Samsung TV Turns on by Itself: Here’s Why and How to Fix

If anything, appliances that move on their own as if possessed by some demon spirit can give you goosebumps. Sitting atop that list is a Samsung TV that turns itself on — scaring the bejesus out of you.

It’s easy to be frantic when a Samsung TV turns itself on. But no need to press the panic button as this is a common issue that can be explained by modern technology and, most importantly, can be easily fixed via DIY.

Fix a Samsung TV that turns on by itself by disabling key features such as Anynet+, On Timer, ECO Mode, and SmartThings. Also, power cycle your TV, factor software updates, and if all else fails, factory reset it. 

Don’t let the technicality of it all stop you. In this post, we’re giving you the most common causes of the issue and a rundown of twelve proven fixes that you can DIY to rein in your seemingly possessed TV in less than an hour!

Difficulty	Easy ●●○○○
Duration	57 minutes and 20 seconds
Number of Ways	12
Things You Need	Samsung Smart TV Samsung remote control A PC USB stick A working internet connection Screwdriver Soldering iron Soldering wires Replacement capacitors Replacement power supply board Replacement main board

How to Fix Samsung TV that Turns On by Itself

The trick to get over this hump is to be as efficient as possible. In this regard, we recommend you apply the solutions below in the order they are presented. 

1. Reboot your Samsung TV by conducting a power cycle.

Difficulty	Very Easy ●○○○○
Number of Steps	3
Duration	1 minute and 15 seconds

When your Samsung TV turns on by itself, it might be due to a minor issue or error on the unit that you can resolve by simply shutting it down and booting it back up. You can bump this even further by conducting what’s called a power cycle.

Power cycling is a method used to discharge any residual electrical energy stored on your Samsung TV that might be causing it to misbehave. The trick is to completely starve your Samsung TV and its components of their electrical charges.

After power cycling, your Samsung TV should reboot in a refreshed state after electricity is reintroduced to its system. This action should improve your TV’s performance and correct some minor errors and issues plaguing it.

Follow the steps below to conduct a power cycle on the Samsung TV:

Step 1: Unplug the power cable from the wall/power outlet to power off your Samsung TV.

Step 2: Press/hold its power button for 30 seconds to discharge your Samsung TV’s residual electrical energy. Note: You can find the power button on your Samsung TV through its user manual or by checking the underside, left/right side, or back of this unit.

Step 3: Wait for 30 more seconds after releasing the power button. Plug the power cable into the wall/power outlet to turn on your Samsung TV. Note: You can press the power button on your Samsung TV or remote control if the unit doesn’t automatically start the bootup process after being plugged in.

2. Tighten the power cable on the wall outlet and Samsung TV.

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

Inconsistency in the power supply is the leading cause of power issues, such as when the Samsung TV turns on/off by itself. This is primarily due to the power cable not being tightly plugged into the power outlet, which results in fluctuations.

We highly suggest double-checking if the power cable is plugged in tightly into the power/wall outlet and at the back of your Samsung TV. If you’re not using the TV for a while, ensure it’s properly unplugged and not left connected to the wall outlet.

Follow the steps below to tighten the power cable’s connection:

Step 1: Plug the power cable tightly into the power/wall outlet.

Step 2:  Plug the power cable tightly into the DC-IN port of your Samsung TV.

3. Turn off the Anynet+ (HDMI-CEC) feature on the Samsung TV.

Difficulty	Very Easy ●○○○○
Number of Steps	5
Duration	15 seconds

The HDMI-CEC feature, which is called Anynet+ on Samsung TVs, allows your external input devices to work side by side with your TV unit. This means that you’re able to operate all external input devices using only your Samsung remote control.

It also lets any connected input devices such as a DVD player or gaming console have limited control and influence over your Samsung TV. For instance, turning an external input device on will also turn on your Samsung TV without your input.

As such, this makes Anynet+ a likely culprit when your Samsung TV turns on by itself all of a sudden. We recommend disabling this feature temporarily just to check if that will solve the problem so you can keep it turned off if it does.

Step 1: Open the Smart Hub on your TV by pressing home on the remote control.

Step 2: Open the settings menu by scrolling left/clicking Settings.

Step 3: Scroll down/click General to open the general/system settings.

Step 4: Scroll down/click External Device Manager.

Step 5: Select/click Anynet+ (HDMI-CEC) to toggle this feature off. Note: You’ll know it’s turned on if the circle beside it is green. It’s turned off if this circle is gray instead.

4. Disable the SmartThings feature on the Samsung TV.

Difficulty	Very Easy ●○○○○
Number of Steps	6
Duration	15 seconds

The SmartThings feature on your Samsung TV works together with the companion app to create an ecosystem where you can control all of your smart home devices. This feature allows you to detect, connect, and control the devices around your Samsung TV.

Even when you’ve already turned off your Samsung TV, SmartThings can still control these smart home and IoT devices through the Bixby Always On Voice feature. Using Bixby, you can issue voice commands to these devices without using a remote control.

Plus, you can also use a voice command to turn on your Samsung TV with Bixby’s Voice Wake-Up feature. For this reason, we suggest disabling SmartThings to help determine whether it’s why your Samsung TV turns on by itself or not.

Step 1: Open the Smart Hub on your TV by pressing home on the remote control.

Step 2: Open the settings menu by scrolling left/clicking Settings.

Step 3: Scroll down/click General to open the general/system settings.

Step 4: Select/click Network to access the network settings.

Step 5: Scroll down/click Expert Settings.

Step 6: Select/click Power On with Mobile and toggle it off.

5. Turn off the On Timer on your Samsung TV.

Difficulty	Very Easy ●○○○○
Number of Steps	6
Duration	15 seconds

Most Samsung TVs will only show an Off Timer if you navigate to its time settings but some units have On Timers as well. In some cases, the On Timer simply remains hidden until you’ve configured and set up the clock on your Samsung TV.

This is the exact case with Samsung TV models such as those that belong in the H Series. When the On Timer is set, your Samsung TV will automatically turn on based on the time you’ve chosen.

You can also personalize the On Timer to work on a chosen date, set a specific volume level, use an input source, or switch to a specific channel when the TV turns on. When left enabled, this will result in situations where your TV acts on its own. 

Step 1: Open the Smart Hub on your TV by pressing home on the remote control.

Step 2: Open the settings menu by scrolling left/clicking Settings.

Step 3: Scroll down/click System to open the system settings.

Step 4: Select/click Time to open the time settings.

Step 5: Scroll down/click On Timer.

Step 6: Toggle the On Timer off to disable it.

6. Disable the ECO Mode feature on the Samsung TV.

Difficulty	Very Easy ●○○○○
Number of Steps	6
Duration	15 seconds

The ECO Mode feature on your Samsung TV is a power/energy-saving tool that helps you cut down on your electricity consumption by limiting the unit’s performance. This is usually done by lowering the brightness level based on ambient lighting conditions.

While this feature is more often associated with a Samsung TV that keeps on turning off for no reason, ECO Mode can also affect your unit in other negative ways. Therefore, we highly recommend keeping this turned off to better troubleshoot your Samsung TV.

Step 1: Open the Smart Hub on your TV by pressing home on the remote control.

Step 2: Open the settings menu by scrolling left/clicking Settings.

Step 3: Scroll down/click General to open the general/system settings.

Step 4: Scroll down/click Eco Solution.

Step 5: Scroll down/click Power Saving Mode. Note: This ECO Mode feature goes by different names such as Power Saving Mode, Energy Saving Mode, ECO Sensor, etc.

Step 6: Toggle Power Saving Mode off.

7. Install an updated software version on the Samsung TV.

A Samsung TV becomes vulnerable to system errors and minor bugs if you continue using it with an old version of its software. Even Samsung recommends keeping your TV up to date to ensure that the unit works in its best condition. 

Software updates are important because they’re a very effective method of addressing software-related issues on your Samsung TV. After all, these updates come with bug patches and quality-of-life changes that help boost user experience.

Please note that there are two options to choose from when installing an updated software version on your Samsung TV. You can use the direct method to download the update straight from the internet or the manual option that uses a USB stick.

Install an updated software version over the air

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

Step 1: Open the Smart Hub on your TV by pressing home on the remote control.

Step 2: Open the settings menu by scrolling left/clicking Settings.

Step 3: Scroll down/click Support.

Step 4: Select/click Software Update.

Step 5: Select/click Update Now and begin the software update

Step 6: Wait for the TV to check, download, and install the available software update.

Downloading and installing the latest software version from the internet is only recommended if your WiFi network is fast and reliable. Otherwise, use the USB stick method so you can download the software update into a computer instead.

Install an updated software version via a USB stick

Difficulty	Easy ●●○○○
Number of Steps	17
Duration	15 minutes

Step 1: Open the Smart Hub on your TV by pressing home on the remote control.

Step 2: Open the settings menu by scrolling left/clicking Settings.

Step 3: Scroll down/click Support.

Step 4: View the device’s information by scrolling down/clicking About This TV.

Step 5: Remember your Samsung TV’s model number and software version by             writing them down on a note or paper.

Step 6: Go to the download portion of the support page via the web browser on a PC.              Use the search bar to find your Samsung TV using its model number.

Step 7: Scroll down to the Firmware/Software portion of their web page and download             the software update by clicking Download under Upgrade File(USB type).

Step 8: Unzip the downloaded software update into the desktop or at any location on             the PC. Note: Please avoid modifying or renaming the software update to avoid problems later.

Step 9: Copy/transfer the software update into a USB stick connected to the PC.

Step 10: Unplug the USB stick with the updated software version.                Connect it to the USB port at the back panel of the Samsung TV.

Step 11: Open the Smart Hub on your TV by pressing home on the remote               control.

Step 12: Open the settings menu by scrolling left/clicking Settings.

Step 13: Scroll down/click Support.

Step 14: Select/click Software Update.

Step 15: Select/click Update Now.                Your Samsung TV should fail with the update check.

Step 16: Select/click Yes to look for the software update inside the USB stick               connected to your Samsung TV.

Step 17: Click Yes to install the updated software version inside your USB stick.

8. Reset the Samsung TV back to the factory defaults.

Difficulty	Easy ●●○○○
Number of Steps	8
Duration	5 minutes

Like the software update, resetting your Samsung TV to factory settings is an excellent way to solve software-related issues and more. The difference is the factory reset will wipe your data instead.

For this reason, factory resetting is effective in removing corrupt files or viruses that might have infected your Samsung TV. It will also restore your current settings configuration to default, which could be why your Samsung TV turns on by itself.

The only downside is that you’ll also lose your account data and installed applications. Once the factory reset is done, you can simply sign in to your accounts and redownload your favorite apps so you can enjoy them once again. 

Follow the steps below to reset the Samsung TV to factory settings: 

Step 1: Open the Smart Hub on your TV by pressing home on the remote control.

Step 2: Open the settings menu by scrolling left/clicking Settings.

Step 3: Scroll down/click General to open the general/system settings.

Step 4: Scroll down/click Reset to start the factory reset process.

Step 5: Type the PIN code for your Samsung TV and hit Done to continue with the             reset.

Step 6: Select/click Yes to reset the Samsung TV to factory settings.

Step 7: Allow your Samsung TV to shut itself down and complete the reboot process.

Step 8: Set up the Samsung TV and its Smart Hub by following the on-screen             instructions provided after a successful reset.

9. Replace the faulty PSB capacitors inside the Samsung TV.

Difficulty	Easy ●●○○○
Number of Steps	8
Duration	15 minutes

Capacitors inside your Samsung TV are integral components that help store electrical energy and are used in filter circuits to block DC signals. Over time of being used, these tiny components can wear out, swell, and bloat, which indicates that they’ve gone bad.

These capacitors are soldered into the power supply board (PSB) of your Samsung TV and can be removed/replaced with new ones in case of damage. Replacing your faulty capacitors is a much cheaper option compared to changing the entire board.

Faulty capacitors are often the reason a Samsung TV turns on by itself or keeps turning off automatically. In particular, this issue has been highlighted in two class action lawsuits filed against Samsung back in 2012 and 2017.

Follow the steps below to replace faulty capacitors inside your Samsung TV:

Step 1: Lay your Samsung TV facedown on a flat and smooth work table.

Step 2: Remove/lift the back panel of your Samsung by unscrewing it using a               screwdriver.

Step 3: Inspect the capacitors installed on the power supply board for damages. Note: We suggest snapping a photo of the insides of your Samsung TV so you have an idea of how to put everything back during the reassembly.

Step 4: Look for signs of damage such as bloating, swelling, or burn marks.

Step 5: Unscrew the power supply board and flip it to access the solder points of the faulty capacitors.

Step 6: Melt the solder on the capacitors to remove them from the power supply             board.

Step 7: Insert the ends of the replacement capacitor in the hole in the power supply board where the old capacitor was placed.

Step 8: Flip the power supply board again, solder the new capacitors in place, and cut the excess ends that are sticking out.

If replacing the capacitors doesn’t solve the issue, you might need to replace the entire power supply board instead. Simply unscrew the old power supply board to uninstall it and install the replacement board in its place.

10. Replace the main board inside the Samsung TV.

Difficulty	Easy ●●○○○
Number of Steps	5
Duration	10 minutes

If your Samsung TV turns on by itself even after performing the previous replacement method, you might need to replace the main board instead. The issue with the main board is its components and the board itself can also sustain burn damage.

You’ll need to do a close inspection of the main board to determine if indeed suffered some burn marks. Once you’ve confirmed that to be the case, we suggest replacing the main board as soon as possible.

Step 1: Lay your Samsung TV facedown on a flat and smooth work table.

Step 2: Remove/lift the back panel of your Samsung by unscrewing it using a               screwdriver.

Step 3: Disconnect the cables plugged into the main board. Note: We suggest snapping a photo of the insides of your Samsung TV so you have an idea of how to put everything back during the reassembly.

Step 4: Unscrew the main board to lift and remove it from your Samsung TV.

Step 5: Install the replacement main board and connect the ribbon cables to it.

11. Make use of your Samsung TV’s warranty.

Replacing the components inside your Samsung TV is a tall order for most people who don’t have the technical know-how and skill to handle electronic gadgets. In such cases, you’ll be unable to apply these solutions when your Samsung TV turns on by itself.

The best action you can take would be to send your TV to a repair shop or reach out to Samsung Support for a repair service. Fortunately, an official repair service is free if your unit is still under warranty.

If you’re lucky, Samsung might even send you an entirely new TV unit to replace the one you sent them.

12. Get assistance from Samsung TV Support.

Even without a warranty, you can still contact Samsung Support for help with issues on your TV unit. Doing so is a good idea if none of the troubleshooting tricks above solve the problem on your Samsung TV.

It’s always best to let the experts handle issues that could be out of your hands. You may still come out saving precious dollars and not having to throw your unit out. 

The customer service agents at Samsung might be able to suggest alternative solutions to fix your TV that’s turning on by itself. Plus, they can also help you set an appointment for an out-of-warranty repair service.

Why does my Samsung TV keep turning on by itself?

Several reasons can cause your Samsung TV to keep turning on by itself. Below is a simple rundown of these reasons, which can be used as a reference to determine the appropriate fix for your Samsung TV.

• A power supply issue caused by a loosely-fitted power cable on the wall outlet or the DC-IN port of the Samsung TV.

• The Anynet+ feature is enabled, which causes your Samsung TV to turn on by itself whenever an input device is active.

• An On Timer was set up without your knowledge or you’ve forgotten about setting one up before.

• The Samsung TV is in ECO Mode, which cuts down its power usage and lowers its performance.

• You’re accidentally turning on your Samsung TV due to the Bixby Wake-Up function under the SmartThings hub.

• The current version of the software your Samsung TV is using is already outdated.

• The components inside your Samsung TV have sustained some damage.

Indeed, most, if not all, of these root causes are technical. But the solutions we’ve presented in the first section of this guide should be spot on. 

FAQs about Samsung TV

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