Why is my LG TV Flickering? [2023 Troubleshooting Guide]

Nothing breaks the thrill of watching a good movie more than a TV that flickers in the middle of it all. Before you call it a day and hit the sack, know there are simple steps you can take to address the issue at hand — and quickly. 

Fix LG TV flickering by power cycling or methodically unplugging your TV set from the wall.  Additionally, you can switch the input source and check the cables for damage. 

If that sounds like a lot, don’t worry. Below are seven time-tested solutions to an LG TV display flickering, complete with a blow-by-blow account that’s easy to follow so you can DIY like a pro without calling a friend. 

Difficulty	Easy ●●○○○
Duration	44 minutes
Number of Fixes	7
Things You Need	• LG TVLG TV remote control • A Smartphone • A PCA working internet connection • Screwdriver • Voltmeter • Replacement HDMI cable • Replacement power cable • Replacement T-con board • Replacement main board • Replacement power supply board

Why is my LG TV flickering?

Various factors can cause your smart TV display to flicker and suddenly display changing brightness levels. Below is a list of some common causes that might cause the LG TV flickering issue.

• Loose HDMI and power cable connections.

• Faulty HDMI cable, ports, power cable, and external input device.

• Terrible picture settings configuration.

• The power saving mode is messing up the display’s brightness levels.

• Out-of-date system software.

• The T-con board, main board, and power supply board are causing hardware failure due to internal damage.

How to Fix LG TV That’s Flickering

Fix LG TV flickering by conducting a power cycle. If things persist, do a picture test, software update, and factory reset. 

You can also check and replace your TV’s  HDMI cable on the hardware side. Moreover, check the power cable, T-con board, main board, and power supply board for possible issues. 

The good news is the LG TV flickering issue, more often than not, is temporary. And not to worry, the step-by-step troubleshooting methods below should guide you, just make sure you don’t skip a step.  

1. Conduct a power cycle for your LG TV.

When troubleshooting appliances, the general rule is to perform the most basic solutions, such as soft resetting and power cycling. This advice helps you avoid wasting time on technical and complex solutions when a quick fix would suffice. 

You can settle for only a soft reset, but it’s more effective to perform a power cycle if the reset is insufficient. In both methods, it’s important to keep the LG TV unplugged for a while to take care of any residual electrical charges.

Please note that power cycling is also more efficient at draining residual power but a soft reset is faster to perform and doesn’t require much action. For best results, I recommend soft resetting your LG TV first and then power cycling it afterward.

Follow these steps to reset your LG TV quickly:

Difficulty	Very Easy ●○○○○
Number of Steps	2
Duration	35 seconds

• Disconnect the power cable of your LG TV from the power/wall outlet.

• Wait for 30 seconds and then plug the power cable of your LG TV back into the power/wall outlet.

Note: You must ensure the power cable is plugged in securely to the power/wall outlet so the LG TV can reboot adequately.

Follow the steps below to initiate a power cycle on your LG TV:

Difficulty	Very Easy ●○○○○
Number of Steps	4
Duration	1 minute and 5 seconds

• Disconnect the power cable of your LG TV from the power/wall outlet.

• Press/hold the power button on the side/back of your LG TV.

• Wait for 30 seconds and then release the power button.

• Wait for 30 seconds and then plug the power cable of your LG TV back into the power/wall outlet.

Note: You have to make sure that the power cable is plugged in securely to the power/wall outlet so the LG TV can reboot properly.

Indeed, that should be quick. If the flickering persists, the succeeding steps should help you. 

2. Check your LG TV’s input sources and cables

After conducting a soft reset or power cycle, you should check the input sources, power cable, and HDMI cable connected to your LG TV. Any damages and problems with these accessories are common causes of LG TV flickering issues.

Below are the things you must consider when inspecting the input sources and cables connected to your LG TV.

Inspect the cables connected to your LG TV.

It’s important to check if both the power cable and HDMI cable are plugged in properly in the power outlet and the HDMI ports of your TV and input device. In particular, loose HDMI connections are the most common cause.

We recommend unplugging and replugging the HDMI and power cables to ensure they’re a snug fit. Another thing to look for when inspecting these cables is signs of damage to the wires, such as wear and tear.

If your HDMI cable and power cable are already damaged, you must stop using them and replace them with new ones. To be sure, it’s advisable to try plugging the power cable into another power outlet to test if the cable is the problem and not the outlet.

Change your LG TV’s video/input sources.

Difficulty	Very Easy ●○○○○
Number of Steps	2
Duration	5 seconds

The video/input sources you’re using likely caused the LG TV flickering issue. Aside from a loose and faulty HDMI cable connection, there might also be a problem with the HDMI port on the TV or the external input device connected to it.

After making sure that the HDMI cable is plugged in securely to both devices, you can also try using a different port if multiple ones are available. On your LG TV, you must also ensure you’ve switched to the correct input device.

Follow the steps below to switch to an input source on your LG TV:

Step 1: Press the input button on the TV remote control to access the Home             Dashboard menu.

Step 2: Select/click the HDMI input to which your video/input source is connected.

If none of that fixes the problem, you can also try troubleshooting your input devices if they’re the root cause of the flickering on your LG TV. You never know if your streaming devices are just sending terrible frames when you’re streaming content.

3. Conduct a Picture Test on your LG TV.

Another thing we suggest you try is conducting a picture test to find out if there’s anything wrong with the picture settings on your TV. This produces a test image that you need to appraise for its image quality and some suggestions to address them.

If the test fails, the suggestions provided to you afterward should help you fix the LG TV flickering issue. The picture test is also called a screen self-diagnosis in some TV models so don’t worry if you don’t find it in the settings menu.

Follow the steps below to conduct a picture test on your LG TV:

Difficulty	Easy ●●○○○
Number of Steps	9
Duration	35 seconds

Step 1: Press the gear button on the remote control to open the settings panel on the side of the display.

Step 2: Scroll down/click All Settings/Advanced Settings.

Step 3: Select/click Picture.

Step 4: Scroll down/click Picture Test.

Step 5: Follow the instructions provided on the display and click Yes if the test             picture looks good to you. Note: If the test picture’s quality was terrible, you can proceed to Step 7 instead.

Step 6: Click Ok to complete the picture test.

Step 7: Select No if the test picture’s quality is terrible to get some suggestions.

Step 8: Write down the LG TV information displayed on the screen and go to LG’s             product support page to reach their support center.

Step 9: Click Ok to complete the picture test.

If you’ve followed the steps to the letter, you should be able to complete the picture test. That way, you get an initial report on your TV screen health. 

Follow the steps below to conduct a screen self-diagnosis on your LG TV:

Difficulty	Easy ●●○○○
Number of Steps	11
Duration	40 seconds

Step 1: Press the gear button on the remote control to open the settings panel             on the side of the display.

Step 2: Scroll down/click All Settings/Advanced Settings.

Step 3: Scroll down/click Support.

Step 4: Select/click OLED Care.

Step 5: Scroll down/click Device Self-Care.

Step 6: Scroll down/click Screen Self-diagnosis.

Step 7: Follow the instructions provided on the display and click Yes if the test             picture looks good to you. Note: If the test picture’s quality was terrible, you can proceed to Step 9 instead.

Step 8: Click Ok to complete the diagnosis.

Step 9: Select No if the test picture’s quality is terrible to get some suggestions.

Step 10: Write down the LG TV information displayed on the screen and go to LG’s               product support page to reach their support center.

Step 11: Click Ok to complete the diagnosis.

4. Toggle the energy-saving mode off on your LG TV.

Difficulty	Very Easy ●○○○○
Number of Steps	8
Duration	15 seconds

The energy-saving mode on LG TVs is a tool that helps you save power by automatically adjusting different settings to cut consumption. In most cases, this mode will target the brightness level of the display causing it to decrease or increase.

When the display’s brightness is automatically changing at an abnormal rate, it results in your LG TV flickering. To fix and prevent this issue from happening again, it might be better to just disable the energy-saving mode on your LG TV.

Follow the steps below to toggle energy saving mode off on your LG TV:

Step 1: Press the gear button on the remote control to open the settings panel on the side of the display.

Step 2: Scroll down/click All Settings/Advanced Settings.

Step 3: Scroll down/click Support.

Step 4: Select/click OLED Care.

Step 5: Scroll down/click Device Self Care.

Step 6: Scroll down/click Energy Saving.

Step 7: Select/click Energy Saving Step.

Step 8: Scroll down/click Off to toggle energy saving mode off.

5. Conduct a software update on your LG TV.

Believe it or not, LG recommends updating the software version of your TV before you perform any troubleshooting tricks. The purpose of this recommendation is to make sure that your LG TV is operating in the best possible condition.

Plus, it’s also because software updates usually patch software bugs from previous versions that might be the cause of your LG TV flickering.

Even if the software update doesn’t fix the problem directly, it should help ensure that you wouldn’t have so many problems while troubleshooting. You have the option to update the software over the air or manually using the USB stick method.

Follow these steps to conduct a software update on your LG TV over the air:

Difficulty	Easy ●●○○○
Number of Steps	8
Duration	10 minutes

Step 1: Press the gear button on the remote control to open the settings panel             on the side of the display.

Step 2: Scroll down/click All Settings/Advanced Settings.

Step 3: Scroll down/click General.

Step 4: Scroll down/click About This TV.

Step 5: Scroll down/click CHECK FOR UPDATES.

Step 6: Click YES to proceed with the download process.

Step 7: Wait for your LG TV to complete the download and installation of the latest             software update.

Step 8: Restart your LG TV when the installation is over to apply the update.

However, sometimes you may not have access to the internet. In cases like this, you can still update your LG software using a USB stick as stipulated below. 

Use these steps to conduct a software update on your LG TV via a USB stick:

Difficulty	Easy ●●○○○
Number of Steps	14
Duration	10 minutes

Step 1: Press the gear button on the remote control to open the settings panel             on the side of the display.

Step 2: Scroll down/click All Settings/Advanced Settings.

Step 3: Scroll down/click Network. Write down the LG TV model listed under Network.

Step 4: Go back and proceed to General.

Step 5: Scroll down/click About This TV.  Write down the software version of your LG TV.

Step 6: Go to a web browser on your PC to visit the official web page of your LG TV               vendor.

Step 7: Enter/search your LG TV model on the search bar of the web page.

Step 8: Select/click the latest software update to download it into your PC.

Step 9: Extract the software update from your PC into a USB stick.

Step 10: Rename the extracted folder and change it to “LG_DTV.”

Step 11: Power on your LG TV while the USB stick is plugged into the USB port on its               back panel.

Step 12: Wait until the LG TV locates the software update inside the USB stick.                Select/click YES to install the software update once found.

Step 13: Select/click CHECK NOW to check its progress.

Step 14: Click YES to restart your LG TV and apply the update after the installation is               over.

The step-by-step guide should take care of you. However, it’s essential to keep moving forward, so when one solution fails, you should explore the next solution on the line. 

6. Conduct a factory reset on your LG TV.

The final thing you can do to troubleshoot a software-related LG TV flickering issue is to conduct a factory reset. This type of reset will restore your LG TV to its initial settings just like it came out straight from the manufacturing factory.

Also, this means that you’ll lose all your account data, third-party apps, and settings preferences so make sure you’re okay with that before you proceed. Once the factory reset is over, you’ll have to set up your LG TV like it’s a brand-new device.

Factory reset your LG TV with a remote using the steps below:

Difficulty	Easy ●●○○○
Number of Steps	6
Duration	10 minutes

Step 1: Press the gear button on the remote control to open the settings panel on your LG TV screen.

Step 2: Scroll down/click All Settings/Advanced Settings.

Step 3: Scroll down/click General.

Step 4: Scroll down/click Reset to Initial Settings.

Step 5: Click OK to conduct the factory reset on your LG TV.

Don’t be surprised if your LG settings will have the feel of a brand-new set. Factory reset is putting everything back to its original factory setting so every file that is personal (viruses including) will be erased. 

If you have a hard time locating the remote or if it’s broken, fret not. There’s a way you can still factor in a factory reset without having to use the infrared pointer, albeit a little longer than usual.  

Factory reset your LG TV without a remote using the steps below:

Difficulty	Easy ●●○○○
Number of Steps	17
Duration	11 minutes

Step 1: Go to the Google Play Store or Apple App Store app on your smartphone.

Step 2:  Select/click the search bar.

Step 3: Enter/search for the ThinQ app using the search bar.

Step 4: Click the Install button beside the Thin Q app to download and install.

Step 5: Click Open to run the ThinQ app once the installation is over.

Step 6: Select/click Sign in with LG to proceed with your LG account. Note: You can create a free LG TV if you haven’t got one yet. You can simply follow the on-screen instructions or use another sign-in method such as Google or Facebook.

Step 7: Enter your account credentials and click Sign in to proceed.

Step 8: Select/click Add a Device.

Step 9: Click Select Device and click Next to continue.

Step 10: Select/click TV from the product list.

Step 11: Select/click your LG TV from the list of TVs.

Step 12: Enter the pin code that’s on your LG TV display and click Next to proceed.

Step 13: Select/click Skip to skip the linking process for the time being.

Step 14: Click Move to Home to complete your registration.

Step 15: Select/click TV on the Thin Q app home screen to open the remote control.

Step 16: Use the ThinQ app’s remote control feature to operate your LG TV like                 normal.

Step 17: Follow the instructions in the previous section for conducting a factory reset on your LG TV with a remote.

7. Conduct an internal inspection on your LG TV.

This last troubleshooting method is your last resort in the extreme case that your LG TV has suffered internal damage to its components. The components you have to inspect are the T-con board, main board, and power supply board.

You can access your TV’s internal components by unscrewing and removing its back panel. If you don’t have the confidence to perform this, you can ask a friend or contact LG Customer Service to book a consultation or a repair service.

If your LG TV is still covered by warranty, reaching out to their customer service is the ideal move. Otherwise, you’ll be spending money for an out-of-warranty repair service or buying replacement boards if you’re replacing them yourself.

Note: It’s highly recommended to take a photo of your LG TV’s internal components and cables while they’re installed for use as reference when reinstalling them back.

Inspect your LG TV’s T-con board.

The T-con board or timing controller board/control board is the smallest board you’ll find inside an LG TV. The control board is in charge of video processing and converting video signals for the LCD to project into images.

A problematic control board will result in your LG TV having display issues such as double images, lines in the display, flickering, etc. Check the cables connected to it for damages and uninstall the board from the chassis to get a good look.

Inspect your LG TV’s main board

The main board on your LG TV is responsible for catching and converting analog and video signals into digital signals, which it sends to the T-con board. Once the T-con board receives these signals, it’s able to display them as images.

Due to the main board’s relationship with the control board, any problem or damage to itself will also mess with the video processing. It’s better to replace it and its cables if there’s damage to them.

Inspect your LG TV’s power supply board.

The power supply board controls and supplies the necessary power for all other components inside your TV to function. Simply put, this board converts the electricity that flows from the power cable into a lower voltage that other components can handle.

If the power supply board is problematic, your LG TV might not turn on at all. Also, if the power it’s sending to the LED strips, main board, or T-con board is fluctuating and unstable, it might cause further damage and issues such as flickering and auto turn-off.

FAQs about LG TV Flickering

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