The “Samsung TV black screen of death” is not a myth. Instead, it’s a real issue that many Samsung Smart TV owners face. The problem is simple – their Samsung TVs stay on (with sound), but there are no pictures on the screen. Solving this problem, however, can be very complicated. Why? Because there’s no specific reason behind the Samsung TV dark screen problem.
It can be a simple 5-second glitch. Or, it can be a deep-seated hardware issue. Samsung TV dark screen problems can even arise due to software issues. Irrespective of the reasons, all Samsung TV owners must learn how to fix this dark screen problem. The most obvious step they should take is to unplug their TVs from the power outlets.
If this simple fix (turning the TV off & then on again) doesn’t fix your Samsung TV black screen problem, you’ll have to employ more complicated troubleshooting techniques. Don’t worry. I own a Samsung smart TV & I’ve successfully defeated the “Samsung TV black screen of death” in the past. Here’s everything I learned about fixing this common Samsung TV issue.
Do you have a particular question about fixing Samsung TV black screen of death? Then use the table of contents below to jump to the most relevant section. And you can always go back by clicking on the black arrow in the right bottom corner of the page. Also, please note that some of the links in this article may be affiliate links. For more details, check the Disclosure section at the bottom of the page.
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Why Is My Samsung TV Showing a Black Screen?
All TV screens are susceptible to an occurrence known as “burn-in.” This happens when a static image is shown on the TV screen for a long, continuous period of time. After a while, the static image gets “burnt in” the screen. This phenomenon happens more frequently on the display panels found on Samsung TVs.
So, if your Samsung TV has no picture, it’s probably because its display panel is “burnt in.” However, that’s not the only reason why Samsung TV dark screen problems occur. An internal software or hardware glitch can also cause similar problems. If rebooting the TV doesn’t resolve the problem, try the following fixes.
How to Reset Samsung TV with Black Screen?
The next time your Samsung TV screen goes black but sound still works, try out these basic fixes to resolve the problem:
- Change the input that your Samsung TV is using. Unplug the HDMI cable, DisplayPort, & all other cables from your Samsung TV. Re-plug them after a few minutes to see if the issue still persists.
- A bad power supply could be causing your Samsung TV to not turn on properly. To ensure that’s not the case, check if the TV’s power cord is plugged into a working electric outlet. If not, plug the TV’s power cord into an active & functional power outlet.
- Is your TV remote functional? A malfunctioning remote can accidentally freeze your Samsung TV screen. Replace the old batteries inside the remote with new ones.
If these basic fixes don’t work, contact Samsung & ask them to send a technician to your home to assess your TV’s display panel. If your TV’s display panel is damaged, replacing it with a new one is the only solution. The same applies to damaged mainboards. A bad mainboard can cause your screen to go black for no reason. Again, replacing it is the only solution.
Samsung TV Black Screen Fix
Before you contact Samsung to have your TV’s main board & display panel assessed, try out these troubleshooting techniques. These techniques are slightly more complicated. So, I’ll give a step-by-step guide on each technique:
Deactivate Your TV’s Energy Saving Mode
If your Samsung TV turns on but no picture, check whether you’ve mistakenly activated its energy-saving mode. In this mode, Samsung Smart TVs save energy by limiting their output. As a result, the screen becomes non-functional. To switch off your TV’s energy-saving mode, take the following steps:
- Press the Menu button on your TV remote
- Choose Settings
- Select Energy Saving Mode
- Turn it OFF
Deactivate Your TV’s Sleep Timer
Samsung Smart TVs come with built-in sleep timers. If you mistakenly activate your TV’s sleep timer, it will turn off automatically, despite your wishes. To turn off this feature, take the following steps:
- Press the Menu button on your TV remote
- Select “System Manager”
- Select “Time”
- Select Sleep Timer
- Select the “Off” option
Hopefully, turning off the timer will fix your TV’s black screen issues.
Update Your Samsung TV’s firmware
If the previous fixes don’t work, try updating your Samsung TV’s firmware. You’ll need your smart TV to be connected to an active Wi-Fi connection to download the latest firmware. After establishing the connection, take the following steps:
- Go to your TV’s Settings
- Look for an option titled “Support”
- Find & select an option titled “Software Update”
- Select “Update Now”
Now, your smart TV will automatically check for updates. If any updates are available, the TV will automatically download & install them. But what if your TV isn’t connected to the Internet? Then you’ll have to manually update its firmware using a USB cable. Here’s a video guide from Samsung that explains this process:
Check Your TV’s Input Sources
Just like a malfunctioning power cable or HDMI cable can cause your Samsung TV’s screen to turn black, a malfunctioning TV input source can do the same. An input source is any device connected to your Samsung TV, e.g., a set-top box, an Amazon Fire Stick, or a Roku TV stick. Ensure none of your TV’s input sources are damaged or disconnected.
- Press the Source button on your remote
- On your screen, you’ll see all the possible inputs for your TV
- Check whether all the input settings are correct
If a wrong input is selected, you’ll keep seeing the black screen of death on your screen.
Samsung Smart TV Black Screen Reset
If none of these solutions work, you’ll have to give your Samsung Smart TV a hard reset. To do so, take the following steps:
- Turn off the TV
- Unplug all cables & connections to the TV
- Press and hold the TV’s main power button for 30-45 seconds
- Leave the TV unplugged for 10-15 minutes
- Reconnect the TV & all cables & external devices
- Turn the TV on
If Samsung Smart TV black screen reset doesn’t fix your problem, you’ll have to give your Samsung Smart TV a factory reset. Only try this solution when all other fixes fail:
- Press the menu button on your TV’s remote
- In the Menu, select “Support”
- Navigate to an option titled “Self-Diagnosis”
- Here, you’ll find the factory reset option
- To activate the factory reset process, enter your security PIN; if you don’t know the PIN, try the following default PINS: “1234” or “0000”
- Confirm your decision to factory reset your TV
If the Samsung TV black screen of death issue still persists after the factory reset, then ask Samsung to send a technician to your home. Ask the technician to check your TV’s display panel & main board.
Credits: Thanks for the photo to Canva.
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