I just watched Poltergeist last night.
The one where the TV kept turning on by itself.
Great horror flick. Freaked me out.
Imagine my surprise when the same thing happened to my TV this morning.
But, no, it’s not a vengeful spirit.
It’s just my Sony TV.
And I know just how to fix it.
Keep reading to discover:
- 9 shocking reasons why your Sony TV turns on by itself.
- 11 no-sweat ways to fix a Sony TV that powers on automatically.
- What is firmware, and what does it have to do with Sony TV’s power issues.
- An in-depth guide on cleaning your remote safely if the Power button is stuck.
- And so much more…
Sony TV turns on by itself: 9 causes
#1: On timer
What time is it?
There are times when I don’t even know.
But my Sony TV always does as long as it’s connected to power.
And maybe yours does too.
How?
You see, there’s a nifty little feature on your Sony called the On Timer.
As the name suggests, this feature can power your TV on whenever on a schedule.
Whenever your TV randomly turns on…
This option should be your #1 suspect.
#2: App notifications
Ever get those pesky notifications on your smartphone?
The kind that you ignore because it isn’t important…
But keeps coming back nonetheless?
Your Sony TV has that too.
Worse, they could even go as far as turning your TV on.
That’s one way of getting your attention.
#3: Another device casting
Do you regularly connect a different device to your TV?
I do.
It’s just so convenient having a large screen for my laptop sometimes.
Not to mention that it’s also an excellent alternative for when an app doesn’t work properly.
Thing is:
I sometimes forget to disable the connection between my device and Sony.
The result?
My Sony TV is randomly booting up when I turn my laptop on.
And this may be the case for you, as well.
#4: HDMI-CEC
Have you heard of HDMI-CEC?
Chances are, you haven’t.
After all, it goes by a different name for each brand. Like:
| Samsung | Anynet+ |
| Sony | BRAVIA Sync |
| LG | SimpLink |
| Vizio | CEC |
| Roku | 1-Touch Play |
| Panasonic | VIERA Link, HDAVI Control, or EZ-Sync |
| Philips | Fun-Link |
| Toshiba | CE-Link or Regza Link |
What does it do, exactly?
Well, it’s a convenience feature.
See, we have far too many remotes and controllers nowadays.
One for our TV. One for the streaming device. One for your gaming console…
And so on.
So, manufacturers thought:
“What if you could use 1 remote for all your devices?”
And that’s exactly what they did.
The trouble?
It’s not perfect. Far from it, actually.
With CEC, your TV can pick up random signals and think it’s for your Sony…
That can include a Power button from your neighbor’s remote.
#5: Voice assistant
“Hey, Alexa. Why does my TV randomly power on?”
I asked. And Alexa answered back…
“It’s because of me, genius.”
Okay. That didn’t happen…
But the point still stands:
Voice control can accidentally activate your TV.
How?
Your Sony’s always listening as long as it’s connected to a power source.
And, sometimes, you might say something that could trigger a response from your Sony.
This is why it powers on and tries to do what you just said.
#6: Outdated firmware
Smart TVs are a huge leap from the previous generation of TVs.
Aside from their looks, which are already great…
They’re also internet-capable, can use streaming apps, and have way better functionalities.
Great, right?
And how can they do that?
Because of their firmware.
What’s that?
It’s basically software written for the hardware of your TV.
The thing is:
You need to update it. Constantly.
Otherwise, glitches and errors on your TV won’t get patched out.
Like, for example, a TV that somehow turns on by itself.
#7: Surge protector
Here’s some unsolicited advice for you:
Get a surge protector.
I promise you. It’s worth it.
What does it do?
It protects your TV from power fluctuations.
After all, power fluctuations can cause your TV to:
- Flicker.
- Be shorted.
- Not turn on.
Here’s the catch:
You need to invest in a good surge protector. Why?
Surge protectors are a double-edged sword.
When it’s functional, it’s a must-have…
But a broken one can cause all manners of trouble with your TV.
How?
Surge protectors work by redirecting the excess electricity to the grounding wire. Which is an unused wire.
Broken ones will do the opposite.
Instead of redirecting excess energy, it’ll direct more energy to your device.
So, choose wisely when buying a surge protector.
You might end up with one that can turn your TV on.
#8: Low battery on remote
When was the last time you changed your remote’s batteries?
If you asked me the same question, I’d answer:
“The last time the old batteries ran out of juice.”
And I suspect that you’d have a similar answer.
A typical AA battery lasts for about 240 minutes of use.
But you need to change your battery way before that.
Why?
Because remotes with low batteries may send errant signals to your TV…
Even when you don’t press them.
Weird, huh?
#9: Power button is stuck
Speaking of remotes…
How long have you been using yours?
Weeks? Months? A couple of years?
And when’s the last time that you cleaned them?
If your answer is “never,” it’s okay.
In fact, most people don’t really clean their remotes.
But you really should.
Accumulated dust beneath the buttons can indefinitely press that same button.
This could be why your TV is opening…
Because the Power button keeps getting pressed without you noticing.
Sony TV turns on by itself: 11 fixes
#1: Power cycle your TV
Everyone has that 1 handy trick that they always talk about with their friends…
Something that they swear works, even if it seems unlikely.
What’s mine?
A power cycle.
What does that mean, you ask?
It’s a restart of your device…
Only, it’s not that simple.
You have to:
- Turn your TV off.
- Unplug it from the power source.
- Standby for 30 seconds, at least.
- Plug it back.
- Turn it on.
This method ensures that there are no leftover charges on your TV.
And thus, it can fully reset all of its stuck processes or glitches.
Trust me. It’s simple, but it works.
#2: Turn off On Timer
Are you tired of having your TV turn on at midnight, every night?
Let’s go ahead and turn off your On Timer, shall we?
To do this, simply:
- Press Home on your Sony TV remote.
- Head to Settings.
- Go to Preferences.
- Under Clock/Timers, select Timer.
- Set it to Off.
For good measure, you should also disable TV Auto Power On.
- Press Home on your Sony TV remote.
- Head to Settings.
- Under TV, go to External Inputs.
- Tap Bravia Sync Settings.
- Set TV Auto Power On to Off.
#3: Disable Eco Mode
We all love Mother Earth.
Men, women, children…
Even manufacturers like Sony do their part in securing a better tomorrow.
That’s the reason for Eco Mode.
What this does is it turns off your screen if you’ve been idle for a while.
But there’s more…
They also don’t allow you to close your TV fully.
Instead, it’ll be stuck on Standby Mode:
A low-power sleep state.
This is also why notifications can turn your TV on even when it’s closed…
Because it’s not dead, it’s just resting.
So, to prevent that, you need to:
- Press the Home button.
- Head to Settings.
- Go to Power.
- Set Eco to Off.
#4: Disable notifications
If turning off Eco Mode didn’t work…
You can also try to disable notifications entirely.
How?
- Press the Home button.
- Tap What’s New.
- Go to Settings.
- Set Show Notifications to Off.
#5: Disable Voice Assistant
Sadly, you can’t just say “Alexa, shut down” to turn voice control off.
Do you know what you can do instead?
Turn it off manually.
For 3rd-party voice assistants like Siri or Alexa, you should:
- Press Home on your remote.
- Go to Apps.
- Select “TV Control Setup with Amazon Alexa” or “Siri.”
- Head to App Settings.
- Tap Unlink This TV.
But what about Google Assistant, Sony’s own voice control? Can you turn it off?
Sadly, no.
However, you can lower its sensitivity.
That way, it won’t pick up on conversations that could accidentally power your TV on.
Just follow:
- Press Home on your remote.
- Head to Settings.
- Go to System.
- Set Built-in Mic Sensitivity to Low.
#6: Disable BRAVIA Sync
Tired of having other remotes and controllers affect your TV?
It’s time to turn off BRAVIA Sync.
And this is how:
- Press Home on your remote.
- Head to Settings.
- Under External Inputs, go to BRAVIA Sync Settings.
- Set it to Off.
#7: Update firmware
As I said, outdated firmware can cause issues on your TV.
So, what should you do?
Update your Sony TV, of course.
How can you do so?
You have 2 choices, either update it:
- Through settings.
- Using a flash drive.
Don’t worry. I’ll walk you through both methods so you won’t get lost.
Through settings
- Press Home on your remote.
- Go to Settings.
- Head to Customer Support, Setup, or Product Support.
- Tap Software Update.
- Select Network.
- Press Yes or OK to confirm the update.
With a flash drive
For this method, you’ll need a flash drive that:
- Doesn’t have files on it.
- Has 2 Gb of free space.
- Formatted to FAT16, FAT32, exFAT, or NTFS.
Have one? Nice.
Now, all you need to do is:
- Download the latest firmware file here.
- Extract and copy the file to the flash drive.
- With your TV turned off, insert the drive into the USB port.
- Open your TV.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the update.
You may also be interested in: 9 Ways To Fix A Sony TV That Won’t Turn On
#8: Reset your Sony TV
Now, let’s try the “last-resort” solution.
And that is?
Factory resetting your TV.
This will erase all of your account, data, and preferences…
But, more than that, it can also get rid of malware, glitches, and bugs on your TV.
Sounds good, right?
Here’s the problem:
Sony has a wide range of TVs.
Meaning?
There’s no universal method of resetting your TV. But this is the most common:
- Press Home on your remote.
- Head to Settings.
- Under System, go to About.
- Select Reset, and then Factory Data Reset.
- Erase Everything.
- Press Yes to confirm.
Other directions include Home > Settings, and then:
- Storage & reset > Factory data reset > Erase everything.
- System > About > Reset > Factory data reset > Erase everything.
- Device Preferences > Reset > Factory data reset > Erase everything.
- Device Preferences > Reset > Factory data reset > Erase everything.
Here’s a riddle:
What should you do then if you lose your remote?
How can you reset your Sony?
Simple. You use the buttons at the back of your TV.
The only question is:
How?
You can follow this video for detailed instructions on how to do just that:
#9: Fix power source
Are you using a surge protector?
If so, replace it. Immediately.
Preferably with a good one at that.
Which one, you ask? I recommend:
- Accell Power Air.
- Belkin PivotPlug.
- Furman Power Station 8.
- Anker PowerExtend Strip.
- Tripp Lite Protect It 12-Outlet Surge Protector.
If you’re not using a surge protector, simply move to a different outlet.
Why?
Because the one you’re using now might be faulty or broken.
And lastly, always unplug your TV when it’s not in use.
This ensures it’s not on Standby Mode when you press the Power button.
#10: Address remote issues
This can’t be said enough:
Always clean your remote.
Ensure that no dust or sticky substances are pressing against your buttons.
And this is how you can do that:
- Remove the rubber buttons.
- Put a drop of pure alcohol in the hole.
- Use a cotton swab to get rid of the gunk.
- Let it dry.
- Repeat until it’s spotless.
- Reattach the rubber buttons.
#11: Get in touch with Sony
“Whatever I do, it’s never enough.”
That’s okay. You know why?
Because you’re not alone.
Some people can help you with whatever you’re facing.
For a broken Sony TV?
Get in touch with Sony themselves for a personal consultation.