My TV has sound but no picture
If your TV plays sound but the screen stays black, the problem is often a setting or a loose cable rather than a broken TV. Menus and button names differ by brand (Samsung, LG, Sony, Panasonic, Hisense and others), so look for the closest match on your TV.
Check the basics first
- Turn the brightness or backlight up. Some TVs have a setting that makes the screen very dark.
- Look closely at the screen in a dim room. A faint picture can mean the backlight has failed.
- Switch to a different source, such as Freeview or another HDMI input, to see if the picture returns.
Check the cables
- Turn the TV off at the wall.
- Unplug the HDMI cable from the TV and the box (Sky, Virgin, Freeview recorder or console), then push it back in firmly.
- If you have a spare HDMI cable or a spare HDMI socket on the TV, try those.
- Turn everything back on.
Restart the TV properly
- Unplug the TV from the wall.
- Wait a full minute.
- Hold the power button on the TV itself for about 10 seconds, if it has one.
- Plug back in and switch on.
Try the built-in test
Many TVs have a picture test or self-diagnosis option in the settings menu, though the name and place differ by brand. If the test picture shows on screen, the TV is fine and the fault is with the box or cable. If the test picture is also black, the screen or backlight may be faulty.
Other things to try
- Turn off any energy-saving or "screen off" mode that blanks the picture while keeping the sound on.
- Unplug any soundbar or other equipment and try the TV on its own.
Please do not take the back off the TV. There are high voltages inside, even when it is switched off.
When to get more help
Get in touch if the picture is still missing after trying another cable and another source, or if you can see a faint picture only when you shine a torch at the screen. That usually means a backlight fault, which needs a repair or replacement decision.