Scientists say black isn’t a color, but an absence of one.
But I don’t know…
The reflection on my Samsung TV’s black screen paints a colorful picture.
And his face is red out of frustration.
But yours doesn’t have to be…
Keep reading to discover:
- How to know if your backlight is causing your black screen.
- 13 easy fixes for the black screen of death in Samsung TVs.
- Which settings you have to tweak to avoid Samsung TV black screen.
- And so much more…
Why has my Samsung TV screen gone black?
Your Samsung TV has gone black because of a bad firmware update, dead backlights, or loose cables. It could also be because it’s not turning on due to a broken outlet or dead capacitors. Bugs like the HDMI handshaking issue also cause black or discolored screens.
Samsung TV black screen of death: 13 fixes
#1: Reinstall firmware
Is the red standby light on your TV blinking despite having a black screen?
That light means that your Samsung receives power and can turn on…
But there’s software on it that’s not letting the screen show its display.
How does this happen?
Chances are, something went wrong with a firmware update on your TV.
Okay, you might say:
“What’s firmware? And even TVs need an update?”
Firmware is the software specifically made for the internal parts of your Samsung.
And, yes, your TV needs to update. Quite frequently, in fact.
You only don’t notice it because your Samsung updates itself when you’re not using it.
Now, you can usually trigger a manual firmware update.
How? Through your Samsung’s settings menu.
But the problem is…
You can’t go to the settings menu.
So here’s what you need to do instead:
Step #1: Download the latest firmware file
For this step, you’ll need a laptop or a PC.
Then:
- Grab a flash drive.
- Head to the Samsung Download Center.
- Type and enter your TV’s model number on the search bar.
- Select the latest firmware file for your TV.
- Press Download to confirm.
Step #2: Copy the files to a USB
Note: To maximize the chances of working, use a blank or formatted USB.
- Go to your downloaded file.
- Right-click the file and select Extract All.
- Copy the extracted file to a flash drive.
Step #3: Complete installation
- Ensure that your TV is closed.
- Insert the flash drive into your Samsung’s USB port.
- Plug your TV back in and press the Power button.
If successful, your TV shouldn’t open with your smart hub.
Instead, there should be a prompt saying that an update file was detected.
Press Yes to finalize the installation, and then wait for a couple of minutes.
In the meantime, prepare your popcorn.
Your TV should be up and running by the time you’re on your couch.
#2: Power cycle your TV
I’m a clumsy guy…
I’ve broken a lot of electronics.
And, because of that, I’ve been to a lot of technicians in my life.
Do you want to hear the funny thing?
All of them have the same first recommendation:
“Have you tried power cycling your device?”
Essentially, a power cycle is a complete restart of your device.
This process helps your Samsung unclog stuck software tasks that damage your TV.
And the cherry on top? It doesn’t take more than a minute to:
- Turn your Samsung TV off.
- Unplug it from the socket.
- Leave it for at least 30 seconds.
- Plug it back into your socket.
- Turn your TV on.
#3: Reset your Samsung TV
You might be wondering:
“How do I reset a Samsung TV with a black screen?”
Don’t panic. It’s a lot easier than you think.
Simply follow these steps:
- Unplug your TV from the socket.
- Press the physical power button on your TV for 30 seconds.
- Let go and plug your TV back in.
#4: Use a different outlet
I want you to try something for me.
First, get something with a power cord that lights up.
Maybe a lamp or a small fan.
Next, plug the device into the outlet you use for your Samsung TV.
Does your device turn on?
If so, congratulations. We’ve located your problem.
Your outlet’s either broken or has a loose contact point.
To fix this, you have 2 choices. Either:
- Use a different outlet.
- Buy an extension cord that connects another outlet to your TV.
#5: Replace the backlight array
This is going to sound odd, but trust me.
Grab a flashlight.
Now, shine that flashlight toward your TV screen.
Do you see the faintest traces of your Samsung menu?
Yes? Then the problem is your backlight array.
For LED TVs, the backlight serves as its primary source of brightness.
However, your backlights can come loose due to age or bad manufacturing.
When that happens, there’s only 1 thing you can do:
Replace it altogether.
How? Start with:
Step 1: Remove the back of your TV
First, you’ll need to secure the hardware at the back of your TV.
To do that:
- Place your TV with its back side facing you on a smooth surface.
- Loosen and remove the screws at the back with a screwdriver.
- Use a prying blade to separate the cover from the base.
- Disconnect all ribbon cables.
Step 2: Access the backlight
- Flip your TV so that you’re now facing the screen.
- Remove your bezels using the prying blade.
- Tape the boards at the bottom of your screen to protect them.
- Lift and remove the panel or screen from the chassis using suction cups.
- Release and remove the filter frame.
- Remove the diffuser panels from the chassis.
Step 3: Replace the backlight
Start by buying a replacement backlight that’s compatible with your TV.
How can you tell which ones are compatible with your Samsung?
Get the model number of your TV, then add that to “replacement backlight” when you search on Amazon.
For example, this one’s a good replacement for my Samsung 55” 4K LED TV. I know this because my TV’s model number is UN55NU7200.
Got yours? Good. You can now:
- Remove the tabs that hold the reflector sheet.
- Lift and remove the reflector sheet.
- Disconnect the cables from the backlight array.
- Remove the backlight array.
- Place new lines of double-sided tape on where the backlights were.
- Gently press the new backlight array to where the lines of tapes are.
#6: Replace capacitors
When you plug your TV into a socket, its electricity is directed to the power board.
It’ll then be responsible for distributing electricity throughout your TV.
But first, it’ll store the charge from your socket in a series of components called the capacitors.
To understand what they do, think of capacitors as water tanks.
See, water will keep coming to your home from the supply.
But you don’t need to shower or clean dishes all the time, do you?
That’s why there are water tanks installed in your home. They store water you’re going to use later.
Now, apply the same principle to capacitors but instead of water, it’s electricity.
I can already hear you asking:
“So how can I tell if my capacitors broken?”
Great question.
For that, you’ll have to open the back of your TV.
Look at the capacitors on the power board. Are any of them:
- Significantly swollen.
- Leaking black or green.
- Lifting itself off the board.
In that case, it’s time to grab your tools and…
Warning: Out of all the parts of your TV, the power board is the most likely to cause you harm. To prevent this, snag a pair of safety gloves.
Step 1: Discharge your power supply
You must ensure that there’s no charge left on your TV before proceeding for your safety.
Some capacitors discharge by themselves quickly.
But, it’s best to manually discharge your TV just to be sure.
Don’t worry. It’s not rocket science.
All you have to do is leave your TV unplugged for 24 hours.
Step 2: Desolder the damaged caps
The next step is to remove the binding of the broken capacitors by desoldering them.
- Get your desoldering gun.
- Flip your power board and locate the solder of the damaged cap.
- Remove their metal binds using the gun.
Step 3: Buy replacement capacitors
When you’re replacing a bad capacitor, make sure that the replacement has the same:
- Voltage.
- Capacitance.
- Physical size.
Step 4: Put new capacitors
After all the preparation, it’s now time to put in your new capacitors.
Warning: Ensure that the positive and negative sides are properly aligned. Capacitors are polarized, and they can explode if not correctly inserted.
- Plug your soldering gun now so that it’s already hot for later.
- Insert the new capacitors on the board.
- Flip the board over.
- Bend the excess lead of the capacitors.
- Lightly brush the holes with flux paste.
- Solder them in place.
- Cut the extra lead.
- Lightly brush the solder with 90% isopropyl alcohol.
Are you cautious like me? Do you need to see someone do it first before you can confidently do it yourself?
I get it.
So, here’s a video you can watch with in-depth explanations on how to replace your capacitor:
#7: Reattach ribbon cables
Before your screen turns completely black, do you experience any of these?
- Flickering.
- Severe discoloration
- Black screen only on 1 side.
If so, you have a broken or loose ribbon cable.
What’s a ribbon cable, you ask? Let’s put it this way:
Have you ever played the telephone game when you were a kid? The one with 2 tin cans and a string between them?
In the case of your TV, that string is your ribbon cable.
It helps the individual parts of your TV to communicate with each other.
Now, there’s a board inside your TV called the T-con.
The T-Con board’s primary purpose is to show your display on the screen.
When the cable connecting your T-con and the main board is fully detached…
Your TV won’t be able to display any picture despite being able to power on.
So, what’s the fix for this?
Open the back of your TV and ensure that all cables are properly connected by lightly tugging on them.
If they don’t give, you’re good to go.
If not, push them until you hear a click.
#8: Select correct input
Can you still navigate the menu of your Samsung TV, but the rest is black?
This will only happen if you’ve selected the wrong input.
I know.
It seems too obvious of a problem to be realistic.
But some people tend to fixate on the complex solutions…
That they sometimes forget the answer is right in front of them.
Now, how can we change our input? Simple:
- Grab your remote and press the Source button.
- Highlight the input you want to select.
- Press the OK or Enter button on your remote.
See? Piece of cake.
Pro tip: Label your inputs.
As someone who has a lot of devices connected to my TV, picking the right input can feel like a memory game.
Well, I can’t help you rid you of your forgetfulness…
But here’s a method to help you remember:
- Press the Home or Smart Hub button on your remote.
- Select Source.
- Highlight the input whose name you want to change.
- Press the Up button on your remote.
- Click Edit.
- Change the name to the name of your choosing.
Further reading: How To Change Input On Samsung TV
#9: Check HDMI cable and port
Next, you’ll have to check your HDMI cable and port too.
Why?
Both of them must be clean of any dust and debris.
This ensures that there’s no lousy connection in your HDMI.
Here’s the safest way to clean your HDMI port and cable:
- Wrap a microfiber cloth around a thin object, like a toothpin.
- Wet the cloth with 99% Isopropyl alcohol.
- Use those to clean every crevice of your TV.
- Grab a pair of tweezers and gently straighten any skewed pins.
That should do it.
But, to be extra sure, you can always go to your settings menu to check HDMI status. That’s if you can access it.
- Go to your Settings menu.
- Select Support.
- Head to Device Care.
- Press HDMI Troubleshooting.
Furthermore, you can also try replacing your cable if it’s still not working.
Note: It’s important that you buy the proper cable to avoid the HDMI handshake glitch.
A handshake glitch happens if your TV can’t read the input because of cable incompatibility.
That’s right, like a left hand shaking another left hand.
To prevent this, use this table to cross-reference your TV and input’s specs with your cable:
Category | Name | Maximum resolution | Refresh rate | Color accuracy |
Category 1 | Standard | 720p to 1080p | 60 Hz | 24 BPP |
Category 2 | High Speed | 1080p to 4K | 30 to 60 Hz | 30 to 64 BPP |
Category 2 | 4K HDMI | 4K | 60 Hz | 30 to 64 BPP |
Category 3 | 8K HDMI | 4K to 8K | 60 to 120 Hz | 30 to 64 BPP |
#10: Fix your remote
You’ll also need to fix your remote if it’s why your TV’s stuck on a black screen.
Usually, a simple change of batteries will do.
That didn’t work? Darn it.
Use your smartphone instead.
How? Simple, just:
- Download the SmartThings app on your Android or iOS phone.
- Open the Devices tab.
- Select your TV.
- Press the Power button.
#11: Remove sleep timer
Sometimes, my Samsung TV turns off in the middle of my watching session.
With no warning. At all.
It kept happening again and again until I just gave up.
But then, I was looking at my settings for a different reason one day.
And there it was. I accidentally found the culprit.
It’s the sleep timer that I once set and forgot about.
So, when your TV sometimes turns off for seemingly no reason…
Try this first:
- On your remote, press the Home button.
- Go to Settings.
- Under General, head to System Manager.
- Choose Time.
- Select Sleep Timer.
- Set it to Off.
#12: Remove power-saving mode
When your TV works…
Does it randomly get brighter or dimmer?
Well, if it does, you likely have the energy or power-saving mode on.
This mode adjusts your TV’s brightness based on its surroundings.
But, sometimes, it gets really really dark. How so?
You see, there are 5 levels of the energy-saving mode. These are:
- Off.
- Low.
- Medium.
- High.
- Picture off.
For the Picture Off, your TV can start turning your TV off when it detects no presence.
To turn this mode off, start with:
For Series E, F, H, and J
- Press the Menu button on your remote.
- Go to System.
- Select Eco Solution.
- Press Energy Saving.
- Turn it off.
For Series K, M, N, and R
- Press the Home button on your remote.
- Go to Settings.
- Under General, press Eco Solution.
- Select Power Saving Mode.
- Turn it off.
#13: Contact Samsung
Have you tried it all, but nothing’s working?
Don’t let this discourage you.
Instead, contact Samsung to ask for professional help.
Samsung TV screen goes black but sound still works – What should I do?
When your Samsung TV screen goes black, but it still has sound, these are usually the reasons:
- Dead backlight.
- Residual or stuck charge.
- HDMI handshaking glitch.
- Loose ribbon cable between the T-Con and main board.
To fix these issues, refer to our in-depth guides above.
Samsung TV black screen red light flashing – What should I do?
When your TV won’t turn on, but the red light is flashing, here’s what Samsung recommends you do:
- Power cycle your TV.
- Replace your remote.
- Reinstall your firmware.
- Move your TV to a different outlet.
Samsung also recommends not using a surge protector.
Why?
To understand that, let’s first discuss how surge protectors work.
See, your outlet is prone to letting extra electric charge pass through it. This happens because of:
- Loose outlet.
- Thunderstorms.
- Frequent brownouts and blackouts.
These extra charges are extremely dangerous for your TV as they could fry its system.
That’s where surge protectors come in.
They protect your TV by redirecting the excess charge from your outlet to a grounding wire.
However, father time loses to no one. Not even your surge protector can survive aging.
When your protector breaks, it could redirect more energy to your TV.
That aside, let’s move on to the next possible solution for your problem…
Replacing the power board. Follow these instructions to fix your issue:
- Get a replacement power board that’s compatible with your Samsung TV.
- Open the back of your TV.
- Disconnect all ribbon cables from the old power board.
- Loosen and remove the screws holding the board to the panel.
- Place the replacement board where your old board was.
- Screw the new board.
- Put everything back together.
This should do the trick.