re watching on HBO Max, try to stream on Youtube instead.
And if you’re on a news channel, try to tune in to a sports network for now.
After doing so, check if half of your Vizio TV screen is still darker.
If it is, then it’s safe to assume that your TV or its components are causing this problem.
So you should continue to the next solution.
However, if switching to a different app/channel stopped this issue…
Then instead, you should focus on troubleshooting the platform you were using beforehand.
Pro tip: The easiest way to do this is to contact the app/channel’s support team. Because they can give you effective solutions to stop this problem on their platform.
You might also be interested: 9 Easy Steps To Add Apps To Vizio SmartCast TV
#2: Power cycle your Vizio TV
Your TV’s processor may be stuck in place.
And that’s why half of your Vizio TV’s screen is darker than the other.
See, your device’s processor handles the data displayed on your TV.
So if this doesn’t function properly, or it glitches…
You’ll see some faults in the picture quality of your device. Or half of its screen may turn darker.
Now, I know all of these sound very techy and all.
But rest assured, the process of restarting your TV’s processor is simple.
See, all you need to do is conduct a power cycle, otherwise known as a hard reset.
“What’s that?”
In simple terms, it’s just unplugging your TV from the wall outlet, then plugging it back after.
But of course, there’s a particular way to do this.
So let me show you the…
Specific steps to power cycle your TV:
- Turn your Vizio TV OFF.
- Unplug it from the outlet.
- Press and hold the power button on your TV for 10 seconds.
- Plug your device into its power source again.
- Ensure that your TV’s power cord is connected tightly.
- Turn ON your Vizio device once more.
Now, observe if half of your Vizio’s screen is still darker.
If it is, try this process 1 more time.
And if the problem persists, try out the next solution.
#3: Change your TV’s picture settings
Vizio TVs have various picture modes, namely:
- Vivid.
- Normal.
- Calibrated.
So you can freely pick which of them suits your preferences. Or select the 1 that best enhances the types of shows you enjoy.
On top of those, you can also adjust your screen’s:
- Contrast.
- Backlight.
- Brightness.
So really, you can customize your Vizio TV’s display as you see fit.
However, as fun as it is to change these settings…
It’s also fairly easy to go overboard when customizing them.
And as a result, your Vizio TV’s picture settings start to go all over the place. Thus, half of its screen turns darker in scenarios like this.
But fret not. It’ll only take you less than a minute to…
Reset the picture mode of your Vizio TV:
- With your TV ON, tap Menu on its remote.
- Highlight Picture and press OK on your controller.
- Hover over More.
- Press the Right button on your remote.
- Select Reset Picture Mode.
- Confirm the action by clicking Reset.
- Wait for the process to be completed.
Now, restart your TV and check if half of its screen is still darker.
#4: Turn your TV’s Ambient Light Sensor OFF
Have you noticed that your TV screen is brighter during the day…
And it’s darker when your room has no lights at night?
See, that automatic adjustment is all thanks to your device’s Ambient Light Sensor.
Simply speaking, this feature changes your TV’s brightness depending on your surroundings.
This way, you can easily see your device’s display, regardless of how bright or dark your room is.
However, unfortunately, the sensor used by this feature sometimes glitches. And this causes your TV screen’s brightness to be inconsistent.
That said, now, you should…
Disable the Ambient Light Sensor of your Vizio TV:
- Tap the Menu button on your remote.
- Select Picture.
- Set the Picture Mode to Custom.
- Hover over More and tap the Right arrow on your remote.
- Highlight the Advanced Picture option.
- Tap the Right button on your controller again.
- Select Adaptive Luma and turn this setting OFF.
- Turn OFF the Ambient Light Sensor on this page as well.
Now, restart your TV once more and check if the problem persists.
#5: Check your input’s HDMI cable
Your HDMI cable bridges the input source and your TV.
So it goes without saying that if this middleman is damaged…
The images relayed to your device’s screen won’t be safe either. Specifically, your TV display may either be unrecognizable or have unbalanced brightness. Similar to what you’re seeing now.
That said, simply follow these steps to…
Check if your HDMI cable is faulty:
Step 1: Unplug your TV from the outlet
After doing so, wait for 1 minute, so all its power discharges.
Step 2: Disconnect the HDMI cable from your TV
Note: Don’t wiggle its connector while you unplug it from the port. That’s because this can damage the pins of your HDMI cable.
Step 3: Check if your cord has any visible damage
Place your HDMI cable in a bright area.
And visually check if its body has any:
- Tears.
- Deformation.
- Discoloration.
After that, ensure that the pins on each connector are in their correct positions. Because if some are bent, then it’ll relay low-quality signals to your TV.
Want to know other signs of a faulty HDMI cable? Watch this short video:
That said, if your cable’s body or connector pins are damaged in any way…
You should replace it with a high-quality HDMI cord.
However, if you don’t find any faults on your current cable…
Proceed to the next fix before reconnecting your current input source to your TV.
#6: Change your input source
Your streaming device may be the 1 causing half of your TV screen to be darker.
And the only way to verify or dismiss this possibility is to use a different input source.
Now, if your TV already has other streaming devices connected to it…
Simply switch your device’s input settings to play a different source.
However, if the only streaming gadget connected to your TV is the 1 you’re using now…
Follow these steps to swap out your TV’s input device:
Step 1: Disconnect the input that’s currently connected to your TV
If you followed my advice at the end of the previous fix…
Then you can simply skip this step. Because you’ve already done this.
Step 2: Ensure that an HDMI cable is connected to your TV
However, if you’re planning to connect a device similar to an Amazon Firestick…
Then you don’t need to do so. Because those gadgets are directly plugged into TV ports.
Step 3: Plug your new input source
Connect your new streaming device to the HDMI cable or your TV’s HDMI slot.
Or you may also opt to connect your laptop or phone to your TV instead.
After doing so, turn your TV ON if it isn’t already.
Then, observe if half of its screen is still darker.
Now, if you’ve fixed your TV’s brightness issue, your original streaming device was the problem. So you should focus your attention on troubleshooting it instead.
However, if half of your TV screen is still darker, proceed to the next fix.
You might also want to know: 7 Easy Ways To Change The Input On Vizio TV
#7: Factory reset your TV
Your Vizio device most likely has stubborn problems in its system.
That’s why none of the previous methods have yet fixed your TV’s display.
But don’t worry.
There’s still a solution you can try. And that’s to factory reset your TV.
Or in other words, return your device to its default state.
See this process will:
- Delete your custom settings.
- Remove the glitches and bugs from your Vizio TV.
- Erase all your data and information from this device.
And in most cases, this will also solve your TV’s brightness problem.
That said, here are the steps to…
Factory reset your Vizio TV:
- Tap the Menu button on your TV’s remote.
- Select System from the list.
- Tap Reset & Admin.
- Click Reset TV to Factory Defaults.
- Input your TV’s parental code if needed. (Default is 0000).
- Select Reset again to confirm the action.
- Wait for your TV to restart.
Note: Don’t turn OFF your device while the factory reset process is ongoing.
Bonus: Contact Vizio support
If none of these solutions restored the normal brightness of your TV…
You should contact Vizio’s support team so that their representatives can assist you.
That said, simply head to their Contact Us page. And fill up the required spaces so Vizio support can call you back at your preferred time.
Or, if you want to call them yourself, dial them at 844-254-8087.