Is your Vizio SmartCast not working? Don’t worry. It’s a common problem that several Vizio smart TV owners have complained about. To understand why your Vizio TV’s SmartCast is not working, you need to understand what SmartCast is & how it impacts your TV viewing experience. Let’s explore.
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What is SmartCast?
SmartCast is in-built app platform. It is similar to Chromecast or Amazon Firestick. In fact, if you’re facing the issue of Vizio Chromecast not working, the SmartCast-related solutions mentioned in this article will be of help to you. Like Chromecast or Amazon Firestick, SmartCast provides users access to thousands of streaming apps (Netflix, Hulu, etc.).
SmartCast also features smart speaker settings. So, users can voice-control their TVs via the SmartCast menu. However, not all Vizio Smart TV owners wanted to use these “smart” features. So, Vizio made SmartCast optional. For years, Vizio TV owners were allowed to ignore the SmartCast software on their TVs.
Turning on these TVs would always take them directly to their last input. Here, they could use separate streaming players, gaming consoles, or cable boxes without using the SmartCast software menu. In short, in the past, Vizio smart TV owners were allowed to use their devices as traditional, old-school TVs.
Unfortunately, all of that changed in 2021. Since 2021, a wide-scale firmware update has made SmartCast the default input for all Vizio smart TVs. Unfortunately, that means whenever you turn on a Vizio Smart TV, it will take you to the SmartCast menu. That’s why Vizio SmartCast not loading is a very frustrating problem.
If SmartCast is not working on a Vizio TV, nothing will. Hence, fixing the Vizio TV SmartCast not working issue is an obligation for Vizio smart TV owners. Don’t worry – our experts have assessed this problem in great detail. We’ve listed all possible solutions to this issue. Keep reading to find out more!
Why is SmartCast Not Working on My Vizio TV?
Your Vizio SmartCast not working could be down to a software glitch inside the smart TV. For instance, if the firmware on your TV’s core operating system freezes, the SmartCast menu won’t work. Or, it can be caused due to network settings issues. Finally, in some rare cases, Vizio SmartCast TVs may have underlying hardware problems hindering their operations.
Common Vizio Smartcast Problems
Vizio SmartCast TVs go blank for a variety of reasons. As stated before, several users have faced a variety of problems with Vizio SmartCast. They include:
- Vizio smart TV is switched on, but the screen is black.
- Vizio smart TV screen keeps blinking.
- Vizio remote control doesn’t work.
- Vizio smart TV doesn’t Connect to Wi-Fi.
In addition to Vizio SmartCast not working, these are some other common problems owners of Vizio SmartCast TV models face.
Is Vizio Smartcast Down?
There have been times when my SmartCast app won’t connect – not because of issues with my TV or Wi-Fi. Sometimes, Vizio’s own server may be down. Here’s a helpful video from Vizio explaining this phenomenon. Several other Vizio TV owners have also claimed that their SmartCast menus are down due to issues with Vizio’s servers.
If your Vizio SmartCast is not working because of company-side issues, call Vizio support at 1-(844)-254-8087. Call on a weekday, any time between 8 AM to 11 PM. Ask Vizio’s customer support experts about any server issues the company may be facing. But, if there’s nothing wrong with the company’s servers, you’ll have to troubleshoot the problem.
Vizio SmartCast Troubleshooting Techniques
If your Vizio SmartCast TV is not available, check whether you have a functioning internet connection. If yes, verify that your TV is working properly in terms of hardware. Then, try out the following troubleshooting techniques:
Power Cycle Your TV
Press the menu button on your TV remote and select the option that says “System.” Then, select the option that says “Reset & Admin.” Now, select the option that says “Soft Power Cycle.” This step will eliminate any software glitches that your TV could be facing. But you won’t lose any saved data (except for temporary configurations).
While your TV is off, power cycle your router as well. Turn it off & disconnect its plug from the power outlet. Then, turn both devices on & reconnect them. Check whether the Vizio SmartCast connection failure still exists.
Refresh the DHCP Settings of Your Network
Change the DHCP settings of your network by:
- Turn off your smart TV
- Launch your browser
- Open your router’s URL
- Enter your username/password for your router
- Open your router’s settings menu
- Search for the “DHCP section” in the menu. You can find it in the “Local Network Settings” tab, the “Advanced” tab, or the “Network” tab.
- Once you find the DHCP section, enable your router’s DHCP. If it was enabled before, disable & re-enable it.
- Save your settings
- Exit the setup
Now, turn on your Vizio TV and check whether the “Vizio SmartCast home not available” notification is still showing. In most cases, Vizio SmartCast app connection failures are caused because of the incorrect DHCP settings of your network. This step will fix that connection issue & get the DHCP to work again. Once that happens, the SmartCast menu should load normally.
Check the Connection with Another Network
Sometimes, my SmartCast app won’t connect to my home’s Wi-Fi. But it will connect to another network & work perfectly. Connect your Vizio TV with another network to check whether your Wi-Fi network is at fault. If your SmartCast TV is working fine on another connection, contact your ISP & tell them about this issue.
Update your TV’s firmware
Turn on your TV. Press “Menu” on your remote. Scroll down & select the option “System”. Here, you’ll see an option that says “Check for Updates.” Select it to make your TV search for available firmware updates. Your TV will auto-install any pending firmware updates after this.
How to Reset Vizio Smartcast TV?
If these four solutions don’t work, the last option is to give your Visio SmartCast TV a hard, factory reset:
- Use the TV remote & click on the ‘Menu’ button
- Select System
- Open the “Reset and Admin” menu
- Select the option that says “Reset TV to Factory Settings”
Once your TV is given a factory reset, it will restart within 3-5 minutes. All preconfigured Vizio SmartCast settings will be deleted. Reestablish all of your previous settings. Then, reconnect the TV to your router to see if your Vizio’s SmartCast is working properly. Hopefully, you won’t have to factory reset your TV. But it’s the last solution when all other solutions fail.
Credits: Thanks for the photo to Canva.
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