This article was reviewed by Jocotra Cathey
and by wikiHow staff writer, Darlene Antonelli, MA
. Jocotra Cathey is a TV Mounting Service Expert and the business owner of TV Mount Charlotte, a professional TV mounting company operating in Charlotte, North Carolina. For the past 18 years, Jocotra's company has offered premier home theater installation services, specializing in home theater design, wiring and installation, projector and screen installation, wire concealing, and more. He has received certifications in Computer Science and Low-Voltage Certification from Central Piedmont Community College.
This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources.
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Is your Samsung TV on but showing a black screen? Fortunately, there are a few simple ways that you can solve this issue. This wikiHow article lists possible fixes for you to use when your Samsung TV has the black screen of death.
Things You Should Know
- Before you try more intensive troubleshooting steps, power cycle your TV and look for any damaged cables.
- Disable sleep timers and Power-Saving Mode in your Samsung TV's settings.
- Try different ports on your TV in case the 1st one is damaged.
Steps
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Reset it to clear the cache on your TV . To correctly power cycle, or reset, your Samsung TV, unplug it from the wall for at least a minute. After the minute has passed and the TV is still unplugged, press and hold the Power button on your TV for another 30 seconds.
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Damaged cables that can be interrupting the signal to your TV. Look for any awkwardly bent, frayed, loose, or wiggly connections for signs of damaged cables. If you can, try replacing any cables that fit this description and see if your TV is still black.
- You may need to disconnect and reconnect cables to make sure they are plugged in properly. [1] X Research source
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A specific port might be damaged and make the black screen. The HDMI 1 port on your TV might be faulty, so try the other HDMI ports .
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Confirm that you're using the correct input. You'll see an "Input" or "Source" button on your remote, and pressing that will switch between all the sources your TV has, like your Xbox/PS, cable box , etc.
- If you're not sure if the remote isn't working , use the physical buttons on the TV for "Input."
- See if any source or input has something other than a black screen.
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A cable, satellite, or streaming box can be the source of the issue. Maybe your TV is just fine, but the input source is malfunctioning. Figure this out by using a different input source with your TV. If a different input source doesn't have a black screen, then you know it's not the TV causing the issue!
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Some content is DRM, which is protected. Streaming services like Disney+ prevent their streaming content like movies and TV shows from being copied by displaying a black screen when there's another screen involved.
- In order to get around this, use alternatives to screen sharing from your laptop, computer, phone, or tablet to your TV. Instead, add Disney+ or similar streamers to your TV and watch your shows that way.
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Current settings might be making the screen appear dark. In this case, you've tried all the previous steps and nothing has worked so far, but you can still reset your Samsung TV to factory settings. However, your TV will be reset, which means that any of your personalized settings like your Wi-Fi name and password, and any user accounts, will be cleared.
- Depending on your model, the menus may look different, but generally, go to Menu > Settings > General/Support > Reset/Self Diagnosis > Reset .
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Screens that aren't OLED-only have a backlight that can fail. These lights make it so everything on your screen is visible, so if they are out, the screen will be black but you'll still be able to hear what's on the TV.
- Check if these are the problem by shining a flashlight over the screen. If you see dimly-lit pictures that aren't from your flashlight, then you can easily isolate the issue to your backlights. If you can't tell if your flashlight is illuminating the TV, turn up the volume and see if the pictures on the screen move depending on the sounds you hear.
- You should only replace these LED strips if you're confident in your abilities to disassemble and reassemble your TV.
- Fixing anything yourself may void the warranty, so check that before you attempt to replace the LED strips or other hardware.
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If you don't see a picture using the flashlight test, there could be something else wrong. Other hardware, like the T-CON board, the power control board, or other major parts can be faulty.
- Most people shouldn't attempt to DIY this. If your TV is out of warranty, your best bet is to take it to a 3rd-party service center. Fixing anything yourself may void the warranty, so check that before you attempt to replace the LED strips or other hardware.
Expert Q&A
Tips
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Thanks
- Alternatively, try some other fixes if you're seeing a picture on your screen but not hearing sound .Thanks
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Expert Interview
Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about solving television problems, check out our in-depth interview with Jocotra Cathey .