Vizio TV Black Screen: How To Fix [2023]

written by

Doug Stevenson

updated September 23, 2023

The screen of death may perhaps be the most critical problem a TV could acquire. And Vizio TVs, just like any other Smart TV, are in no way immune to the black screen of death issue.

Black screen issues can take on different levels of severity, from a simple mixup of input sources to a more severe motherboard issue.

If your Vizio TV's screen turns black, check and ensure the backlight panel of your TV is intact. If so, check the power supply and perform a system reset as a preliminary fix. Check if the audio is intact so as to negate the chance of total system shutdown.

Below, I've compiled a list of troubleshooting steps to adopt if your Vizio TV's screen turns black.

Here's a video walkthrough from us to troubleshoot the Vizio TV black screen issue,

Vizio TV black screen: Troubleshooting Guide

Check the Status of the Backlight Panel on Vizio TV

Backlight panels provide the required illumination for the TV display. If the panel hardware goes haywire, there's no going back; you'll have to replace it to fix this issue.

But how will you know whether the panel is or isn't the culprit?

The answer is pretty simple! Perform a torch light test.

Here's how it's done:

1. First, secure yourself a torch light (you can use the flashlight on your smartphones too)

2. Turn ON the TV and shine the torch on any given part of the display. Make sure to direct the torch up close to the TV panel.

3. Now, check if you can observe fragments of the picture on the TV.

If you can see dull/dimmed glimpses of the display in doing so, you have your confirmation of a broken backlight panel or LED backlight strips. If not, the display unit as a whole is at fault.

Now, replacing a broken backlight panel or the LED backlight strips doesn't come cheap. In fact, it can cost you as much as buying a new TV.

Alternatively, if your Vizio TV still comes under the warranty period, better RMA your broken TV for a new one.

Check the Power Supply and Power Cycle Vizio TV

Power may be the most instrumental aspect of the black screen issue on your Vizio TV.

Precarious connections and dangling cables can interrupt the steady flow of power to the TV, which in turn can lead to the eponymous black screen of death issue.

Ignoring such rudimentary checks can lead to a more detrimental problem like the Vizio TV not staying ON.

Hence, it's imperative to ensure a snug connection.

Apart from loose connections, the condition of the cables also plays a crucial role in communication.

Wear and tear, chaff, cuts, kinks, etc., can all impair the proper signal and power transmission.

If you happen to come across any such debilities on the cables, then waste no time patching them up with electrical tapes but instead replace them with a fresh one.

When shopping for a new cable to replace your old worn-out one, choose the manufacturer-certified cables over third-party alternatives.

Oft times, third-party cables are synonymous with counterfeit ones both in function and quality. Using such products will only exacerbate the issue rather than fix it.

Accessories from reputed third-party resellers can be trusted for the most part, though.

HDMI cables form the crust of most picture-related issues, such as Vizio TV color problems.

Nowadays, most HD and HDR content demand HDMI cables with superior transmission characteristics.

HDMI 2.1 and above cables have become the standard on the market as of right now. Opting for an inferior HDMI cable can have its own associated issues with picture and signal transmission not only with the TV but also the Streaming devices that are connected to the TV.

Power Cycle Vizio TV

Once you've taken care of the cable situation, next, reboot your Vizio TV.

Either from an improper power supply, a tattered power outlet, or a buggy update/software glitch, bugs and errors can take residence in your Vizio TV and cause all sorts of issues in the system from time to time.

The black screen of death issue, being a byproduct of bugs and errors, maybe a mere indication of the things to come in due time.

And so, it's better to nip these malicious files right when they start to take form on your TV.

A power cycle test will do the job for now.

Power cycling your Vizio Smart TV will also deplete the system of any pent-up static charges, which may prove to be crucial in wiping out the bugs, errors, and other associated software glitches.

Think of it as a soft reset kind of thing!

Here's how to do so:

Start the process by unplugging the power cord from the power source, along with all the other cables from the TV.
After about 15 seconds, press and hold the Power button for a couple of seconds. Repeat this step a few times.
Then, plug back in the power cable into the TV and the power source, and press the power button to power ON the TV. Check for the issue now.

Power cycling can also do wonders for your TV, especially when dealing with issues like Vizio TV freezing at random.

Check the Audio Situation on Vizio TV

Black screen issues can arise as an indication of quite a few scenarios, maybe the issue is with the display, or it could come about only when dealing with a particular source.

But none of these issues could possibly overcome the severity of a total system failure. If that's the case, I'm afraid the only possible fix is to replace the TV.

Before we come to such drastic measures, we'll have to confirm the said scenario. And the best way to do so is to check the audio situation on your Vizio Smart TV.

If the audio is intact, then for sure, the issue is with the display alone.

Now, you can check the status of the Vizio TV audio in several different ways.

For starters, check if the startup audio comes on when you power on the Vizio TV.

You could also switch the input to a cable or an Antenna TV source and see if the audio is playing as intended. (Accessed by pressing the Source button)

Likewise, check if the menu navigation tones are playing when using the Vizio Remote.

Vizio TVs also feature a Mute Screen feature that turns off the display when playing music or an audio file on music streaming platforms like Spotify.

While not being the best of audio settings on a Vizio TV, this feature can also render your Television screen black when enabled.

To check and turn OFF/ON this feature, press and hold the Mute button for about 3-5 seconds while playing music.

Disable Sleep Timer on Vizio TV

Yet another feature that could put the display to sleep is the Sleep Timer on Vizio TV.

When you enable a sleep timer, the TV will automatically shut down after the set period.

The shutdown isn't hindered by the activity of the TV, a.k.a it can happen even when the TV is running.

And so, if your Vizio TV happens to transition to a black screen while making use of it, you needn't look elsewhere but the Sleep timer setting.

To access the said feature on your Vizio TV, follow these steps:

1. Open the Menu tab of your Vizio TV.

2. Select the Timers option.

3. Click on the Sleep Timer option and toggle OFF any active timers.

Exit the menu tab and restart the TV.

Within the Sleep timer tab, you can find a range of time periods. The periods range from 30 minutes all the way up to 180 mins.

Once you select your desired choice, the TV will automatically shut down after the set time period.

Factory Reset Vizio TV

A factory reset maybe the best option left for you to try out when met with an issue of proportional severity as the one at hand.

With a factory reset, you get to start all over, once again.

Factory resetting the Vizio TV will cause the device to reset all the system preferences to its factory defaults.

Also, all your personal preferences and downloaded data, too, get wiped out, including the settings you have made for gaming on Vizio TV.

Now, you can reset your Vizio TV in a few ways. Let's start with the good-old method.

With Vizio SmartCast TVs, you can initiate a factory reset through the onboard TV buttons.

Pres and hold the Input and the Volume down button together until a pop-up message appears on the TV.

Follow the instructions mentioned in the message and hold down the Input button to initiate a factory reset.

You could also factory reset your Vizio TV through the system interface. Follow these steps to do so:

1. From the Menu tab, select the System option.

2. Select Reset TV to Factory Settings.

Then enter the Parental control code if prompted (default code: 0000).

3. Click on Reset TV to initiate the reset.

Give it a few minutes to complete. Proceed to reconfigure your Vizio TV after the reset is complete. Check for the issue now.

Final Thoughts

The black screen of death issue can also arise on your Vizio TV due to a broken T-CON board or the power board. The T-CON board controls various aspects of the power and the display.

If none of the fixes mentioned here seems to fix the issue, then better enlist the services of a professional and have your Vizio TV checked for a damaged T-CON board, the power board, or any loose internal wire connections.

Who knows, you may even get lucky and could get away with a blown-up fuse.

Aleatory talks aside, you may also contact the customer services of Vizio for further assistance, especially when dealing with hardware issues.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How do you fix VIZIO TV that turns on but the screen is black?

If you can't see the image on your TV, first, check the condition of the cables connected to the TV. Then, perform a routine power cycle test. If the issue still persists, try factory resetting the TV. Worst case scenario - damaged backlight panel, the T-CON board, or the power supply board. If that's the case, contact the customer services of Vizio or a repair professional.

Do VIZIO TVs have a reset button?

Older Vizio TV models do feature a physical Reset button. On newer SmartCast TVs, press the Input and the Volume Down buttons together until a message pops up on display. Then, hold down the Input button alone to initiate a reset.

Why won't my Vizio TV screen turn on?

If your Vizio TV won't turn ON, first, check the status of the power supply and the wall outlet. Slack cable connections and damaged power outlets can hinder the proper supply of power to the TV. If the power supply isn't an issue, then consider the chances of damage to an internal power board element or due to backlight issues. Contact a repair professional or the official Vizio customer service for further assistance. Outdated firmware versions can also trigger such issues.

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Doug Stevenson

Hey! I'm Doug, My passion for tech started by fixing phones and computers for my friends and family.

I started Blinqblinq to give reliable tech advice to anyone who needs it, for free! If you have questions on anything tech-related, feel free to contact me.

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