Did your Roku TV suddenly go black while you were watching something?
Or, is the screen dark without video when you turn on the LED TV?
Both scenarios can emanate from the same glitch or different problems.
Let’s discuss the reasons why your Roku TV screen is black and the solutions.
Roku TV black screen is usually due to 5 types of problems:
- Power Issues
- Hardware Problems
- Dead Backlight
- Glitches in Software & Settings
- User’s Setup & Personalization
Keep your Roku TV’s user manual handy when you try the troubleshooting steps in this guide.
Go to this support page for TCL Roku TVs and type ‘manual’ in the search bar.
Check the list of user guides for different models, access the relevant one online, or download the file.
1. Power Issues
A smart TV goes black if there’s no power or intermittent connection issues. Check if the LED indicator on your Roku TV is on, off, or blinking/dimming.
The LED indicator blinks or dims when you interact with the TV using the remote or app.
The light will be off when your TV is powered and functioning alright, and you aren’t commanding it to do anything.
A blinking indicator could imply interruptions in the power supply, the internet connection, input or video source, and device pairing.
A slow pulsing blink is usual during startup, powering down to standby, and when an update is in progress.
An ‘on’ status light implies the TV has power. Now, if there’s nothing on display, your Roku TV is either on standby or the screen is black.
How To Fix
Perform these checks to identify the actual problem.
- Ensure the power cable is correctly plugged into the TV and the socket.
- Use a tester to verify there’s power in the particular wall outlet.
- Turn on the Roku using the remote, app, or power button under the TV.
- Remove any power strip or intermediary and plug the cable directly into the wall socket.
If there’s no power in the wall socket, connect the Roku TV with an outlet that works.
Turn on the TV. If the remote doesn’t work, use the power button under the TV to restart.
Unplug the TV from a live outlet. Wait for up to 1 minute. Plug it in and turn it on.
If the TV still doesn’t turn on, the issue could be a faulty power cable or the device itself.
Try a soft or hard reset.
Soft Reset
A soft reset is difficult when you can’t see the menu and settings on your Roku TV. Yet, you can try a tested formula.
The soft reset steps won’t work with a faulty remote. Hence, before you start, press an up or down button and see if the indicator light blinks. If not, replace the batteries.
Note: This solution works only when your Roku TV has power and is on, but the display is dark.
- Press the home button a few times (3 to 5) to ensure you are on the menu homepage.
- Press the up button.
- Double press the rewind button.
- Double press the fast-forward button.
If the soft reset works, you will see the screen come back alive in a couple of minutes.
You can use a synced Roku remote control app to soft reset a powered TV with a black screen
- Option 1 – Restart: Home -> Settings -> System -> System Restart -> Restart (Confirm)
- Option 2 – Reset: Settings -> System -> Advanced System Settings -> Factory Reset
Choose to factory reset everything to fix a black screen. If none of these works, try the hard reset.
Hard Reset
Look for the ‘reset’ button on your Roku TV. Usually, it is a pinhole button at the back, left or right, depending on the model.
- Get a pen or sharp tool and press the pinhole button for 20 to 30 seconds.
- Normally, the Roku TV should turn off and come back on again in a few moments.
- You will get to see the logos on screen.
- Keep the pinhole button pressed till you see some display on the screen.
- Let go of the reset button.
- The Roku TV will now reboot.
The device could take a few minutes to complete the required reset.
If the hard reset doesn’t work, you may have to try the subsequent tests.
Reading recommendation: 7 Reasons Why Your Roku TV Keeps Turning Off by Itself
2. Hardware Problems
Any loosely plugged or faulty cable can cause or facilitate a black screen. The remote control may malfunction or have dead batteries.
You may have faulty HDMI cables, among other input connections.
Roku TV is a smart device running an operating system. The TV may freeze in some cases.
A soft or hard reset should fix the problem if the screen goes black or dark when the device freezes.
Also, an input device or video source, wireless router, or Ethernet cable could be an issue.
Test each of these hardware components to detect the root cause.
How To Fix
A comprehensive diagnosis and stepwise troubleshoot are necessary.
- Check if the power cord is snugly fit into the TV and the wall outlet.
- Ensure the HDMI and other cables are fitted firmly into the TV and respective devices.
- Test the physical remote to verify if it works. Replace the batteries otherwise.
- Otherwise, use the Roku official remote control app for Android or iOS.
- Restart the wireless router. Verify it is working.
- Remove and reinsert the Ethernet cable. Check if you have a live connection.
- Check every input source or device, including the connecting cables and ports.
Replace a faulty power, HDMI, or Ethernet cable.
If your input devices are working fine and pairing with other systems using the same cables and ports, the Roku TV could be the problem.
3. Dead Backlight
All smart TVs have backlights. LED TVs have full-array, edge-lit, or direct-lit backlights, depending on the model.
Your Roku TV screen will be black or very dark if the backlight is dead.
Take the following steps to test your Roku TV backlight:
- Ensure the TV is powered and turned on.
- Draw the blinds or drapes. Turn off the lights in the room.
- Get a flashlight, turn it on, and point it at the Roku TV.
- The flashlight should shine on and brighten the screen.
- Get close to the LED screen and check if you can see anything.
The backlight is dead if you see an immensely dark or low-lit and faint version of what’s on display.
How To Fix
Don’t try to open the Roku TV or toy with the backlight in any way. You’ll void the manufacturer’s warranty.
There’s nothing you can do in this scenario but call for support.
Contact the brand and use the warranty if it still holds. Otherwise, call a trusted technician and get new backlights.
4. Glitches in Software & Settings
Software issues can also render the screen black.
Some user settings may inadvertently cause the same problem.
The common glitches in software and settings are:
- The firmware is obsolete.
- Modes: timer for sleep or wake-up, and power or energy saver.
- Roku’s Fast TV Start feature.
- Source of video or input device.
How To Fix
Try the following troubleshooting steps to fix the glitches in software and settings:
- Update the firmware to its latest version.
- Turn off the timer to disable the sleep or wake-up feature.
- Change the power or energy saver mode.
- Disable or enable the Fast TV Start feature depending on its current status.
- Check if you have selected the appropriate video source or input device.
Ideally, unplug and disconnect all input sources and paired devices at the outset when you have a black screen.
The initial restart or reset should reboot the Roku TV with its default system settings only.
Learn more: How often do smart TVs update their software?
5. User’s Setup & Personalization
You may have paired your Roku TV with multiple devices, from DVD and Blu-Ray players to soundbars, smartphones, tablets, and other WiFi or Bluetooth-enabled systems.
Contemporary Roku TVs have a Private Listening feature that enables you to sync them with your tablet or smartphone to enjoy wireless audio.
Some users opt for screen-mirroring using a compatible device. The screen-mirroring function itself can cause a black screen.
How To Fix
Check for an input source and video output device mismatch in settings. Switch to the default setting of using Roku TV as the input source.
- Press or tap on the home button.
- Go to power.
- Select the ‘power on’ option.
- Choose the home screen as the default.
- Restart the Roku TV.
A successful factory reset in the first set of steps in this guide would disconnect all paired devices.
If you don’t reset the Roku TV with a black screen, use the app to unpair all connected devices.
If screen-mirroring is the main problem, ensure you have selected the appropriate settings.
A Roku TV must detect and accept the device you want to mirror.
- Go to settings on the Roku remote control app.
- Find the system option.
- Select screen mirroring.
- Enable the screen mirroring feature.
- Tap on screen mirroring mode and choose prompt, always allow, or never allow.
- Use the screen mirroring devices option for system-specific permission.
Summary
Factory resets can remedy temporary glitches. Hardware failures demand repair or replacement, such as cables or backlights.
Software issues are relatively easier to fix using the app.
Also, you can conveniently change personalized settings: timer, power saver, an input device or video source, pairing, and mirroring.
Call the manufacturer or an expert technician if all the troubleshooting steps in this guide fail to solve your Roku TV black screen problem.
Check out: 5 Steps To Connect Bluetooth Speakers to a Roku TV (How-To)