Uh-oh! Did your TV screen suddenly turn black?
Don’t worry.
Getting your TV back to normal is easy.
You just have to tweak a few cables and adjust its settings. And you’re good to go!
That being said…
Continue reading to learn:
- 9 possible reasons why your TV screen is black.
- 9 easy and effective ways to fix a black TV screen.
- One way to test if your TV LED backlight is damaged or worn out.
- How to disable the “Picture Off” setting to resolve a black TV screen.
- 3 simple steps to change the TV input to fix a black screen due to signal errors.
- And a lot more…
Why is my TV screen black?
Your TV screen is black due to power-connectivity issues, faulty cable connection, and broken LED backlight. It’ll also turn black if there are connection glitches between the devices and if you’ve set the wrong input source. Software bugs and enabled Picture Off settings can also be the reason.
9 reasons your TV screen is black + how to fix it
#1: TV has no power
If your TV screen is black, and you can’t also hear audio from it…
Check whether its power cord is plugged into a power source. Or if its circuit breaker is tripped.
Note: A circuit breaker is tripped if the switch is positioned right in the middle. And this happens when it detects power surges.
How to fix it:
Suppose the power cord isn’t plugged. Make sure to connect it to a socket.
Also, while you’re at it, check whether the socket is working.
There are 2 ways you can test a power socket either by:
- Plugging another device into the socket.
- Using a multimeter to check its power charge.
“My circuit breaker is tripped.”
You can easily fix it by toggling the switch towards the ON position.
Note: Depending on its orientation, toggle it upwards or sidewards.
Just look for the “ON” label near the switch.
#2: TV is turned off
Some TVs automatically turn ON once you’ve plugged them into a power source.
While others require pressing the POWER button to switch ON the unit.
So, if your TV is plugged in but you can’t get any pictures and audio from it…
Perhaps your device is turned off.
How to fix it:
You can switch ON your TV in 2 ways:
- Tap the POWER button on the TV remote.
- Press the physical POWER button on the device.
- Ask your voice assistant (e.g., Alexa, Siri, Google) to switch ON your TV.
Note: Not all TVs have physical POWER buttons.
So, switching ON your TV using a physical or digital remote is your best method.
#3: Incorrect input source
Did your TV screen turn black after connecting a device to it?
Perhaps a top-up box, gaming console, or soundbar?
If yes, then that’s what’s causing the problem.
Your TV screen will get black unless you set the correct input source on its settings.
How to fix it:
After plugging a device into your TV, adjust the TV input source.
Note: The actual steps vary depending on your TV brand and model. So, I suggest reviewing your product manual.
But here’s the typical way of how to do it:
- Press the SOURCE or INPUT button on the remote.
- Use the navigation arrows to highlight the correct input.
- Press ENTER to select it.
Suppose you don’t have a remote, but your TV has physical control buttons. Tap the SOURCE button to access the input settings.
You might also like: Can I use my smart TV without cable?
#4: Loose cable connection
A loose cable connection can also cause your TV screen to go black.
Why?
When your cable connection is loose…
Your TV will receive inconsistent or insufficient signals to run the content.
Causing its screen to display nothing.
How to fix it:
If you’re connecting a device to your TV…
Make sure that its cable is seated correctly into the TV’s port. Meaning it’s fully and properly plugged into the TV.
Here’s how to know if the cable is properly seated into the port:
- The cable doesn’t feel loose when plugged.
- You can’t easily pull out the cable once inserted.
- The cable doesn’t get disconnected even if you move its other end around.
#5: Damaged HDMI cable
If you don’t experience any problems connecting your device to your TV…
Inspect the HDMI cable you’re using.
The reason:
Similarly, your TV will fail to receive sufficient video signals if the HDMI cable is damaged.
“How would I know if my HDMI cable is damaged?”
Look for these obvious signs of damage:
- Bite marks.
- Burnt or bent plugs.
- Exposed or cut wirings.
Or, if your TV has a self-diagnosis feature, you can run it to test your HDMI cable.
Note: This feature is available on select TV brands, including Samsung and LG.
You can watch this video to learn how to test your HDMI cable on an LG TV:
How to fix it:
If you see obvious signs of damage on your HDMI cable,
Or the HDMI self-diagnosis test reports a “bad” cable…
Replace your HDMI cable immediately.
Get an HDMI 2.0 or HDMI 2.1 cable for better graphics and video quality.
Note: HDMI 2.0 can support 4K content. While HDMI 2.1 can support 8K video resolution.
#6: Faulty TV HDMI port
Is your HDMI cable working flawlessly?
Then perhaps the problem is with the TV HDMI port.
If the port is loose or faulty, your TV will output no content. And so its screen will stay black.
To know whether your TV HDMI port is faulty, try plugging another device into it.
If the TV screen remains black even after changing the input source, consider the port faulty.
How to fix it:
When this happens, you have 2 options:
- Plug your device into the TV’s other HDMI port.
- Ask a technician to repair your TV’s faulty HDMI port.
Note: Most smart TVs have 2 to 4 available HDMI ports.
So, try plugging your device into another available HDMI port. And see if it resolves the problem.
Reading recommendation: Samsung TV Not Recognizing HDMI Input: 11 Fixes
#7: Connection glitches between devices
Sometimes, your TV will display a black screen due to electronic glitches.
Note: An electronic glitch is a minor error in the device’s system. This often occurs due to unknown internal errors.
In the case of TVs…
This can sometimes happen when plugging an external device into the TV.
How to fix it:
While “electronic glitches” sound like a complicated IT term, fixing it is very easy.
You just have to disconnect and reconnect your devices.
To do that:
- Turn off the TV by pressing the POWER button.
- Remove all the HDMI cables from the TV.
- Wait for a few seconds.
- Turn on the TV by pressing the POWER button.
- Re-connect the HDMI cables to the TV’s ports.
- Then, change the TV input source.
#8: Software bugs on the device
Aside from electronic glitches…
Software bugs can also cause your TV screen to turn black.
Note: A software bug is an error or defect in the system. This develops due to human error, usually during software updates.
When your devices have bugs, the video signals can fail to travel from the external device to the TV.
Causing your TV screen to display no video content.
How to fix it:
You can fix software bugs by updating your TV or external device.
But if there’s no update available, reboot your device to remove the bugs.
Note: Do this to both your TV and external device to ensure better results.
Here’s how to do it:
- Ensure that the device is turned ON.
- Unplug its power cord from the socket.
- Wait for at least 30 seconds.
- Replug the cord into the socket.
- Then, switch ON the device.
#9: Enabled “Picture Off” setting
“I can hear audio from the TV, but the screen is black….”
If that’s the case, then the “Picture Off” setting must be enabled on your TV.
Note: Not all TVs have this feature. To check if your device has it, navigate your TV settings. Or check your product manual.
The Picture Off feature allows you to continue playing audio from your TV while the screen is off.
Users usually enable this if they want to use their TVs as a speaker.
How to fix it:
To fix the problem, disable the Picture Off function.
To do that, just press any buttons on your TV remote. Except for the POWER and VOLUME UP and DOWN buttons.
BONUS: Broken or worn out LED backlight
When did you buy your TV?
If it’s more than 5 years old, perhaps the TV LED backlight is worn out.
When that happens, your TV screen will darken and turn black sooner.
Note: LED TVs have an average lifespan of 5 to 10 years. Depending on usage and quality.
Here’s how to check if your TV LED backlight is defective:
Step 1: Switch on the TV by pressing the POWER button.
If the TV indicator light switches colors, it means that the TV is powering ON.
Step 2: Cast a video to your TV.
Connect your phone to the TV, and cast a video from it. You can do this if you have Chromecast. Or if both your devices are Miracast-supported.
Step 3: Grab a flashlight and point it from either side of the TV screen.
Step 4: Look closely at the TV screen.
If you notice movements from the light projection, then the backlight is defective.
How to fix it:
You can fix it by replacing the backlight of your TV.
However, this isn’t a convenient option for many users because:
- Backlight repairs are tricky and expensive.
- Compatible backlight replacements are hard to find.
Given that…
If your TV backlight is damaged, your best solution is to replace your TV unit.
Check out: 9 Easy Ways To Fix Samsung TV Black Screen of Death