Your TV Screen Is Flickering: How To Fix In Minutes

RobotPoweredHome is reader-supported. When you buy through links on my blog, I may earn an affiliate commission. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

I had gone over to a friend’s place over the weekend since we had both entered an online gaming tournament.

After reaching his place, we set up the Playstation and TV and we started with a few warm-up rounds just to get into the zone before the tournament kicked off.

However, while we were on the third game, we both noticed the TV was constantly flickering. Naturally, we had no idea why it was happening.

We tried turning the TV off and back on, which usually works, but this time it did nothing.

So after a quick call to customer care and checking the internet, we went about trying the easiest methods to fix it while we waited on a response from customer support.

Fortunately, we managed to get it fixed. It was an issue with the HDMI cable we were using, but it made me wonder what other issues could cause your TV screen to flicker.

Your TV screen flickers if your cable connections are loose, cables are damaged or connection ports are damaged. Your TV screen can also flicker due to electrical interference or even room lighting.

I’ll discuss how you can overcome this issue and talk about various settings and components that should be checked to make sure your TV screen stops flickering.

Turn Off your TV and Turn it Back On Again

If your TV screen keeps flickering, a quick fix is to turn it off and back on again.

Sometimes when you turn on a TV, especially on older models, there might be an issue with the refresh rate of the screen adapting to the refresh rate of the content and this can cause the screen to flicker.

Another reason is that not all there is a chance not all LEDs on your screen would have turned on properly.

If it is an LCD panel there might be an issue with one or more layers on the display which can be fixed by turning the TV off and back on.

However, in some cases, if this does not fix the issue then there might be a different cause for concern.

Unplug your TV and Plug it Back In Again

Try unplugging your TV from the power outlet and let it drain for about a minute.

This will ensure your TV drains all its power before you start it up again.

Now, plug it back in and turn on the TV. If the flickering stops, then it might have been a minor power cycle issue that can happen on older TV models.

In some cases, you might need to reset your TV, which you can do by following the guide in your TV’s user manual or if your TV has a reset button, use a paperclip and hold it down for about 15 seconds to reset your TV.

If you own an older model of an LCD or LED TV, you might need to reset your TV every few months if this problem persists.

Check your Cables for a Loose Connection

Another reason for your TV screen flickering can be a loose connection or damaged cables.

Check your ports to make sure everything is connected securely and none of the connection points are damaged or frayed.

You can also check your cables at your local hardware store to see if there is any internal damage to the wiring.

If you need to purchase new cables, make sure you pick up good quality cables as they will be manufactured to a higher standard and will last longer while providing good performance.

Check for Electrical Interference

If you have multiple electronic devices within close proximity to each other, they can cause electrical interference.

This is true for TVs as well and in this case, it can cause screen flickering and distorted images.

You can fix this by disconnecting any devices that are close to your TV and checking them one by one to see which device is causing the interference.

If any of your other devices is causing the issue, it’s best to move them to a different location.

You can also have your local electrician check for issues with electrical interference as they will be able to provide a more long-term resolution.

Inspect the Video Source for Problems

If you are playing a recorded video or live event, and your screen looks like it’s flickering, you should check the video source.

Play the video on your PC or phone and if the flickering continues it’s an issue with the video file itself.

There might be corrupted frames or missing metadata that can cause this issue.

In this case, nothing can be done to remove the flickering as it is embedded in the source file.

Disable Energy Efficiency Feature

Most LCD and LED TVs come with an energy efficiency mode or ‘Green mode’.

This feature optimizes the settings on the TV to use the least amount of electricity.

But sometimes, this can also cause issues, especially in places where your voltage might fluctuate.

Navigate to the ‘Settings’ tab on your TV and look for an option called ‘Energy Saving’ or ‘Power Saving’.

From here, there should be an option called ‘Green mode’, ‘Power Efficiency Mode’, or ‘Power Saving Mode’.

Turn off this feature and switch off your TV. After a minute, turn it back on and the flickering should have stopped.

If it doesn’t, continue reading.

Check your Internet if you’re Streaming Shows Online

If you’re streaming from an online service to your TV you might want to check if your internet connection is strong enough.

Run a speed test to see if your internet speed is good enough over Wi-Fi.

If it isn’t fast, you can try connecting the TV to the router provided your TV supports LAN connection via ethernet.

Sometimes if the network is not fast enough or if the connection is unstable, streaming can get choppy and cause your TV screen to flicker as well as issues like audio being out of sync.

You can either move your router closer to your TV or connect it via ethernet cable which is what I would recommend.

Check your Room Lighting and the Refresh Rate of your TV

Although it might sound silly, your room lighting along with the refresh rate of your TV can make it look like your screen is flickering.

Think of it as being similar to an optical illusion.

If you see your screen flickering in dim lighting, switch on a bright light and see if the flickering continues. If it doesn’t, then it’s an issue with the lighting.

You can rectify this by either using a brighter light or reducing the refresh rate on your TV.

To reduce the refresh rate:

• Open ‘Settings’ on your TV.
• Navigate to ‘Display Settings’ and look for ‘Refresh Rate’.
• Click on it and select the refresh rate you want to use.
• Confirm the changes.

Your TV will now refresh its screen with the new settings.

Most older models only support 50Hz and 60Hz refresh rates, while newer ones support more refresh rates.

If you use a model with more than 2 refresh rate options, switch between them to see which works best for low light and which is best for bright lighting.

Overheating Issue

If your TV is old, then it might also be an issue with overheating.

On LCD TVs, overheating can cause the image to flicker and appear distorted and if not rectified, can lead to complete failure.

For LED TVs, overheating can cause old LED diodes to malfunction and slowly stop functioning, resulting in dead pixels.

Since LEDs rely on individual bulbs, unaffected bulbs will still function.

But on LCD it will eventually spread across the liquid display rendering the screen unusable.

If the issue only starts after a few hours of continued usage you can look at getting the cooling system on the TV service.

If the flickering starts immediately or within a short span of turning the device on, it might be time to look at purchasing a new TV.

Screen Burn-In

Screen burn-in usually doesn’t occur on LED and LCD TVs like on CRTs, but there are similar issues that plague them.

If your LCD has burn-in issues it might be because it was displaying a static image for a long time.

This can cause the image to stay on the screen for a while even after changing what’s on the display.

For LEDs, this same issue can occur which can cause the screen to flicker because of the inconsistency of what is being displayed.

This is known as image persistence on LED and LCD TVs.

You can reduce the frequency of this issue by reducing the brightness that you use your TV at as it’s usually the brightness being too high that causes this problem.

Connectivity Issue in the Internals of your TV

If you are confident with checking the internals of your TV, you can follow the steps below to check if there is any internal damage.

However, if this is something you aren’t comfortable with, then you can get a hardware technician to check the device for you.

To check the TV’s internals, you will first need to identify the screws on the back of the device to remove the back panel.

These will usually be situated in various locations around the back depending on your TV model.

Once you’ve managed to take the back panel off, make sure to brush off any dust or dirt that might have accumulated over time with a microfiber cloth.

Now check all the connection points such as power, HDMI, audio in/out, and any other connections you might use on your TV.

If you see any fraying or damage on the ribbon cables for these components, then you might need to have those parts replaced by an authorized technician.

In most cases, however, it might just be the accumulated dust and dirt that causes connection interruptions and screen flickering.

Your TV’s Power Supply is Dying

As with all electronic devices, your TV also has a power supply unit, and over time it will reach its threshold for directing power to the various components on your TV.

Early signs of power supply failure can include random power cycles, screen flickering, and your TV not powering on at times.

You can have the power supply unit checked out and replaced by a professional, but if you are aware of how to replace a power supply, you can get it done at home.

It’s important to note that some TVs might have proprietary cables and connectors for certain internal components.

So even if you know how to rectify your TV, it would be better to contact a technician to check it out.

Short an LED-TV’s Pins

Another reason why your LED TV flickers might be because the coprocessor on your device is slightly malfunctioning and forcing your TV to turn off the LED backlight.

To fix this, you will need to open up the TV and access the motherboard to shorten the pins on the coprocessor.

Please note, if you are not savvy with these kinds of fixes it’s best to leave it to a professional, as damaging these components will require a very expensive repair if done wrong.

However, if you have good knowledge on how to shorten the pins, then shortening the 2 pins on your TV’s coprocessor should help alleviate the screen flickering issue.

Contact a Professional

If none of the above fixes worked to rectify the issue of your screen flickering, it would be best to contact an authorized technician to take a look at your TV.

This is also recommended when trying to fix newer models of TVs that usually have more complex components within the device.

In most cases, these components are soldered to the motherboard which requires the right tools and knowledge to unsolder the damaged components and resolder the new parts.

Conclusion

Screen flickering has been a part of known TV issues since the time of CRT TV.

By following the fixes and methods mentioned above, you can overcome the screen flickering issue, as these methods have shown results in various use cases.

In some extreme cases, it’s actually better to purchase a new TV as the cost of repairs can be as much as a brand new TV.

Additionally, always make sure you purchase high-quality cables for your TV, as these play a major role in sustaining the longevity of your device.

Moreover, if you are not familiar with how electronics work, it is advised that you don’t meddle with the wiring and the components of the TV.

It is best to hire a professional. 

You May Also Enjoy Reading

• Samsung TV Red Light Blinking: How to Fix in minutes
• TCL TV Not Turning On: How to Fix in minutes
• TCL TV Black Screen: How to Fix in Seconds
• Apple TV Stuck On Airplay Screen: How To Fix

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a flickering screen be fixed?

Flickering screens can be fixed, with the most common fix being to turn your device off and then turn it on again.

There are other methods to get it fixed as mentioned in the article.

Can HDMI cause flickering?

A bad quality or frayed HDMI cable can cause screen flickering. Always make sure to buy high-quality cables for any device you own.

How do you know if your HDMI cable is bad?

If you face issues with video, audio, or a mix of both, then it might be that you have a bad HDMI cable. Try using a different cable to see if it fixes the problem.

Are LED TVs flicker-free?

By nature, LED TVs are constantly flickering at very high rates to create the display on your TV.

However, because they refresh anywhere from 50 to 60 times per second (sometimes more), it is generally imperceivable to the human eye.