Based on the cause, flickering horizontal lines on your TV can be temporary or permanent. Regardless of how serious the issue might be, some tools and knowledge can make the issue go away.
If some technical issues are found, you can talk to technicians. They’ll show up, identify the issues with the hardware, and fix them at a fee. Before inviting a pro to solve the issue, you can take steps to troubleshoot the matter and see if you can fix it yourself.
What Causes Horizontal Lines on TV Screen?
The lines can occur for many reasons. Before you start fixing the problem, you need to know its roots. That way, it becomes easier to know the best step to fix it. Here are some of the common causes of horizontal lines on TV screens;
1. Power Malfunction
Maybe there’s a problem with the power supply of your Vizio TV. After thorough research, many users report that they realized that power shortage might cause the horizontal lines. Thus, if you notice the issue, you might want to check the power source if there’s any trouble that might be causing the issue.
2. Bad Video Cables
Problem with video cables might also contribute to the horizontal lines on your TV screen. While HDMI cables are usually the main suspects in this case, you also need to check the entire wiring. Check the cables regularly to prevent the issue from occurring again in the future.
3. Third-Party Devices
It’s okay to use a third-party device to watch your favorite show. However, they might cause similar interruptions. Horizontal lines will show on the screen of your TV that happens. Try connecting your TV to another device to see if the lines are still there. If so, then the third-party device is the source of the problem.
4. Broken Display/Hardware Problem
It’s always possible that the display is broken. You can find this out by checking for any internal problems with your TV. Most of the time, the horizontal line will show up around the broken areas of your TV screen.
Casual troubleshooting won’t do you any good if your TV is spoilt in any way. This is not meant to discourage you since hardware trouble doesn’t happen often.
In this guide, we’ll share important tips to help you locate the origin of the issue and solve it. Don’t call an expert just yet; instead, keep reading for more pointers.
How to Fix Horizontal Lines on Your TV Screen
Find out the severity of the damage before you start fixing the problem. You should know that the circuit board is connected to the display, and this is where you get the LCD image pixels. The steps below can help you troubleshoot the issue and find how bad the issue is.
- Restart your TV to find out whether the horizontal lines are permanent or temporary
- Find if there’re any loose connections between the display and the circuit board
- Inspect the Timing Control (T-Con) board located in the TV
- Gently tap the TV set since dust accumulation or loose wiring might be causing the horizontal lines
- Check the user manual to find out of any hardware issues might lead to the problem
Your TV has delicate components. Therefore, you don’t want to cause further damage as you try to fix the issue. Follow the steps below to avoid possible complications that might arise in the process.
- Switch off your TV, unplug it, and put it back in
- Turn on your TV, and if the issue persists, you can dig deeper to find where the problem lies
- You need to disconnect your TV and only place it on a flat, even surface when you open it
- You only need standard screwdrivers to open the back of your TV
Remember, this method is complicated, and you should save it for last. Meanwhile, before opening the back of your TV, follow the steps below to see if the problem goes away.
1. Power Cycle The TV
After your TV has restarted, you need to power cycle it to see if this solves the problem. The power cycle is different from a normal reboot as it drains all electricity that might be stuck in your device. Once you’ve done that and you power it, your TV will have a fresh boot.
Power surges and power outages might cause the horizontal line. If that’s the case, a simple power cycle should solve the issue. The steps below detail how you can power cycle your TV in minutes.
- Use a remote to power off your TV
- Find your TV’s power cable and disconnect it from the power source
- Let it stay that way for a few minutes
- Reconnect the power cable to the source of power
- Turn on the TV and see if the issue is still there
You should plug the power cable into a wall outlet after you have power cycled the device. Dividers, strips, and other power transmitting devices can cause severe power malfunctions after some time. Following these steps can help you establish whether the issue was caused by the power supply.
2. Check The Wiring
If you’re still reading, it means the issue persisted. Therefore, the problem could be with the wiring configuration, and you can find that out.
There’re cases where HDMI cable and power cables can develop issues, thereby leading to horizontal lines on your TV. As such, you should never forget to confirm that they’re in good condition.
In this case, you’ll be looking for two things; faulty cables or faults in the wiring cables. To know the faulty cables, you need to test them on different devices and see if they work. Plug them into the cable slots after testing and finding that they’re working well.
3. Check Third-Party Device
In some cases, the flickering horizontal lines could be shown on your television because of a third-party device. Suppose you’re using DVDs, smartphones, and gaming consoles, we suggest disconnecting them until the end of this post.
Your TV can stream media on your own, so try to use its functionality for that. Go to Watch TV, and that’s not available, and move to any in-built app, such as YouTube and Netflix.
If you notice that the horizontal lines disappear when there’s no third-party device connected, it means they were the problem. You can test them one after the other to find the faulty one.
But if the problem is still there, now is the time to take things a bit further.
4. Factory Reset Your TV
Factory resetting your TV is a great way to reset its memory and configurations. Some users are able to solve the horizontal lines by playing around with the settings, and this includes factory resetting their device.
If that’s what you’re ready for, here’re the important steps you must follow for the process to be successful;
- On the remote, press the Menu button
- Use the arrows on the remote to highlight System and then press Ok
- Highlight Reset & Admin
- Highlight Reset to Factory Settings and then press Ok to confirm
From there, be patient and give your TV enough time to complete the process and finalize the initial setup. Your TV might restart itself many times before the process is complete. The entire thing can last up to 15 minutes.
Power on your TV to see if the problem is still there. If the problem is still there, you need to contact the support team, more so if the device is still under warranty. But your technician can perform hardware inspection by following the steps we had highlighted above.
Can I Inspect The Hardware On My Own?
flickering horizontal lines on tv screen
As we have seen, this is something that you can do on your own. However, it comes with its fair share of risks. For instance, since you’ll be handling delicate components, you risk damaging your TV further.
The other thing is that the warranty will become void if you touch the device. Even if you contact the manufacturer, they won’t help you much with the issue. For example, they won’t replace the spoilt parts, and your TV might not get the best attention.
If you must check the hardware on your own, suppose the warranty has expired, you need the help of a technician. This should be someone familiar with the problem. Still, you can ask the manufacturer to recommend someone they trust to help you solve the problem.
Conclusion
Horizontal lines on the screen of your TV can give you a bad experience. However, with the pointers above, you can fix the problem and keep watching your favorite show. Most of the time, the flickering lines are caused by power issues, which you can solve by simple power cycling. But if the problem is deep-rooted, you might want to factory reset your device or seek help from trusted persons.
Denis is an article/blog and content writer with over 7 years of experience in writing on content on different niches, including product reviews, buyer’s guide, health, travel, fitness, technology, tourism. I also have enough experience in SEO writing.
