Noticing this on your TV when you are trying to watch your favorite is definitely not something anyone wants to see or deal with. Luckily, if you find ways to fix your Vizio TV with lines on its screen, you have come to the right place. There are various causes and fixes to this problem, so go ahead and follow the steps.

What Causes Lines on a Vizio TV?

1. Loose or Damaged HDMI Cable

There are several reasons why the appearance of horizontal lines could be shown on your Vizio TV screen. One of the most common reasons for why this could be an input cable connectivity problem. What does this mean? Most TVs require some sort of input into the TV in order to connect to a computer or a streaming software device. In order to be able to connect to a device such as those mentioned, you will need to use an HDMI cable to get the devices connected to each other. This input connection issue is a fairly common problem and can easily be resolved by checking the input HDMI cable connection. Follow the next steps in order to check if the issue lies within a loose or damaged HDMI cable connection to your TV.

  1. Check the input cable connection. You will want to go ahead and check that the input cable is first all connected to the correct input port. TVs come with multiple input ports for HDMI cables. Ensure your HDMI cable is connected to the same HDMI port you have designated on your TV settings. This way, there will be a connection, and everything will be set up as indicated.
  2. If the issue continues, you will want to reconnect the input cable to the correct input HDMI port to which you have designated the connection.
  3. Once this has been done and the issue remains, you will want to try another input port. Try connecting to another device to the input port to rule out the input port being the cause of the issue. If you have ruled out that the input port is not the issue, you will most likely find that the issue is actually the HDMI cable you are using. Many times, especially if they have been used longer than recommended, the HDMI cable can become loose or damaged. Because of this, the cable will not be able to provide a connection between the TV and the device you are trying to connect. When there is a connectivity issue, you will notice that the image is not clear and can end up showing lines on your TV screen. This is an easy fix and something that can be confirmed by simply switching over the HDMI cable to one that you know is not broken or a completely new one. Follow the next steps to test out another HDMI cable.
  4. Once you have gotten a new HDMI cable that you know will work, go ahead and try plugging the new HDMI cable into your TV’s designated input.
  5. Go to your TV settings, choose your designated input, and then plug in the HDMI cable to that same input port.
  6. Try turning your TV on and off.
  7. Once the TV is back on, make sure to check the input port and see if the lines on the TV screen are still an issue.

2. Software Problem

Many times the issue when a TV is showing any sort of lines on its screen or is having issues with visibility, the real problem has to do with the TV’s software. Perhaps the software has not been updated and runs on old software that still has bugs. The following steps will allow you to ensure any software problems are fixed and potentially fix your issue with seeing lines on your TV screen.

Fix – Verify the Lines are Permanent or Moving

One of the first things that need to be verified is how the lines on the TV screen are portrayed. This is important because you need to be able to see if the lines are something that can be seen as permanent or if they are moving in any way.

  1. Go ahead and verify this by turning on your TV.
  2. After you make sure that your HDMI cable and ports are working as they should be, pay close attention to how the lines on your TV are displayed.
  3. If the lines are moving in any sort of way, such as blinking or moving sideways, take note of this.
  4. If the lines are moving, the issue that is causing this has to do with your TV’s software and an issue within.
  5. If the lines on the screen of your TV are completely permanent, then the issue has to do with your screen’s pixels and actual screen and not its software.

Fix 2 – Restart TV

Once you have verified whether the lines on your TV are permanent or if they are moving, then you will want to go ahead and proceed with the next step. The next step in moving forward to fix your issue is trying to restart your Vizio TV. Users have two options for resetting their Vizio TV: a soft reset and a hard reset. You do have to keep in mind that a soft reset and a hard reset are two different processes and both processes do different things to your TV. By restarting the TV, you will perform a soft reset. This soft reset will involve putting the TV through a power cycle and will then reset the TV back to its fully-functioning state prior to any issues you were having. You will also want to keep in mind that resetting a TV is a safe and effective way to resolve the problems that you may have and is usually the first troubleshooting suggestion that any Vizio technical support member will ask for the user to perform. This is an easy and effective process.

  1. In order to start off the reset of the TV, you will want to go ahead and switch off your Vizio TV for a few minutes before you turn it back on. This is called power cycling. Doing this soft reset will clear your TV’s customized settings, remove any residue charge and restart the TV without the user losing any personal information.
  2. You will want to unplug the TV’s power cord from its outlet.
  3. From there, you will want to hold the power button on the TV for 3 to 5 seconds, and once this time is up, release the button.
  4. Reconnect the power cord to a power outlet and then turn the TV back on.
  5. Some Vizio models allow you to also go through this soft reset process through your menu options within your TV settings. Press the Menu button on your TV remote control or use the side buttons and find the one designated to the TV menu.
  6. Once you are on the Menu screen, you will want to find the option that says System. Follow this by choosing the option that says Reset & Admin.
  7. When you are here you will be able to choose the option that says Soft Power Cycle.
  8. Once you go ahead and choose this option, your TV will turn off and will start the restart process on its own. The TV will also turn back on, and the TV will have gone through a soft reset.
  9. Check to see if the TV has any horizontal lines that are remaining have gone away. If they have, then your issue with the lines appearing on your screen has been resolved.

3. Problem With Settings

Fix – Factory Reset TV

A hard reset is a more in-depth troubleshooting solution. Like the soft reset, it will require you to turn your TV off and back on. Performing a factory reset on your TV will also involve wiping the system memory, resetting firmware, and restoring your smart TV to its factory state. Before performing a hard reset, you should first try a soft reset on your device to see if it helps first. If you end up needing to do a hard reset, there are two known methods of doing so. When hard resetting your Vizio smart TV, you’ll need to have your remote control handy to be able to do it successfully. To hard reset, try following these steps.

  1. Disconnect your wireless network from your TV.
  2. Press the Menu key on your remote.
  3. Scroll to System on the menu and select Ok.
  4. Choose Reset & Admin and click on Ok.
  5. Scroll down and select Reset TV to Factory State and press Ok.
  6. Input your parental lock code. For most Vizio smart TVs, the default parental lock code is 0000.
  7. Select Reset and then press Ok.
  8. Wait until your TV shuts down. Your TV will reboot, clear its previous configurations and settings, and display a new setup screen.
  9. Connect your router, follow the setup process, and reconnect to your Wi-Fi network. While this method may not work on older versions of the Vizio smart TV, it will work on all recent versions of the TV. If your Vizio TV doesn’t reset using the first method, you may have to try the following method.
  10. Switch off your TV but leave it plugged in the power outlet.
  11. Hold down both the CH+ and the CH- button on your TV remote.
  12. Press the Power button at the top of the remote for about 5 seconds before releasing it. Release the CH+ and CH- buttons at once.
  13. Select the Menu button on your remote. Your TV screen will boot on and display its menu. You will notice an F icon at the bottom-right corner of the screen, signaling that it is a factory setup screen. You will notice an F icon at the bottom-right corner of the screen, signaling that it is a factory setup screen. Your TV should display a Service menu. From there, you should be able to navigate your way through the factory reset options.

Fix 2 – Wait For Problem to Go Away

If none of these solutions are fixing your issues, then perhaps it is a temporary issue that will eventually go away on its own. Make sure to fully follow the processes mentioned above to rule them out as issues before you wait for the problem to go away on its own. If you believe you have tried everything regarding the software of your TV and played around with its settings, go ahead and wait for the problem to go away. Many times these issues can be caused by faulty cables or connections. Move around your cables and connections to make sure that everything is in place.

3. Hardware

Fix – Taking Back Off Your TV and Reset the Internal Connections

If the TV screen problem persists even after updating to the latest firmware, it may be a hardware issue with the TV itself. Your option to fix this will involve taking the back off your TV and resetting the internal connections. This will remove any settings that might have been updated on your TV, so you’ll have to do it before you make any changes to your TV. This can be done quickly in the settings, and it will usually run a season scan to ensure that your TV is back in working order.

  1. Start off the process by heading over to your TV’s settings.
  2. Once you are in your Settings menu, look for an option to change the Device Preferences.
  3. Within Device Preferences, scroll down to the bottom and click on Reset.
  4. Click on the Reset option and confirm your choice by clicking the OK button on your remote.
  5. Once this is confirmed, your TV will now reboot and reset itself. This process of rebooting and resetting the TV completely wipes all your internal storage, including your files, documents, and apps.
  6. It might be necessary to perform a hard reset on your if your TV is not rebooting or shows errors like data corruption.
  7. In order to perform a hard reset on the TV, simply turn off the TV and switch off the power. This can also be done by completely unplugging the cord from the power supply.
  8. Plug the TV cord into the power supply and turn the TV back on.
  9. Once this process is done, you will want to connect the power cord to a power outlet and turn the switch on. Follow this by pressing and holding the power button on your Sony TV and switching on the power supply.
  10. After this, make sure you press and hold the button for 30 seconds until you see the Recovery Mode. The TV logo will also appear. Once this happens and you notice this on the screen, let go of the buttons.
  11. Once your TV is in recovery mode, use the up and down buttons on your remote control to choose the Wipe data/factory reset option on the screen. Press the OK button in order to confirm this process.
  12. Once this process is complete, select Reboot System Now in order to finish the rebooting system process.

Fix 2 – Repair Screen

If you notice that the previous methods used to troubleshoot are not fixing the issue causing the lines on your TV, the TV’s warranty often covers a defect in the display, such as lines on the screen. However, please note that Vizio will only take care of any repairs if you have a warranty that is still valid and that will be covering the kind of issues that are causing the lines on your TV’s display. This does not mean that you should not proceed with repairing your screen if you are not having luck with the previous troubleshooting methods. You should consider that if you have a warranty, making any repairs outside of Vizio’s knowledge or consideration fully voids any existing warranties. It should also be noted that repairs on TVs, specifically smart TVs, can range in repairs costing hundreds of dollars. This is important to keep in mind because it might be more cost-effective to purchase a new TV instead of having your old one repaired. You can take various options to get your TV repaired, so make sure you use a certified technician to proceed with such repairs.

Fix 3 – Contact Vizio

Sometimes the best way to resolve your issues with your TV is to directly contact Vizio and make sure they can help you in the best way they can regarding your issue. The following information may be required to help you move through the process. You may need a clear photo or scan of your purchase receipt. If the issue is related to the picture or screen, photos of the issue will be required. Requesting service is not a guaranteed service will be performed. A technician will review your request before approval and contact you if additional information is needed before a scheduled service event.

3. Main Board Issue

Fix 2 – Update Samsung TV Firmware

Believe it or not, a whole lot can go wrong if you don’t update your firmware—regardless of the device—especially if you don’t do so for an extended period and your device falls behind by several firmware updates. You can check and update your Samsung TV Operating System through the Menu. Follow the next steps in order to go ahead and update the Samsung TV firmware.

  1. Press the Menu button on your remote.
  2. Select Support > Software Update on the screen.
  3. Select Software Update and hit Enter/Ok to start the update process.
  4. You’ll see the current firmware on the screen when you’re going through the update. It will likely be just a bunch of numbers to you without knowing what your current firmware is supposed to be.
  5. If the systems go ahead and update, that means that your Samsung operating system wasn’t up to date.
  6. If it doesn’t update, your TV will likely inform you on the screen that your system is up to date. There’s more than one way to update your Samsung TV and know what the current firmware on your specific TV is supposed to be.
  7. First, use the above method to bring up your current firmware on your Samsung TV screen.
  8. Once you have it up, you want to match it with the firmware update displayed on the Samsung Download Center.
  9. Go to the Samsung Download Center. Click on TVs & Home Theater.
  10. Click on the Search Box to enter your Model #, which can be found in your manual or on the back of your Samsung TV.
  11. Select your TV below the Search Bar. Your current firmware will be listed at the top of the first column.
  12. Now that you’re on the screen that displays your current firmware, you can insert a USB flash drive into your computer and download the firmware.
  13. Open the zipped file containing the latest firmware update and copy the folder over to your USB flash drive.
  14. Once the firmware update is downloaded to your flash drive, remove it safely from your computer and plug it into a USB port on your Samsung TV. You don’t have to do anything else. Your Samsung TV will immediately start the update from the firmware in your USB. Samsung smart TVs run on a personalized version of Android, which is what most smartphones not called iPhones run on. It’s a relatively simple and streamlined process for updating, and it shouldn’t take your Samsung TV any longer than five minutes to complete it and is a quick and simple process!
Vizio TV Horizontal Lines on Screen Try These 11 Fixes - 87