5 Real Reasons Your LG TV Screen Is Turning Green (2023)

Bruce Banner becomes the Hulk due to Gamma radiation.

But your LG TV was nowhere close to Gamma when it turned green.

Here’s the thing:

You don’t need to call the Avengers to fix this problem.

Instead, this article is all you’ll ever need to solve this issue.

Keep reading to discover:

5 definitive reasons why your LG TV is green.
7 fantastic solutions for your green LG TV screen.
The HDMI handshaking glitch: Why it turns your TV green and how to fix it.
And so much more…

Why your LG TV screen is turning green – 5 reasons

#1: HDMI handshaking glitch

So, you have an LG TV that suddenly turned green. And now, you’re wondering why that is.

The most common culprit of this issue is the HDMI handshaking glitch. This usually happens because of these reasons:

You have a broken HDMI cable.
Your HDMI cable is incompatible with your TV and external device.

Now, you might be thinking:

“How can I know if this is my problem?”

Simple. You just need to ask yourself these questions:

“Is there screen flickering involved?”
“Does it only happen when I switch inputs?”
“Does it go away when I unplug my HDMI input?”

If your answer is “yes” to all these, you’ve confirmed that the handshaking glitch is your problem.

#2: Corrupted cache and data

Another possible reason you have a green screen is corrupted cache and data.

You see, app cache is the information stored in your TV about you and your viewing habits. Now and again, you need to clear these cache.

Why?

This information tends to get corrupted the longer they’re on your TV.

And, when they’re corrupted, weird things can happen on your TV. Like, for example, your screen turns into a different color.

#3: Outdated firmware

When was the last time you updated your LG TV?

Don’t worry if your answer is “I don’t remember.”

In fact, most LG TVs automatically update themselves. That way, you can just leave the update process up to your TV.

However, there are times when this automatic update fails.

When that happens, the software on your TV can become so outdated that it shows physically.

And the typical visual indicator for your outdated firmware? A discolored TV screen.

#4: Internal glitches

Sometimes, weird things just happen on your TV for no reason…

Or does it?

Usually, these “weird things” are simple internal glitches. And there are a lot of reasons as to why they occur, like:

Excess charges.
Insufficient storage.
Unsuccessful firmware installation.

Furthermore, these internal glitches can cause software errors, some of which are:

And, of course, discolored TV screens.

#5: Loose ribbon cables

Now, let’s talk about the hardware of your LG TV.

To be more specific, the ribbon cables. These lines are responsible for connecting the other hardware parts of your TV.

Wear and tear usually loosens up these cables. And when the cable responsible for the display becomes loose, it can show up on your TV as any of the following:

That’s why the most probable reason you have a green LG TV is your ribbon cables.

How to fix an LG TV screen that is turning green

You can fix your LG TV screen that’s turning green by following any of these fixes:

#1: Power cycle your device

When it comes to malfunctioning electronics…

Nothing beats a good old-fashioned restart.

However, a typical restart doesn’t always do the trick.

That’s why you need a power cycle. This is a restart that removes all excess charges from your electronics.

Now, why is that important?

You see, as long as your TV has a charge, it won’t completely shut down. Instead, it’ll just default into the Sleep Mode.

Alternatively, without a charge, your TV can turn off entirely. Thus, also restarting all stuck tasks and processes.

To perform a power cycle, you simply must:

Turn your TV off.
Remove it from the power source.
Wait for at least 30 seconds.
Return your TV to its power source.
Turn it on.

#2: Splice your HDMI cable

Now, let’s tackle solutions for the HDMI handshaking issue.

The first thing I want you to do is to unplug your TV and feel around your HDMI cable.

Do you feel or see any exposed wire?

If so, get the following items:

Now, if you don’t have a heat gun or tubing, you can swap them out for a matchstick and an electrical tape respectively.

You might be wondering:

“What are all these items for?”

My friend, we’re going to fix your HDMI cable by splicing. This works by cutting out the exposed part of your cable and joining the 2 pieces after.

So, to splice your HDMI cable, here’s what you need to do:

Step 1: Remove the damaged part of the cable

Find the damaged part of the cable.
Measure 1 inch on both sides of the exposed part.
Separate the cable into 2 at the center of the damage.
Unsheath the cable using the measurements in step #2 as its ends.
Repeat steps #2 to #4 for the smaller wires inside.

Step 2: Reconnect the cable

Connect the smaller wires based on their color.
Insert a heat shrink tubing over the wires.
Bind the wires using the heat gun.
Repeat these steps for the main cable.

#3: Change your HDMI cable

If splicing didn’t work, the next course of action is to change your HDMI cable.

However, buying the cheapest cable out there wouldn’t be wise. Instead, you have to check the cable carefully you’re going to buy.

After all, you have to consider the compatibility of your cable, the LG TV, and the external device.

So, I urge you to make a list of your TV and its external device’s:

Resolution.
Maximum refresh rate.

Got those? Then proceed to crosscheck those figures against this table of HDMI cables:

HDMI Cable	Available Resolutions	Refresh Rates
Cat 1 — Standard	720p to 1080p	30 Hz
Cat 2 — High Speed	1080p to 4K	60 Hz at 1080p, 30 Hz at 4K
Cat 2 — 4K	4K	60 Hz
Cat 3 — 8K	4K to 8K	120 Hz at 4K, 60 Hz at 8K

#4: Clean your app cache

Now, if the green screen issue only happens at a specific app on your LG TV…

The most likely reason is a corrupted cache.

Thankfully, clearing the cache on your LG TV doesn’t take long. In fact, all you need to do is:

Tap the Settings button on your LG TV remote.
Go to the System tab.
Press Application Manager.
Navigate to the app whose cache you want to remove.
Once a dropdown menu appears, select App Settings.
Clear Cache and Clear Data.

#5: Update your firmware

The next thing you can try is updating your firmware.

Fortunately, firmware updates are no hassle at all. You just need to follow these instructions:

Through the Settings menu

Press the Home button on your remote.
Go to the Settings page.
Head to All Settings.
Select Support.
Tap Software Update.
Pick Check for Updates.
If an update is available, press Download and Install.

With a flash drive

Step 1: Get a flash drive

You must consider a couple of things when picking a flash drive. And these are:

Have no other files on it.
Have at least 2 Gb of free space.
Be formatted in FAT32, EX-FAT, or NTFS.

Once you have a flash drive that satisfies all that, proceed to the next step.

Step 2: Copy the update files into your flash drive

Get any PC and open your preferred Web Browser.
Go to the LG’s Software & Drivers page.
Enter your model number into the Search bar.
Download your latest firmware file.
Extract the downloaded file.
Create a folder on your flash drive named “LG_DTV.”
Copy the extracted file into the LG_DTV folder.

Step 3: Update your LG TV

Turn off your LG TV.
Insert the flash drive into your USB port.
Boot up your LG TV.
Once a prompt appears, tap Install.
After the installation process, power cycle your TV.

Got lost somewhere in the process? Let me assure you that it’s OK, and most people do when reading written instructions.

So, I looked for a video that might help you. This is what I found:

#6: Factory reset your LG TV using the Service Menu

If internal glitches are your problem…

The best way to get rid of them is with a factory reset.

Typically, this is how you can factory reset an LG TV:

Press the Settings button on your remote.
Go to All Settings.
Scroll down to General.
Tap Reset to Initial Settings.
Select OK to confirm.

However, that won’t really work if your TV screen is all green.

So, what you need to do is reset your LG TV using the Service Menu. This is a hidden interface on your TV that contains all settings for your device.

This is also hidden for this reason:

You might accidentally brick your TV if you don’t know what you’re doing on this menu.

But don’t worry.

I’ll walk you through every step to reset your LG TV using the Service Menu. Just follow these instructions:

Step 1: Access the Service Menu

Switch to an empty Input on your LG TV.
Press these buttons in this exact order: 3, 1, 9, 5.
Long press the Home button until your TV asks you for a password.

As for the secret passcode, it differs for each TV. You can just try any of these possible codes until 1 of them works:

0000.
0413.
3195.
7777.
8741.
8743.
8878.

Step 2: Reset your TV

Go to Public Display Settings.
Select Factory Reset.
Choose OK to confirm the process.

You may also be interested in: How To Reset LG TV

#7: Reseat your ribbon cables

As for hardware solutions, you only need to reseat your ribbon cables. And for that, you just need these 2 steps:

Step 1: Open the back of your TV

Carefully place your TV facedown on a soft surface.
Remove the screws at the back of your TV.
Loosen the sides of your TV using a prying blade.
Remove the cover.

Step 2: Reseat the ribbon cables

Note: Take a picture of the back of your TV. This will come in handy when you start assembling everything later.

Locate the ribbon cables. They should be 2 inches and paper-thin.
Once you’ve found the cables, carefully un-tab them.
Lightly blow on their ends to dislodge any dust or other stuck particles.
Reconnect the ribbon cables.
Put everything back together.

BONUS: Contact LG for support

Lastly, another option that’s available to you is asking others for help.

More specifically, you can contact LG for all your TV support needs here.