7 Ways To Fix Horizontal Lines On Samsung TV Screen

Does anybody else see that long horizontal line on my TV?

Hello? Anyone?

Oh yeah, that’s right. I’m alone…

Because no one wants to hang out with the guy who has a broken TV!

I’m sure you’re also here because you want some solutions to our problem.

So…

Keep reading to discover:

7 ways to get rid of the horizontal lines on your TV.
How to troubleshoot a horizontal line so that you can identify the problem.
Where you should contact Samsung in case of severe issues with your TV.
What the T-Con board does and how you can replace it in case of horizontal lines.
And so much more…

What causes horizontal lines on a Samsung TV screen?

A loose ribbon connection causes horizontal lines on a Samsung TV. If not, it could be that your HDMI cable or port is broken. Your hardware, like the T-Con or LCD, is also likely to cause lines. If you have horizontal lines, make sure you troubleshoot first before fixing them.

7 ways to fix horizontal lines on Samsung TV

#1: Troubleshoot the problem

The most essential step to fixing any problem is identifying the problem first.

And that’s why troubleshooting your TV is important.

Troubleshooting allows technicians to trace where the problem lies on your system.

How?

By eliminating other possibilities until the most probable problem is left.

Run a picture test

Look closer. Are the lines moving or steady?

If the lines are moving, chances are that the problem is with your connections.

On the other hand, if the lines are steady, perform a picture test.

For 2016 to 2019 models:

Press the ‘Home’ button on your remote.
Go to ‘Settings’.
Scroll down until you can see ‘Support’.
Under ‘Support’, press ‘Self Diagnosis’.
Select ‘Picture Test’.
Press ‘OK’.

For 2020 to 2022 models:

Press the ‘Home’ button on your remote.
Select ‘Settings’.
Scroll down until you can see ‘Support’.
Choose ‘Device Care’. Wait for your TV to stop scanning.
Once the scan is completed, go to ‘Self Diagnosis’.
Select ‘Picture Test’.
Press ‘OK’.

Does the line intermittently disappear during the picture test?

If so, then the problem comes from broken hardware.

However, remember that the purpose of a picture isn’t to find out for yourself what the problem is…

But to know what to tell your technician when you get your TV checked out.

Note: If ‘Self Diagnosis’ or ‘Device Care’ is greyed out, exit all apps running on your TV. This includes streaming apps or your media player.

#2: Power cycle your TV

Have you ever had a gadget that was broken and then was miraculously fixed after you restarted it?

Well, it’s not a miracle.

What you did was a complete power cycle of your gadget.

And you can do the same for your Samsung TV.

Sometimes, residual electricity can accumulate in your TV. These are charges that are stuck on your TV. And they can cause glitches and screen problems.

Power cycling takes care of that by completely draining your TV of electric charge. Which can then reset its mainboard.

“But Peter, I already restarted my TV, and the lines are still there!”

There’s a possibility that you’re not doing it right. With that, you’re just putting your TV to sleep.

This is how you can complete a full power cycle:

With a remote

Some TVs can only power cycle by unplugging them from the outlet.

Samsung, on the other hand, allows power cycling through the TV’s remote.

Just complete these steps:

Turn your TV on.
Hold the power button on your remote until it turns off. Don’t let go.
Wait for 30 seconds for good measure.
Turn your TV on again.

Without a remote

If you’ve somehow lost your remote, don’t worry.

Just do this:

Turn your TV on.
While the TV’s on, unplug it from the outlet.
Wait for 30 seconds.
Plug it back in.

#3: Factory reset the TV

When nothing else is working, start from scratch.

Factory resetting a TV removes all apps and cache, and then resets all settings to their default.

Furthermore, this also rids your TV of a firmware update that has gone wrong. Which can then cause display problems…

Including lines on your screen.

Note: Your TV will turn on and off while resetting. This is normal, and you shouldn’t try to stop it by unplugging the TV.

Press the ‘Home’ button on your remote.
Select ‘Settings’.
Scroll down until you find ‘General’.
Under ‘General’, select ‘Reset’.
The TV will ask you for a PIN number. By default, this should be 0000.
Wait for it to finish, then restart your TV.

If you want a visual instruction on how to reset your TV, you can watch this:

#4: Reconnect ribbon cables

When your TV has horizontal lines, the most likely culprit is loose ribbon cables.

If your TV is a town, then the ribbon cables are the roads that run through it.

And, from time to time, these connections can become loose.

The T-Con board and mainboard are 2 parts of your TV that are responsible for the display of your TV. And both of them have ribbon cables.

This is how you can fix your cable connection in 5 steps:

Warning: The ends of your ribbon cables are extremely fragile. Handle them with care.

Using a screwdriver, open the back of your TV by unscrewing the binds.
Check the ribbon cables. Are they detached or broken?
If it’s the former, simply reconnect the cables. If it’s the latter, proceed to step #4.
Buy replacement ribbon cables online.
Replace all of your cables.

#5: Fix the HDMI cables

HDMI cables enable us to connect to our favorite devices.

Some of these devices are:

DVD players.
Gaming consoles.
Streaming devices.
Laptop for mirroring.

When our TV’s connection to those devices is compromised, you’ll usually see this on your TV. As long lines.

If this happens, this is how you can clean an HDMI port and cable.

Wet a thin microfiber cloth with a tiny dab of isopropyl alcohol.
Wrap the cloth around a small thin object.
Using the cloth, clean every crevice of dust and dirt.
Next, pick up some tweezers.
Check for bent pins. If there are any, straighten them.
Do steps #1 to #5 for both ends of the HDMI cable.
Wait for the port to dry, then reattach it to the TV and your device.

If the problem still persists after cleaning your HDMI, you can buy a replacement instead.

You might also be interested in: Why Is My TV Screen Purple? 5 Causes & Fixes

#6: T-Con board repair

After you’ve done every other fix in this list and you still have lines, it’s time to replace the T-Con board.

T-Con is short for “timing controller.” It’s the most important component of your TV when it comes to displaying images on your screen.

Essentially, the T-Con board controls the following functions of your TV:

Color.
Touch.
Brightness.
Refresh rate.
Power savings.

Fixing a T-Con board

Warning: Samsung warranty depends on your location. However, tampering with your device can void a warranty.

Safely open the back of your TV.
Unplug all cables from your T-Con board.
Unscrew the old T-Con board.
Place the new T-Con board.
Screw the board in.
Plug all cables back in.
Put everything back together.

#7: Call customer service

If you’re still stuck and you’re too cautious to attempt any of the DIY fixes, it’s okay.

Samsung Support is available 24/7.

Note: That link will take you to your local Samsung page. Scroll down until you can find ‘Request Repair Service’ to request a technician.