Tonight your friends are about to come over to watch a good game.
You did all the preparations, like buying the right snacks and beverages.
Nothing is in your way, and you feel pumped with good energy.
Until… your Sony TV won’t turn.
Oh no…not tonight!
No worries, the solutions are coming right up.
Just…
Read on to find out:
- 9 quick and easy tips to fix your Sony TV that won’t turn on.
- 3 simple ways to force a factory reset with the physical buttons on the TV.
- Why the remote control can be the issue and how to replace it with your smartphone.
- Where the Energy Saving Switch is and why it can cause your TV to not turn on.
- And lots more…
Why is my Sony TV not turning on?
Your Sony TV won’t turn on because there’s a power issue. It can also be the remote control that’s faulty, the IR sensor that’s blocked, or the Energy Saving Switch that’s turned off. External devices can also cause the issue or a wrong input is active.
Sony TV not turning on: 9 ways to fix it
#1: Check the TV for power
The first thing you can check is the LED light to see if the TV is actually powered. This is mostly found at the bottom of the TV screen.
Power cycle
If the TV doesn’t have power or is unresponsive to anything, you can do a power cycle.
This drains the leftover electrical residue from the TV.
It’s simple and a safe way to fix the issue. Plus, no data is being erased.
Take these steps to perform a power cycle:
- Unplug the TV from the power socket for 2 minutes.
- Plug it back in.
- The TV should start itself. If not, push the Power button from the TV to turn it on.
Power cord and power socket
If nothing happens, check if the power cord is plugged in correctly to the TV.
Also, look at the power cord for damages or cuts. If needed, replace the power cord.
And if you have a Sony TV with a supplied AC power adaptor, check if the cables are properly connected.
Last but not least is the power socket itself.
If it’s faulty, then simply try a different power socket.
If that one works, then you know you need to use a different power socket.
#2: Check the remote control from top to bottom
The next step is to check the Sony remote control.
So, let’s check it out from top to bottom.
IR sensor
First, see if anything is blocking the IR sensor on the TV.
For example, a soundbar or a cabinet that’s in front of the IR sensor. Remove it if it’s in the way.
It’s also possible that some of the buttons from the remote control are stuck or jammed.
To find out, simply press every button twice to unjam them.
Check the IR sensor from the remote control
Next, check if the IR sensor is still able to send signals to the TV.
You can simply do this via your smartphone.
Take these steps:
- Open the camera app on your phone.
- Point the IR emitter from the remote to the camera.
- Press a few buttons on the remote.
- Check, via the camera app, if the IR emitter is blinking.
If you don’t see a light coming from the IR emitter, then read on to the next fix.
Reset the remote control
This is also a good fix.
Here’s how:
- Remove the batteries from the battery compartment.
- Then press and hold the power button for 5 seconds.
- Put the batteries back and try it again.
If it still doesn’t work, then you can replace the batteries. Make sure that the + and – symbol from the battery compartment is matching with the + and – symbol from the new batteries.
Pro tip: Don’t mix the used or old batteries with new ones. Only use new batteries.
Replace the remote
If you tried the above steps and nothing seems to work, then simply replace the current remote with a new one.
Sony’s remote control app
If your Sony TV and smartphone are connected to your WiFi, try out the Sideview app.
This is Sony’s remote control app which allows you to control your TV via your smartphone.
It’s available in both Google Play and the App Store.
#3: Change input
Your Sony TV might appear turned off, but in fact, it’s on and showing the wrong input.
For example, if you connect your TV box to HDMI 2, but the TV is on HDMI 1, then the screen appears completely black.
You have to change the input. There are 2 easy ways to do this.
Via the remote control
- Push the Input button.
- The Input list will be shown on the screen.
- Use the up and down keys to select the right input.
- When you select the right input, press Enter to confirm.
Via the physical buttons from the Sony TV
- Press the Input button (located at the back of the TV panel).
- The Input list will be shown on the screen.
- Press the Input button repeatedly to select the right input.
- Wait a few seconds and the highlighted Input will be activated.
#4: Remove external devices
The great thing about the additional inputs is that you can connect a lot of external devices to the TV.
For example, a soundbar, Fire TV Stick 4K, Nintendo Switch, and so on.
However, these devices can also be the issue of why your Sony TV won’t turn on.
To put this to the test, just remove all the external devices and try them one by one.
If the TV doesn’t turn on when a specific external device is connected, you know that’s causing the issue.
#5: Double-check cables & inputs
Replug the Cables
If the TV appears off, it’s also possible the TV doesn’t receive a signal from the connected device.
First, check the cables. Replug them just to be sure.
I know it can be a bit annoying. However, a lot of times it looks from the outside that cables are plugged incorrectly. But in fact, they’re not.
Look at the HDMI cable, for example. It has a long plug, and from the outside, it can look like it’s fully plugged in, but actually, it’s halfway in.
Simply remove and replug it in. And see if the TV receives a signal and gets back on.
Also, look for cuts and cracks in the cables.
If you have doubts about it, simply try a spare. Or buy a new one.
Check the inputs for dust
Look at the inputs as well. Especially check for dust.
And since you’re there, inspect also the vents. These spots are perfect places where a lot of dust can build up.
If needed, use compressed gas to clean these areas from dust.
Warning: Use it gently and unplug the TV from the power socket when cleaning the TV. Also, find any cracks or cuts on the input. You don’t want to force cables back in if the input is already damaged. If necessary, use a different input. For example, go from HDMI 1 to HDMI 2.
#6: Forced factory reset
If the previous fixes didn’t do the job and your Sony TV is still unresponsive, then a forced factory reset is the solution.
And it can be done with the buttons from the Sony TV (Android and Google TV) itself.
Warning: Performing a factory reset will delete all your personalized settings, including apps, internet network settings, channels, and account settings.
So, take note of your settings, especially your login credentials from certain apps. You may need them later.
With 1 button
If your Sony TV has 1 button, perform these steps:
- Unplug the power cord from the power socket.
- Press and hold the Power button (not on the remote).
- While holding the button down, plug the power cord back into the power socket.
- Hold the button down until the white LED appears.
- It can take up to 30 seconds when the white LED appears.
- When the white LED appears, wait a few minutes. This is when the factory reset takes place. The TV will reboot itself (turn on and off) twice.
- If the TV doesn’t turn on automatically, press the Power button to turn the TV on.
- The Welcome screen appears.
- Finish the setup.
With 3 buttons
If your Sony TV has 3 buttons, perform these steps:
- Unplug the power cord from the power socket.
- Press and hold the Power button and the Volume down (-) button (not on the remote).
- While holding the buttons down, plug the power cord back into the power socket.
- Hold the buttons down until Erasing appears on the TV screen.
- It can take up to 30 seconds when Erasing appears.
- When Erasing appears, wait a few minutes. This is when the factory reset takes place. The TV will reboot itself (turn on and off).
- If the TV doesn’t turn on automatically, press the Power button to turn the TV on.
- Then a Welcome screen appears.
- Finally, finish the setup.
For visual guidance of this forced factory reset with one or three buttons, you can check out this video:
With 4 buttons
If your Sony TV has 4 buttons, take these steps:
- Unplug the power cord from the power socket.
- Press and hold the Power button and the Volume down (-) button (not on the remote).
- While holding the buttons down, plug the power cord back into the power socket.
- Hold the buttons down until the green LED light appears.
- It can take up to 30 seconds until the green LED appears.
- Release the buttons when the green LED appears.
- Then a Welcome screen appears.
- Skip the steps like signing into your Google account, network setup, and channel setup.
- Take the remote control and press the Home button.
- Go to Settings.
- Select Storage & Reset.
- Go to Factory Data Reset.
- A Welcome screen appears.
- Finish the setup.
#7: Turn Energy Saving Switch on
If your Sony TV has an Energy Saving Switch, then it should be turned on.
Otherwise, the power use is minimized.
As a result, the TV won’t turn on.
So, locate the button and see if it’s turned on.
This button is mostly located at the side or back part of your Sony TV.
Try it out and see if it works.
#8: Overheated TV
Your Sony TV might not turn on if it’s overheated.
Make sure you position the TV in a well-ventilated area.
To give you some guidance, locate the TV at least 4 inches from other objects.
Also, it should stand on a solid surface and preferably not tilted.
Pro-tip #1: Use a stable TV stand to place the TV on.
Also, don’t put it close to an air conditioning or heater. And avoid direct sunlight.
Pro-tip #2: Use the TV within the temperature range of 32°F-104°F (0°C – 40°C).
Change Picture Mode
You can also adjust some settings to reduce power consumption and overheating.
Then change the Picture Mode from Vivid to Standard:
- Press the Home button.
- Choose Settings.
- Select Display.
- Go to Picture.
- Select Picture Mode.
- Choose Standard.
Lower brightness
Follow these steps:
- Press the Home button.
- Go to Settings.
- Select Picture.
- Go to Brightness and lower it.
Try it out and see if you notice any difference over time.
You might also like: Sony TV Screen Flickering: 9 Ways To Fix It ASAP
#9: Contact Sony support
If you tried all the previous fixes and still have no luck, it’s time to contact Sony’s customer support.
Hopefully, you still have a warranty on your Sony TV.
Write down what exactly happens when you try turning the TV on.
Don’t forget to mention your TV model to the attending agent.
They can provide you with all the info you need to fix the issue.
If they can’t fix it, you can always consider replacing your TV.