Samsung TVs have this annoying habit where they might suddenly restart all on their own. Usually, it ties back to hiccups in the electrical supply or quirky control signals. Sometimes even a remote that's not quite up to snuff can be the troublemaker, causing all sorts of headaches.
Fortunately, these issues are common so they come with easy fixes – you don’t need to be qualified or have advanced technical knowledge. With that in mind, let’s investigate why your Samsung TV is turning on and off repeatedly by itself.
Why Does My Samsung TV Turn On and Off Repeatedly?
A Samsung TV turning on and off by itself is cause for concern. When this happens, it makes it even more difficult for you to use the TV and you might not even be able to access the menu to perform a factory reset. There can be a multitude of reasons for this issue, and most of them are hardware-related.
When it comes to hardware-related issues, there are plenty of them out there. Any component – from your home’s electrical wiring to the motherboard – on your TV might be defective. Therefore, when diagnosing hardware issues, always make sure to execute each step carefully. The following list includes the most common hardware issues.
- Faulty surge protector
- Exposed or bent power cables
- Defective wall outlet
- Shorted out power supply circuit
- Broken remote
- Faulty capacitors
- Shorted out motherboard
- Glitching HDMI ports and external devices
- And many more
However, we cannot exclude the possibility of software-related issues as well – shown in the following list.
- Firmware update
- Bugs in the system
- Computer viruses
- Eco Solution setting
- Automatic recalibration
- Sleep timer setting
- Anynet+
Any, or a combination, of these issues, could be the cause. Regardless, we will talk about how you can resolve nearly all of these issues in the upcoming sections.
At SmartHomePerfected we always advise readers not to undertake any work they are not competent in performing and if in any doubt, it is best to seek the assistance of a professional.
How to Reset the Power Connection
On top of glitches, another issue that could cause a Samsung TV to turn on and off by itself is due to power cycling. Samsung TVs may perform this operation to recalibrate themselves, and sometimes, the TV might get caught up in a continuous loop. This is when the TV would switch on and off repeatedly without stopping.
Fortunately, to resolve the power cycling and other software-related glitches, a quick reset should be able to help. Performing a quick reset is easy to do and you don’t need to deconstruct the TV or do any elaborate technical work.
- First, switch off the TV. You can do this by unplugging the power cord from the wall socket/surge protector.
- After that, locate the power button on your TV. It’s usually on the bottom side of your TV.
- When you’ve found the power button, press and hold it for around 30 seconds.
- After that, let go of the power button and wait for 3 to 5 seconds without switching on the TV.
- Finally, switch on the TV and check if the problem has gone away.
- If the issue is still present, you might be dealing with a hardware issue, settings that have been configured incorrectly, or a virus.
How to Check the TV Settings
Sometimes, there are a few settings that might have been configured incorrectly – causing your TV to switch on and off repeatedly at random times. The following settings are the possible culprits to the issue at hand.
Eco Solution setting: This setting can turn off your TV automatically when it is not displaying anything.
The sleep timer setting: This setting operates the same way as the Eco Solution setting, however, it has a time limit before shutting down.
Software updates or outdated firmware: Pending updates or outdated firmware can glitch out, especially with more recent apps.
External devices: External devices can also affect the TV, causing it to turn off or enter standby mode automatically.
Knowing what to look for and how to alter the settings can make it so much easier to fix your TV than immediately performing a factory reset upon facing every minor issue. Here are some of the easiest ways to solve any issues involving particular settings.
- First, we recommend performing a quick reset using the steps mentioned in the previous guide. This way, the TV will restore itself back to its default state including the settings.
- After that, we will change the Eco Solution setting. Open up the Settings menu on your TV.
- Go to General and select the option for Eco Solution.
- Change the Auto Power setting to Off.
- For the final step, change the sleep timer setting.
- Select General and navigate to the System Manager.
- Next, select the option Time.
- Then, select the option called Sleep Timer.
- Finally, set the option to Off.
How to Perform a Software Update
Running on outdated software can often lead to bugs, glitches, and vulnerability to viruses. Therefore, updating your Samsung TV’s software is always necessary.
Samsung gives you the option to update their software automatically. Highlighting this allows the Samsung TV to update automatically. Unfortunately, this is not the case all the time – particularly if there are bugs in the system.
We do not recommend turning off automatic updates since outdated software won’t be compatible with newer and existing apps. On top of that, missing regular updates means missing out on various energy efficiency and HDMI compatibility features.
Also, you have the option to do this manually. You can check and update the TV's firmware whenever you need, as long as you do it regularly and don't switch off the TV during the update. Regardless, if you don’t want to intervene, you can set the device to do this automatically. Just make sure that the TV won't switch off during the update as that might corrupt the data and bring about a whole new host of problems.
The simple guide below will show you how to update the firmware by toggling the automatic updates.
- First, open up the Settings menu on your TV.
- After that, select the tab called Support.
- Then, select the option called Software Update.
- Finally, change the Update setting to Now. Also, set the Automatic Updates feature to On.
How to Check for Viruses
Essentially, smart TVs work the same way as computers. They have motherboards and power supply units. You can control them to perform a wide variety of tasks – almost anything you can do on a computer, you can do on a smart TV as well.
Unfortunately, just like a standard computer, the operating system on a smart TV is also susceptible to viruses. Even though the operating system on a smart TV is not Windows, it can still get infected with viruses when you download a file or visit a suspicious website.
Virus attacks are highly unlikely, however, we cannot rule this out, especially since viruses are capable of hijacking a system. It could take over the TV's internal mechanism, making it turn on and off repeatedly.
In this guide, we are going to show you how to scan the TV for viruses.
- First, enter the Settings menu.
- Next, go to the General tab.
- After that, tap on the System Manager option.
- Then, select the option called Scan.
- The TV will now scan for viruses and notify you of any infected files.
- If the TV turns off before it could scan for viruses, you might have to perform a factory reset.
Checking for Other Problems
By performing all of the methods mentioned above, you might have solved the problem. Unfortunately, if the above guides don’t seem to work, there are a few other things that you can consider.
Broken surge protector: A faulty surge protector or wall socket might have become loose or broken. Although we do recommend using a surge protector to keep your TV safe during lightning strikes and other electrical faults, it’s best if you use a high-quality surge protector from a reputable brand.
Connection error: External devices — connected via the TV's HDMI ports — can also glitch out and cause your TV’s display to turn on and off repeatedly. However, the device may not even be at fault. It could be the HDMI port that is glitching, either due to a shaky connection or a broken port. Whatever the case may be, we recommend you disconnect all non-essential external devices when troubleshooting these issues.
Defective motherboard: The TV’s motherboard may be damaged. Diagnosing a defective motherboard is difficult, and only an experienced technician will be able to figure it out. Therefore, eliminate all other options before deciding it is a hardware failure.
Other than a faulty motherboard, your TV could also be overheating or have issues with a broken capacitor.
Remote controller: The first thing you need to diagnose is the remote controller. Try swapping out the batteries or checking for any damage to the buttons. On top of that, check if other remote controllers are interfering with the connection.
Samsung TV Keeps Turning On and Off: The Verdict
Samsung TVs are considered some of the best in the market. However, they are still not immune to issues such as where they start to turn on and off repeatedly, making it almost impossible to enjoy the TV for more than 5 seconds. If your Samsung TV keeps turning on and off, it may be due to power issues or settings that need adjusting, a common problem with a range of solutions.
Fortunately, there are lots of solutions to solve this particular issue so you can resume enjoying your favorite TV shows!