Article ID : 00032636 / Last Modified : 11/09/2023

My TV has lines on the screen, blurred picture, double images, or odd colors

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Your TV may experience a video issue for several reasons, including connection issues, screen adjustments, video source performance, electrical interference, power conditions, and more. This information and the troubleshooting steps are provided to help you identify and resolve the issue you're experiencing.

Note: If you have a J or K series TV and your TV has a vertical line or double image while streaming content, refer to this article instead.

Select the issue you're experiencing with your TV for troubleshooting steps and information:

Blank screen or No display (with/without audio)

Lines on the screen (vertical or horizontal lines, bands)

If you're experiencing vertical or horizontal lines on the screen, follow the troubleshooting steps provided.

Troubleshooting

First, determine if the issue occurs on the TV menu screen or only when watching your usual TV source.

On the supplied remote control, press the HOME button to view the TV menu screen.
Follow the steps provided based on your results:
- The issue also occurs on the TV menu
  1. Perform a power restart or reset your TV:
    - Android TV™ / Google TV™ models
      
      Restart
      
      The menu items and steps may vary, follow the steps that best match your TV menu.
      
      Restart the TV with the supplied remote control:
      Press and hold the POWER button until Power off appears on the screen
      Press and hold the POWER button until a menu appears, then select Restart
      
      Restart using the TV menu:
      On the supplied remote, press the (Quick Settings) button, then select Settings → System → Restart → Restart
      On the supplied remote, press the HOME button, then select Settings → About → Restart → Restart
      On the supplied remote, press the HOME button, then select Settings → Device Preferences → About → Restart → Restart
      
      Note: When restarting with the remote or menu, the TV will automatically power off and back on after a short time.
      
      Power Reset
      
      Unplug the TV power cord from the wall outlet, wait two minutes, then plug the power cord back in.
    - Other TV models
      
      Follow these steps to perform a power reset.
      
      Turn off the TV.
      IMPORTANT: For a projection TV that uses an internal lamp wait 5 minutes after turning off the TV to allow the lamp to cool before continuing.
      
      Unplug the TV power cord from the electrical outlet.
      Let the television remain without power for 60 seconds.
      Plug the power cord back into the electrical outlet.
      Note: If your TV was previously plugged into a power strip or surge protector, plug it directly into the wall outlet instead in case the power strip or surge protector was causing a problem.
      
      Turn on the TV.
  2. Run the Self Diagnostics option on the TV (not available on all models).
  3. Press the HOME button again to display the menu screen.
    - If the menu screen still displays the lines, a repair is required. Go to Product Repair.
- The issue occurs only when watching TV (not on the TV menu screen)
  If the lines are not visible on the TV menu screen, an external source (such as a cable or satellite box, internet video device, or other devices like a DVD player) or cable connections could be the cause of the issue. Check the following to resolve the issue:
  - Run the Self Diagnostics option on the TV (not available on all models). If your TV appears good during diagnostics, then it's an issue with the broadcast source, cable, video source device, or possible interference.
  - Check if the cable going to your TV from your connected device is firmly connected on both ends to make sure it's not loose.
  - Replace the cable to your TV from your connected device to see if the situation improves.
  - Try connecting your device to a different input terminal on the TV:
    1. Connect your device to a different input terminal on your TV.
    2. On the TV's supplied remote control, press the Input button to switch to the input that corresponds to the connected device and check if the situation improves.
  - Try connecting another device to your TV using the same input terminal to determine if the device itself is causing the issue.
  - Try plugging the power cord into a different electrical outlet or surge protector, and eliminate any extension cords or power strips where possible.
    - These symptoms may occur if the electrical outlet or wiring is faulty or experiencing electrical interference.
    - If you have a surge protector or extension cord, it could be faulty or cause interference.
  - Turn off any electrical or battery-operated devices that may create radio frequency (RF) interference, including any nearby fans or other items with a motor.
  - If using an antenna, adjust the antenna direction and location for better reception.
    - Nearby mountains or tall buildings reflecting the broadcast signals may cause issues with picture quality.
    - The type of reception that you'll receive depends on the antenna type you're using and how far a particular station is. Visit the AntennaWeb website to check which stations are available in your area and the recommended type of antenna to use.

Blurred, hazy, or dull screen

If you're experiencing a blurry, hazy, or dull screen, follow the troubleshooting steps provided.

Troubleshooting

First, determine if the issue also occurs on the TV menu screen or if it's only when watching your usual TV source.

On the supplied remote control, press the HOME button to view the TV menu screen.
Follow the steps provided based on your results:
- The issue also occurs on the TV menu
  Note: Images may look like they are trailing or the screen may be dark when used in a cold place. This isn't a malfunction and will recover when the temperature rises back to normal.
  1. Perform a power restart or reset your TV:
    - Android TV™ / Google TV™ models
      
      Restart
      
      The menu items and steps may vary, follow the steps that best match your TV menu.
      
      Restart the TV with the supplied remote control:
      Press and hold the POWER button until Power off appears on the screen
      Press and hold the POWER button until a menu appears, then select Restart
      
      Restart using the TV menu:
      On the supplied remote, press the (Quick Settings) button, then select Settings → System → Restart → Restart
      On the supplied remote, press the HOME button, then select Settings → About → Restart → Restart
      On the supplied remote, press the HOME button, then select Settings → Device Preferences → About → Restart → Restart
      
      Note: When restarting with the remote or menu, the TV will automatically power off and back on after a short time.
      
      Power Reset
      
      Unplug the TV power cord from the wall outlet, wait two minutes, then plug the power cord back in.
    - Other TV models
      
      Follow these steps to perform a power reset.
      
      Turn off the TV.
      IMPORTANT: For a projection TV that uses an internal lamp wait 5 minutes after turning off the TV to allow the lamp to cool before continuing.
      
      Unplug the TV power cord from the electrical outlet.
      Let the television remain without power for 60 seconds.
      Plug the power cord back into the electrical outlet.
      Note: If your TV was previously plugged into a power strip or surge protector, plug it directly into the wall outlet instead in case the power strip or surge protector was causing a problem.
      
      Turn on the TV.
  2. Run the Self Diagnostics option on the TV (not available on all models).
  3. Check if the menu screen still appears blurry, hazy, or dull.
    - If the issue still occurs, try adjusting the picture settings, such as Sharpness, Contrast, etc.
  4. Try cleaning your TV screen.
  5. Make sure to install the latest TV software. Downloads are posted on your model support page.
  6. If the menu screen is still blurry, hazy, or looks dull, repair may be required. Go to Product Repair.
- The issue occurs only when watching TV (not on the TV menu screen)
  If the screen appears blurry, hazy, or dull while watching TV but not on the TV menu screen, an external source (such as a cable or satellite box, internet video device, or other devices like a DVD player) or cable connections could be the cause of the issue. Check the following to resolve the issue:
  - For TVs with the Motionflow function, select Auto, Custom, Standard, or Off. Additional information is available for adjusting the picture settings on your TV.
  - If the issue only occurs when watching internet streaming videos from services like YouTube™, Netflix®, or Amazon Prime™, this could be due to your internet speed and network performance. Video streaming apps' picture quality/resolution automatically adjusts according to your network performance. If your internet speed and network performance are less than required for high-quality video, a lower-quality picture resolution will be shown. Additional information is available if your Internet streaming video will only play back in standard definition (SD) quality.
  - The quality obtained from DVD discs recorded on home DVD recorders often varies due to different quality settings used on the recorders. Picture quality from VHS tapes often appears to be significantly worse than other sources, symptoms often include a grainy and watery picture.
  - Check if the cable is firmly connected to the TV and the connected device, and make sure it is not loose.
  - Replace the cable going to your TV from your connected device to see if the situation improves.
  - Try connecting your device to a different input terminal on the TV:
    1. Connect your device to another input terminal on your TV.
    2. On the TV's supplied remote control, press the Input button to switch to the input that corresponds to the connected device and check if the situation improves.
  - Connect another A/V device to your TV using the same input terminal to check whether the connected A/V device causes the issue.
  - If using an antenna, adjust the antenna direction and location for better reception.
    - Nearby mountains or tall buildings that reflect the broadcast signals may cause ghosting in the picture.
    - The type of reception that you'll receive depends on the antenna type you're using and how far a particular station is. Visit the AntennaWeb website to check which stations are available in your area and the recommended type of antenna to use.
  - Reset your TV to the factory defaults. Check your manual for model-specific information.
    - Android TV / Google TV models
    - Other TV models

Double or ghost images

Abnormal screen, bright spots, or cloudy

Contrast issues (too bright or dark)

Gray screen

Odd colors on the screen (solarization, no color, faded, intermixing, or spreading of color)

If odd colors appear or the screen is mostly yellow or gray, or red, blue, and purple, check the troubleshooting steps provided:

Troubleshooting

First, determine if the issue occurs on the TV menu screen or only when watching your usual TV source.

On the supplied remote control, press the HOME button to view the TV menu screen.
Follow the steps provided based on your results:
- The issue also occurs on the TV menu
  - Adjust the picture color settings:
  - If your TV has a reset function for picture settings, follow the instructions provided to reset the settings:
    Note: If your remote has an OPTIONS button, press it then select Picture or Picture Mode → Reset.
    1. On the supplied remote control, press either the (Quick Settings), HOME or Menu buttons (depending on the model).
    2. The next steps vary. follow the steps that best match your TV menu:
      Select Settings → Display & Sound → Picture → Reset picture settings for xx.
      Select Settings → Display & Sound → Picture & Display or Display → Picture or Picture adjustments → Advanced settings → Reset.
      Select Settings → Display → Picture → Reset.
      Select → System Settings → Picture → Reset.
  - Run the Self Diagnostics option on the TV (not available on all models).
  - Perform a power restart or reset your TV:
    - Android TV / Google TV models
      
      Restart
      
      The menu items and steps may vary, follow the steps that best match your TV menu.
      
      Restart the TV with the supplied remote control:
      Press and hold the POWER button until Power off appears on the screen
      Press and hold the POWER button until a menu appears, then select Restart
      
      Restart using the TV menu:
      On the supplied remote, press the (Quick Settings) button, then select Settings → System → Restart → Restart
      On the supplied remote, press the HOME button, then select Settings → About → Restart → Restart
      On the supplied remote, press the HOME button, then select Settings → Device Preferences → About → Restart → Restart
      
      Note: When restarting with the remote or menu, the TV will automatically power off and back on after a short time.
      
      Power Reset
      
      Unplug the TV power cord from the wall outlet, wait two minutes, then plug the power cord back in.
    - Other TV models
      
      Follow these steps to perform a power reset.
      
      Turn off the TV.
      IMPORTANT: For a projection TV that uses an internal lamp, wait 5 minutes after turning off the TV to allow the lamp to cool before continuing.
      
      Unplug the TV power cord from the electrical outlet.
      Let the television remain without power for 60 seconds.
      Plug the power cord back into the electrical outlet.
      Note: If your TV was previously plugged into a power strip or surge protector, plug it directly into the wall outlet instead in case the power strip or surge protector was causing a problem.
      
      Turn on the TV.
  - Make sure to install the latest TV software. Downloads are posted on your model support page.
  - If the TV menu still displays odd colors, repair may be required. Go to Product Repair.
- The issue occurs only when watching TV (not on the TV menu screen)
  If your TV menu screen doesn't show odd colors, your TV settings, broadcast signal source (such as cable or satellite box, internet video device, or other devices such as a DVD player), or cable connections could be the cause of the issue. Check the following to help resolve the issue:
  - Check if the cable is firmly connected to the TV and the connected device, and make sure it is not loose.
  - Use a spare cable to replace the currently used one and see if the situation will improve.
  - Try connecting your device to a different input terminal on the TV:
    1. Connect your device to other input terminals of your TV.
    2. On the TV's supplied remote control, press the Input button to switch to the input that corresponds to the connected device and check if the situation improves.
  - Connect another A/V device to your TV using the same input terminal to check whether the connected A/V device causes the issue.
  - If using an antenna, adjust the antenna direction and location for better reception.
    - Nearby mountain or tall buildings that reflects the broadcast signals may cause ghosting in the picture.
    - The type of reception that you'll receive depends on the antenna type that you're using and how far a particular station is. Visit the AntennaWeb website to check which stations are available in your area and the recommended type of antenna to use.
  - Turn off any electrical or battery-operated devices that may create radio frequency (RF) interference.
  - Reset your TV to the factory defaults. Check your manual for model-specific information.

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My TV has lines on the screen, blurred picture, double images, or odd colors

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