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Vizio TV Won’t Turn On: 7 Simple Solutions [2023]

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A TV that doesn’t turn on is about as useful as a 50-pound paperweight. If your Vizio TV stopped working altogether, or it won’t turn on with the remote, there are a handful of easy fixes that usually solve the problem.

In this guide, we’ll take a look at exactly what steps to take when your Vizio TV won’t turn on, including fixes for the TV itself and the remote.

1. Check the Power Indicator Light

Before we fix the problem, we need to figure out whether your TV is actually off.

Depending on the model of your TV, the power light may be a rectangle along the bottom corner of the panel, or it may be built into the Vizio name at the bottom of the display.

Look for and press the power button on your TV. We’re going to use that button rather than the remote in case your remote turns out to be the cause of the problem.

When you press the power button, watch the power light.

  • If the light flashes from orange to white and keeps flashing for more than two minutes, your TV needs to be serviced by Vizio support (solution 7 below).
  • If the light comes on but the picture doesn’t display, the problem is with your display rather than its power source. Solutions 2, 3, 4, and 7 below are worth trying, but you may need to contact Vizio support (solution 7 below).
  • If the light doesn’t come on at all, the problem is probably with your device’s power source. Try solutions 2, 3, 4, and 7 below.
  • With some new Vizio models, the indicator light is white when the TV is off and fades when the TV turns on. In this case, you should contact Vizio support if the light doesn’t fade when you hit the power button (solution 7 below).
  • If the indicator light comes on normally when you use the TV’s power button but won’t turn on with your remote, there’s probably a problem with the remote rather than the TV. Try solutions 5, 6, and 7 below.

2. Power Cycle Your Vizio TV

Often, software problems can cause your TV not to turn on correctly. As with most electronics, the easiest way to deal with these glitches is to reboot the system.

However, pressing the power button won’t actually reboot your TV. Instead of turning off, your TV enters standby mode when you press the off button. This allows the TV to turn on faster, but it can allow software bugs to pile up over time.

There is a way to force your Vizio TV to reboot fully. Here’s how:

  1. Unplug your TV from the wall.
  2. Wait two minutes.
  3. Plug your TV back in and turn it on.

Did your TV turn on correctly after that? If not, we’ll move on to another potential solution.

3. Test the Power Outlet

We need to make sure that your TV is receiving power from the wall outlet or surge protector. You’re going to need a lamp or similar device, anything mobile that you can easily test to see if it is getting power.

Unplug your TV from the wall or surge protector and plug in the lamp in its place. Try powering the lamp on.

If that works, the outlet is fine. Otherwise, try powering the TV through a different outlet. You may also want to check your breaker box to see if the outlet’s breaker has tripped.

Once we’ve confirmed that the outlet is working, plug the TV in again. Make sure the cord is snugly connected to both the wall and the TV panel. If you’re using a surge protector, make sure it’s turned on.

Press the power button on your TV again. Hopefully, that worked; the next solution is a bit more drastic.

4. Factory Reset Your TV

Typically, we’d reset your Vizio TV from the System menu. However, you obviously can’t do that when your TV won’t turn on.

Vizio TVs can be factory reset without access to the display, and that’s the process we’re going to take advantage of.

Since this is a full factory reset, it’s going to delete all of your applications, application data, and user settings. That’s why I highly recommend that you try the previous solutions first.

Before you proceed, make sure that you have your logins and passwords handy for all of your apps. You’ll need them to access the apps after this process is complete.

This process won’t be easy without a working display. Typically, you’d see an on-screen prompt with the instructions, but we can proceed even without visual confirmation. It might just take a couple of tries to get the timing right.

  1. Turn the TV on using the power button on the TV itself (not on the remote). Even if the TV doesn’t turn on properly, this process may work as long as the panel is receiving power.
  2. Press and hold the Volume Down and Input buttons on the TV for 15 seconds. For most Vizio models, these buttons are on the side of the TV panel.
  3. Let go of both buttons.
  4. Quickly press and hold the Input button for another 10 seconds.
  5. Wait about 1 minute to see if the panel resets. If not, try the process again.

Once the panel resets, it will hopefully be working again.

If the reset didn’t fix the problem, or if you can’t get the reset to work without the display, we’re out of solutions that you can do on your own. You may need assistance from Vizio’s support team to proceed.

5. Power Cycle Your Vizio Remote

The Vizio remote sometimes needs to be reset, just like the TV. When your remote isn’t turning on your TV, this should be your go-to solution.

Since the remote runs on batteries, the process is a little different than power cycling a TV, but the basic idea is the same.

  1. Remove the batteries from the remote.
  2. Hold down the remote’s power button for at least 15 seconds to drain the remaining power from the device.
  3. Put the batteries back in the remote.

Now try powering on your TV using the remote. Most connection issues between the TV and remote should have been resolved by this fix. If your TV still doesn’t turn on, we’ve got one more thing to try.

6. Replace the Batteries in Your Remote

I know, it’s an obvious solution. Even if you’ve replaced your remote batteries recently, it’s worth trying a new set.

Vizio remotes sometimes eat batteries quickly, especially if one of the buttons was stuck down to an object like a couch cushion pressed against it. And it’s always possible that you got a dud set of batteries that didn’t have much power to begin with.

Once you replace the batteries, try turning on your Vizio TV with the remote again. If that still doesn’t work, your remote may need to be replaced. Before you go about buying a new one, though, you should get in touch with Vizio, especially if your TV is under warranty.

7. Contact Vizio Support

Check your warranty before you contact Vizio. Most Vizio TVs come with a limited 1-year warranty, although that warranty is only 90 days if the TV was purchased for commercial use.

Vizio support has text messaging, online live chat, and phone support options. Pick whichever one you prefer; the quality of service is roughly the same on any of them.

Your TV or remote may need to be repaired or replaced. Depending on your warranty status and the cause of the problem, the repair could be anywhere from free to nearly as expensive as a new Vizio TV.

What’s Next?

Your Vizio TV can work without a functioning remote, and you can even use a smart TV without internet. But you can’t very well watch a TV that won’t turn on.

If these fixes didn’t work and Vizio support couldn’t help, it might be time to consider a replacement smart TV or Android TV. I know that’s never what anyone wants to hear, so let me try to make it as painless as possible. Budget TVs like the Onn TV brand are a lot more powerful than they used to be, offering a good solution (short-term or otherwise) for replacing a TV without breaking the bank.

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