Ever experienced that bizarre moment when your Insignia TV plays the soundtrack of your favorite show but leaves you in the dark—literally? I certainly have!
One time, as I was settling down for a much-needed movie night, my Insignia TV decided to challenge my patience. Sound? Check. Picture? Zip, zero, nada. Cue the frustration and panic while sorting through a plethora of Google search results. So, what’s the secret?
Doing a soft reset is a quick way to fix an Insignia TV with sound but no picture. Start by unplugging its power cable to shut its system down, then hold the power button for 30 seconds to discharge it before plugging it back in.
But that may not be enough. Luckily, I’ll share all the tricks and fixes that helped me get my Insignia TV’s visuals back. Read on to find the top eight ways to get rid of the black screen problem in a jiffy!
Why is my Insignia TV screen black?
Before tackling the solutions, let’s first touch on the most common reasons as to why your Insignia TV screen is black. By knowing the reasons, you can get an idea of the appropriate solution you must take to fix the issue.
- Minor system bugs and errors.
- Faulty power or HDMI connections and accessories.
- Incorrect input source.
- Faulty or damaged hardware.
How to Repair Your Insignia TV That Has Sound but No Picture
The solutions below have been proven effective in repairing a faulty Insignia TV with sound but no picture. It’s important to note that some of the solutions below may only work on specific Insignia TV models, such as those with Fire or Roku OS.
FIX 1. Soft reset your Insignia TV
| Difficulty | Very Easy ●○○○○ |
| Number of Steps | 4 |
| Time to Perform Fix | 1 minute and 20 seconds |
| Things Needed | An Insignia TV An Insignia TV remote A working power outlet |
A soft reset is a universal troubleshooting trick that works on all electronic devices, including your Insignia TV. This action aims to refresh the device’s system memory, correcting minor errors and bugs that cause problems like the black screen.
Therefore, it’s an excellent solution for fixing a faulty Insignia TV with sound but no picture. Additionally, it’s a simple and effective method that anyone, regardless of technical skills, can perform on their Insignia TV without issues.
It also helps that soft resetting is a universal trick that works with all Insignia TVs, so you don’t have to worry about the model or variant you own. This method should help fix any Insignia TV black screen problem.
Step 1: Press Power on your Insignia remote to turn the TV off. |
Step 2: Unplug your Insignia TV from the power outlet. |
| Step 3: Wait 60 seconds to let your TV’s system turn off entirely or hold its power button for 30 seconds to perform a power cycle.  Note: It’s best to “power cycle” your Insignia TV while soft resetting it to address bootup problems due to residual electrical charges. |
Step 4: Plug your Insignia TV into the power outlet to turn it on. Note: You need to press power on the Insignia remote if the TV doesn’t turn on automatically when you plug it into a power source. |
Step 5: Wait for the Insignia TV to boot up to see if it loads pictures. |
If your Insignia TV’s indicator light is blinking, keeping it unplugged a while longer to cool it down would be best.
FIX 2. Check your Insignia TV’s input sources and HDMI cables
| Difficulty | Very Easy ●○○○○ |
| Number of Steps | 1 |
| Time to Perform Fix | 20 seconds |
| Things Needed | An Insignia TV A working HDMI cable |
Since a faulty external device can result in an Insignia TV with no picture, it’s best to check the HDMI connection for issues. Your priority should be checking if the HDMI cable is connected securely to the HDMI port at the back of your Insignia TV.
A secure HDMI connection is vital since a loose cable can mess with the data transmission between the external device and Insignia TV. With this, your Insignia TV won’t receive the video signals it needs to generate images on the screen.
However, since HDMI connections carry audio and video signals, a loose cable can’t result in a sound but no picture issue unless the sound comes natively from the TV. Another possibility is an issue with the external input device connecting to your TV.
After all, the input source is where your Insignia TV gets the video signals to generate the correct images. If you’re using a cable box, try unplugging it from your Insignia TV and restart it before plugging it back in.
FIX 3. Change your Insignia TV’s input
| Difficulty | Very Easy ●○○○○ |
| Number of Steps | 3 |
| Time to Perform Fix | 20 seconds |
| Things Needed | An Insignia TV An Insignia TV remote |
When you plug an external device into your Insignia TV, it won’t automatically select it as the input source unless configured. As such, your TV won’t display visuals unless you switch to the external device’s designated input.
You can identify your external device’s designated input based on the label on the HDMI port you connect it to. If you plug the external device into the HDMI 1 port, you must select HDMI 1 on your Insignia TV’s input selection menu.
However, you must note that the steps for switching input may vary depending on the variant of Insignia TV. The instructions below show how to change the input source on an Insignia Fire TV.
If you own an Insignia Roku TV, you must look up the steps for changing the input source on Roku devices since they have similar interfaces. For older Insignia TVs, you only need to press the input button on their remote to select an input source.
Step 1: Turn on your Insignia TV and go to the home screen. |
Step 2: Scroll to the Inputs menu. |
| Step 3: Select the input based on the HDMI port your Insignia TV’s external device connects to.  Note: Continue below if you want to set a default input source. With this, your Insignia TV will automatically select the last input source used every time you turn it on. |
Step 4: Return to its home screen and go to Settings. |
Step 5: Click Display & Sounds. |
Step 6: Go to Power Controls. |
Step 7: Click Power On. |
Step 8: Select Last Input. |
FIX 4. Replace the HDMI Cable
| Difficulty | Very Easy ●○○○○ |
| Number of Steps | 1 |
| Time to Perform Fix | 20 to 40 seconds |
| Things Needed | A smartphone or PC A working internet connection A replacement HDMI cable |
As mentioned, a damaged HDMI cable may also result in an Insignia TV with no picture but sound. Therefore, you must also inspect the HDMI cables since they’re crucial for your Insignia TV’s input connection to work correctly.
After all, data transmission will fail when using a faulty HDMI cable, even if the Insignia TV and external device are working correctly. Furthermore, securing the HDMI connection won’t matter since you can’t transmit data through a faulty cable.
When inspecting the HDMI cable, you must look for visible signs of damage, like worn and torn wires. We also recommend checking the HDMI connector for missing contact pins.
When you see these signs on your HDMI cable, you must replace it immediately with a new one. You can visit your local electronics store or shop online on platforms like Amazon if you want the replacement HDMI cable delivered to you instead.
FIX 5. Check the power cable
| Difficulty | Very Easy ●○○○○ |
| Number of Steps | 1 |
| Time to Perform Fix | 20 to 30 seconds |
| Things Needed | An Insignia TV A replacement power cable |
Power-related issues may also result in display issues. After all, every electronic device requires power, and your Insignia TV can’t turn its screen on without sufficient electricity to power its components.
Since the power cable is often the cause of power-related issues, we suggest inspecting the one on your Insignia TV for damage. You must also plug it in securely to prevent a loose connection, resulting in insufficient power for your Insignia TV.
Unfortunately, a common mistake most people make is only checking how their Insignia TV’s power cable connects to the outlet. After all, it’s also crucial to check how the power cable plugs into the DC/IN port behind your Insignia TV.
If securing the connection of your Insignia TV’s power cable doesn’t fix the issue, consider inspecting it for damage. Replace it immediately at the first sign of damage since using a faulty power cable can cause further damage and electrical accidents.
FIX 6. Plug your Insignia TV’s HDMI cable into another port
| Difficulty | Very Easy ●○○○○ |
| Number of Steps | 1 |
| Time to Perform Fix | 10 to 20 seconds |
| Things Needed | An Insignia TV A working HDMI cable A working HDMI port A soft brush or cleaning cloth A contact cleaner |
If the cable inspection doesn’t show any damage, the HDMI port is likely why your Insignia TV has sound but no picture. Therefore, it’s advisable to plug the HDMI cable into a different port since most Insignia TVs have multiple ones.
We recommend switching to a different port until your Insignia TV screen displays pictures again. Otherwise, you might need to inspect your Insignia TV’s HDMI port for dust and rust development that might be blocking the data transmission.
For dust buildup, you can remove it from your Insignia TV’s HDMI port using a soft brush. Meanwhile, you need a contact cleaner to remove rust buildup on the HDMI port’s metallic surfaces before wiping it away with a cleaning cloth.
FIX 7. Perform an Insignia TV hardware reset
| Difficulty | Very Easy ●○○○○ |
| Number of Steps | 4 |
| Time to Perform Fix | 5 minutes and 20 seconds |
| Things Needed | An Insignia TV An Insignia TV remote A working power outlet |
Performing a hardware reset is another solution to help fix the problem with your Insignia TV having sound but no picture. With this you can reset your Insignia TV’s hardware, allowing it to correct any malfunction stopping its screen from working.
Unfortunately, the success of this method depends on your Insignia TV’s current condition. If any of its hardware suffers from physical damage, resetting your Insignia TV this way won’t fix its black screen problem.
However, trying various solutions to pinpoint the problem’s root cause is the essence of the troubleshooting process. As such, you shouldn’t worry about failing to fix the problem with a particular solution since it can help narrow down the actual culprit.
| Step 1: Unplug the Insignia TV to turn it off. |
Step 2: Unplug all the cables behind your Insignia TV. |
Step 3: Hold Power and Volume + on your Insignia TV remote. |
| Step 4: Let your Insignia TV reset for 5 minutes. |
| Step 5: Reconnect its cables. |
| Step 6: Plug your Insignia TV into the power outlet to turn it on. Note: You need to press power on the Insignia remote if the TV doesn’t turn on automatically when you plug it into a power source. |
FIX 8. Check the Insignia TV for backlight problems
| Difficulty | Very Easy ●○○○○ |
| Number of Steps | 1 |
| Time to Perform Fix | 10 seconds |
| Things Needed | An Insignia TV A flashlight |
Believe it or not, it’s advisable to perform a flashlight test for all black screen problems, regardless of the TV brand and model. All TVs have an LED backlight responsible for making pictures appear on the screen.
Thus, backlight damage is significantly likely if your Insignia TV has a black screen with sound. You can confirm this using the flashlight test since it will reveal whether or not your Insignia TV generates images on its screen.
When you shine the flashlight on the Insignia TV black screen, images should appear if you have a backlight problem. But a faulty main board can also cause the backlight to malfunction, so it’s best to have a certified technician look into your TV.
FAQs about Insignia TV
Soft reset your Insignia TV first since it’s the quickest and simplest trick for fixing device errors. You can also perform a flashlight test to determine if the TV has backlight issues.
Unplug the Insignia TV and wait for its system to shut down completely before plugging it back in.
Some models have reset buttons, but most Insignia TVs have the factory reset option under the settings menu. You can also hold the power button when booting Insignia Fire TVs to open a recovery menu with a “wipe data/factory reset” option.
Various factors can cause black screen problems on Insignia TVs. It can happen due to faulty HDMI and power connections or damage to its hardware components, like the LED backlight.
