Vizio TV Black Screen of Death [Try these easy fixes!]

Encountering the black screen of death on your Vizio TV may seem like the end of the world. Not only does it spell disaster for your TV time—it could also be a pain in the neck if you don’t have the time to have it serviced or the budget for a replacement.

To quickly fix the Vizio TV black screen, conduct a power cycle, inspect the cables, and check the Mute Screen feature. If all else fails, you can do some tests on whether your Vizio TV needs its control board and LED backlight strips replaced.

Certainly, it can look like a tall order. This is why, in this post, we’re breaking down six effective ways to resolve the Vizio TV black screen of death problem into simple steps so you can apply them quickly with no issue. 

FIX 1. Power cycle the TV by unplugging its power cable 

Difficulty	Very Easy ●○○○○
Number of Steps	4
Time to Perform Fix	1 minute and 10 seconds
Things Needed	A Vizio smart TV A working power cable A working wall outlet

Performing a power cycle is arguably one of the most efficient ways to troubleshoot a problematic Vizio TV, regardless of what’s causing the issues. After all, it can help address issues with its display, performance, connectivity, power, and more.

Therefore, we highly recommend using this method to address the Vizio TV black screen issue. Since power cycling your Vizio TV doesn’t require access to its settings or system menu, you can perform this solution on an unresponsive device. 

With this, you don’t have to worry about your Vizio TV’s black screen and hidden user interface. Because it’s a nonissue for power cycling, you can troubleshoot your faulty Vizio TV to your heart’s content or until you fix the black screen issue with it.

Efficiency aside, power cycling is also an effective troubleshooting method, which you might see from the many guides that recommend it. As such, it works for various Vizio TV issues, meaning you can whip this solution up whenever a TV error occurs.

Step 1: Power off the Vizio TV and unplug the power cable from your wall outlet. Note: You can press the power button on your Vizio TV or remote to power off the device. If your Vizio TV is unresponsive, you can skip this and unplug the device from the wall outlet.

Step 2: Hold the built-in physical power button on the Vizio TV’s back panel for 60 seconds to drain the residual electrical charges in its capacitors. Note: You can leave your Vizio TV unattended for at least thirty minutes to drain the residual electrical charges without holding down the power button. It’s an excellent opportunity if you have some other things to do in the meantime.

Step 3: Plug the TV’s power cable into your wall outlet.

Step 4: Click the built-in physical power button on the Vizio TV’s back panel and power the device. Note: You can also click the power button on its remote control.

Since power cycling primarily aims to eliminate residual electrical charges, you might need to redo this method if your Vizio TV boots up with a black screen.

Note that there isn’t a reliable way to tell if you’ve exhausted everything from the TV, so you may end up repeating the process until the issue is fixed. 

Likewise, leaving your Vizio TV unplugged for hours drains all stored electrical charges. You can resort to this if you don’t want to repeat the power cycling process after every failed attempt. 

Alternatively, you can move on and try the other solutions below.

FIX 2. Check if the Mute Screen feature is enabled

Difficulty	Very Easy ●○○○○
Number of Steps	4
Time to Perform Fix	10 to 30 seconds
Things Needed	A Vizio smart TV A Vizio TV remote control

When you think of muting a Vizio TV, your first thought should be about the device’s volume level. It’s a typical assumption since few are familiar with the built-in Mute Screen feature that some Vizio smart TV models have to offer.

As with muting sounds, the Mute Screen feature lets you temporarily turn off your Vizio TV’s display without shutting the device down. It’s similar to the sleep mode function, but the TV can continue to play audio for you even when the screen is off.

It’s a nifty feature for listening to your favorite music or podcasts from apps like Spotify and Pandora, allowing you to reduce your power usage simultaneously. 

Unfortunately, this power-saving feature may make you think your Vizio TV screen is black due to an error if you’re unaware of what it does. Here’s how you can toggle the Mute Screen feature to confirm whether your Vizio TV suffers from a black screen:

Step 1: Turn on the Vizio TV using the power button on the remote control. Note: You can also use your Vizio TV’s physical power button.

Step 2: Move close to your Vizio TV speakers to check if you can hear any sound. Note: You may find the speakers in different locations based on the Vizio TV model.

Step 3: Press Volume Up on your Vizio TV or remote control to increase the sound level. Note: A Vizio TV with a black screen issue should produce a sound even when the display isn’t working.

Step 4: Hold the Mute button on the Vizio remote for 5 seconds to toggle on the TV’s Mute Screen feature. Note: If the Mute Screen feature was on, toggling it off should reactivate your Vizio TV display screen.

Check and replace your Vizio remote’s batteries if holding the mute button doesn’t do anything. It’s an essential precaution if you’re unaware your TV’s remote control isn’t working.

Note that the Mute Screen feature can be toggled by pressing one button, so it’s easy to activate it by accident. And if somebody sits on the remote by mistake, they may turn the feature on, and you may end up thinking that your Vizio TV has a black screen issue.

FIX 3. Check the connections 

Difficulty	Very Easy ●○○○○
Number of Steps	3
Time to Perform Fix	10 seconds
Things Needed	A Vizio smart TV A Vizio TV remote control Working input and power cables

Another essential thing you need to check when faced by a black screen of death on your Vizio TV is the cable connections. In particular, you must inspect the power and input cables for loose connections.

Since the power cable carries the electricity supplied by your wall outlet, any damage or fault in its connection can cause the Vizio TV black screen issue. As such, you must ensure the power cable connector is a snug fit on your Vizio TV’s DC/IN port.

The same applies to the input cables, such as your HDMI cable and RCA connectors, since they carry the video signal and data from your external source devices. Using a faulty or loose HDMI cable will mess with the data transmission.

These connection problems will cause your Vizio TV screen to appear black. In such cases, the best you can do is redo the connections and ensure all cables are damage-free and plugged in securely and tightly.

Step 1: Power off the Vizio TV using the power button on the remote control. Note: You can also use your Vizio TV’s physical power button.

Step 2: Unplug the power cable, HDMI cable, RCA connectors, and AUX cable connected to your Vizio TV.

Step 3: Plug the cables into the Vizio TV. Note: All cables must be tight and secure to prevent a loose connection.

It would be best to inspect all cable wires before plugging them back into your Vizio TV to ensure they don’t have any physical damage. If a cable has wear and tear or a broken and rusty connector, you must immediately replace it with a new one.

After all, using a faulty cable on your Vizio TV can lead to further damage. In some extreme cases, faulty cables and wires may cause irreparable damage to your Vizio TV, which means all you can do is dispose of it.

FIX 4. Check if there’s an issue with the backlight

Difficulty	Very Easy ●○○○○
Number of Steps	3
Time to Perform Fix	10 to 30 seconds
Things Needed	A Vizio TV A flashlight or the camera flash

The solutions above deal with the black screen issue on Vizio TVs due to faulty accessories and software errors. However, there are instances when hardware defects or damage cause the Vizio TV black screen of death issues during use.

In such cases, the first order of business should be to confirm if the black screen error stems from a hardware defect or damage. You can do this by performing specific tests on your Vizio TV to determine if only the backlight isn’t working.

Without a working backlight, your Vizio TV will continue to generate images, but the display screen will appear black to you due to the lack of lighting. It means that your Vizio TV is operational and only needs its backlight replaced.

You can use the sound and flashlight tests to check if your Vizio TV has a broken backlight. Refer to the instructions below to perform both tests on your Vizio TV to determine the cause of the black screen issue.

Step 1: Turn on the Vizio TV using the power button on the remote control. Note: You can also use your Vizio TV’s physical power button.

Step 2: Move close to your Vizio TV speakers to check if you can hear any sound. Note: Press Volume Up on your Vizio TV or remote control to increase the sound level. The sound level should continue to increase if only your Vizio TV’s backlight isn’t working.

Step 3: Point a flashlight on the Vizio TV screen to see if you can make out some images. Note: Try pointing the flashlight at different angles to see the images on the Vizio TV screen.

If you don’t see images on the Vizio TV screen, the damage may be on its control board instead. Therefore, the proper fix you need depends on the result of the tests you’ve performed.

FIX 5. Replace your Vizio TV’s control board 

Difficulty	Hard ●●●●●
Number of Steps	5
Time to Perform Fix	< 1 hour
Things Needed	A Vizio TV A screwdriver A replacement T-con board

As mentioned, if the flashlight test revealed no images on the Vizio TV screen, you have a faulty or damaged control board (T-con board). It means that your only option is to remove the faulty control board and replace it with a new one.

Vizio TV black screen issues due to faulty or damaged hardware are more difficult to troubleshoot since they require knowledge and skill in handling electronic devices. If you don’t think you can perform the replacement, ask for help.

You can also bring your faulty Vizio TV to a service center or repair shop so an expert technician can take a look and fix its hardware problem. Unfortunately, replacement repairs can be costly since you need to pay for the new parts installed on your TV.

As such, check if the device is under warranty to see if you can get a free service from Vizio. You must contact Vizio Support so they can arrange the warranty service for your TV and set your appointment with their service center.

Step 1: Power off the Vizio TV and set it facedown on a table with a smooth surface.

Step 2: Unscrew its back cover.

Step 3: Lift the back cover to expose what’s inside the Vizio TV.

Step 4: Disconnect the ribbon cables and wires from the control board.

Step 5: Unscrew and remove the control board to install its replacement. Note: Don’t forget to reconnect the ribbon cables and wires to the new control board.

Step 6: Put the Vizio TV back together and power it on to check if the issue is solved.

FIX 6. Replace your Vizio TV’s LED backlight strips

Difficulty	Hard ●●●●●
Number of Steps	20
Time to Perform Fix	> 1 hour
Things Needed	A Vizio TVA screwdriver A pair of pliers An adhesive tape2 Suction cups A putty knife A double-sided tape A set of replacement LED strips

Like the control board replacement procedure, installing new LED strips on your Vizio TV is difficult if you don’t have the knowledge and skill to handle electronic devices. As such, there’s no shame in admitting when you can’t perform the replacement yourself.

It’s better to have a certified technician look into the black screen issue instead of causing further damage to the device due to mishandling. However, don’t let that discourage you from learning how to fix your Vizio TV.

If you have the proper set of tools and the correct instructions for the job, the replacement procedure should be doable for most people. Thus, carefully follow the instructions below to replace your Vizio TV’s LED strips without issue.

Step 1: Power off the Vizio TV and set it facedown on a table with a smooth surface.

Step 2: Unscrew its back cover.

Step 3: Lift the back cover to expose what’s inside the Vizio TV.

Step 4: Locate your Vizio TV’s IR sensor and lift it. Note: It should be on one of your TV’s bottom corners.

Step 5: Unscrew its bezel from the chassis.

Step 6: Unplug the ribbon cables connecting the control board to the address board.

Step 7: Flip the Vizio TV and remove the bezel from the chassis.

Step 8: Remove the address board protector at the bottom.

Step 9: Lift the address board from your TV’s filter frame.

Step 10: Stick the address board to your TV’s LCD panel using tape.

Step 11: Lift your TV’s LCD panel using two suction cups.

Step 12: Dislodge the plastic locks or clips on the side of the TV’s filter frame.

Step 13: Remove the filter frames from all sides.

Step 14: Tape all corners of the light filters to bind them together and keep their order.

Step 15: Use your pliers to pry the standoffs above the reflector sheet.

Step 16: Lift the reflector sheet to expose your TV’s LED strips.

Step 17: Uninstall the Vizio TV’s LED strips. Note: Use a putty knife to dislodge the LED strips secured with double-sided tape.

Step 18: Place a double-sided tape where you’ll install the replacement LED strips.

Step 19: Install the new LED strips over the double-sided tape to secure them.

Step 20: Review Steps 16 to 1 to reassemble your Vizio TV. Note: Taking a photo of how your Vizio TV looked initially is also a good reference point when reassembling it.

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