TV won't turn on? Start with the standby light
Before you unplug anything, look at the small light on the bottom edge of the TV. Off, on or blinking: each one points to a different cause. Then work through the checks below, from the quickest to the last resort.
Updated 18 October 2026
First, make sure it is really off. Press Volume or Home on the remote. If a volume bar or a menu appears, the TV is on and only the picture is missing. Samsung and LG both use this check. The cause is then usually the input or the connected device, and our guide to a TV that says No Signal is the better place to start. On a Sony, a black screen that still shows some text or triangle shapes means the wrong input is selected: press Input.
What the standby light tells you
| The light is | What it usually means | Next step |
|---|---|---|
| Off | No power reaches the TV, or the light is switched off in the settings | Check the power |
| On and steady | The TV has power and is in standby, but it does not get the command to start | Wake it up |
| Blinking | The TV is starting or updating, or it is reporting a fault | Read the blinking |
A steady red light while the TV is off is normal. Samsung, LG, Panasonic, Philips and TCL all describe it as standby. On a Samsung or a TCL Roku TV the light goes out once the TV is on, so a dark light can also mean the TV is on with a black screen.
The light is off
- Check both ends of the power cable. It should sit firmly in the TV and in the wall. If your TV has a separate power adapter, check that cable too.
- Test the outlet. Plug in a lamp or a hair dryer, as LG suggests. If the outlet hangs on a wall switch, or is the power-saving socket of a strip, use an outlet that is always on.
- Plug straight into the wall. Samsung, Sony, Philips and Panasonic all say to leave out the power strip or surge protector for this test.
- Press the power button on the TV. On an LG, the light can be switched off in the settings while the TV still has power. Some older Sony TVs have an energy-saving switch on the side that cuts the power completely.
If the outlet works and the light stays off, Samsung says the TV needs service. Do the power reset below once before you call.
The light is on, but the TV does not start
The TV has power. It is waiting for the command to switch on and is not getting it.
- Use the button on the TV. LG puts it under the logo or on the back, Sony on the back or under the bottom edge, and TCL under the center, behind the logo, on the bottom edge, the back or a side. The place varies by model. On some Panasonic TVs you have to hold it for at least 2 seconds.
- If the TV starts with its own button, the remote is the problem. Our guide to a TV remote that is not working goes through it step by step.
- If neither the remote nor the button does anything, do the power reset. If the light is still on and nothing starts after that, Samsung says to request service.
On a Sony that still reacts now and then, try a restart first: hold the power button on the remote for about 5 seconds. The TV switches off and starts again after about a minute, and your settings stay.
The light is blinking
Blinking is not always a fault. Some of it is normal:
- While starting. Sony says a green or white light that blinks while the TV starts is normal. Philips says many of its 2015 and 2016 models blink while loading. A slow pulse on a TCL Roku TV means it is starting, updating from USB or switching off.
- During an update. On Sony TVs without Android, a blinking orange light means a software update is running. Do not unplug the TV then.
A red light that keeps blinking is how most TVs report a fault:
- Count the blinks. On a Sony the pattern repeats with a 3-second break. Sony and Panasonic both ask for the number when you contact them.
- Do the power reset, with every other cable and device unplugged.
- If it still blinks, Samsung says something is wrong with the TV, and Panasonic calls it a fault that needs service. LG and TCL say to contact them when the light keeps flashing and the picture never comes.
Sony publishes no list of what each number means. It says the count is mostly 2 to 8, that the meaning differs between models, and that most red blinking needs service.
Sound, but no picture
Then the TV is on. Samsung first suspects the connected device, and its test is the Home button: if the menu appears, the TV and the screen work, so check the input and the device as in our No Signal guide. If the menu does not appear either:
- Sony without Android: the Presence Sensor turns the picture off when nobody moves in front of the TV, and leaves the sound on. Switch it off under HOME, Preferences, Eco, Presence Sensor.
- Samsung with a One Connect Box: check the cable between the TV and the box. Samsung names a bent, kinked or pinched cable as a cause.
- LG: sound with no picture and no menus is one of LG's reasons to contact service.
Do a full power reset
Switching off with the remote only puts the TV in standby. A power reset clears it completely: unplug it from the wall, unplug the other cables and devices too, wait, then plug in only the power cable. Each maker gives its own waiting time:
| TV | Leave it unplugged for | Also |
|---|---|---|
| Samsung | 30 seconds | Plug it straight into the wall |
| LG | 5 minutes | Hold the TV's power button for 30 seconds while it is unplugged |
| Sony | 2 minutes | Press the TV's power button once after unplugging |
| Hisense | 60 seconds | |
| TCL | At least 60 seconds | Hold the TV's power button for about 15 seconds while it is unplugged, if it has one |
| Philips | At least 1 minute after the light goes out | Plug in only the power cable, and repeat once if needed |
| Panasonic | 1 to 2 minutes | Switch off at the wall first |
Five minutes covers every maker in the table. After a Sony is plugged back in, it can take 10 to 20 seconds before it reacts. If you cannot reach the plug, Sony suggests switching off the circuit breaker for that outlet for a moment.
Brand by brand
Samsung
A steady red light means standby, and it goes out when the TV is on. If the light is off, press any button on the TV except Power: if something appears on the screen, the TV is on and only the picture is missing. If the TV starts with its own button but not with the remote, pair the remote again, as our remote guide shows. On a TV with a One Connect Box, unplug both the TV and the box for 30 seconds and reconnect the cable between them. Samsung says to request service when the light stays off in an outlet that works, when the light is on but neither the remote nor the TV's button does anything, or when the light still blinks after the reset.
LG
The standby light sits on the bottom edge and should be on in standby. LG lets you switch it off in the settings, so a dark light does not prove that the TV has no power. Once the TV works again, you can switch it back on: on 2021 and 2022 models under All Settings, General, System, Additional Settings, Standby Light. After a software update, the TV may show the webOS logo before the picture, which is normal. LG says to contact its service if the screen stays dark for more than 10 seconds after switching on, if the light flashes and the picture never appears, or if you hear sound but see neither a picture nor the menus.
Sony
Sony's order is: restart with the remote by holding Power for about 5 seconds, then the TV's own button, then the power reset with 2 minutes unplugged, then another outlet, then with every other device disconnected. On a Sony with Google TV or Android TV, the last step is a forced factory data reset with the Power and Volume Down buttons on the TV. It deletes all settings and apps, and the steps differ between models, so follow Sony's article for your TV. If the red light blinks, count the blinks, unplug the TV for 2 minutes, and contact Sony with the number if it keeps blinking.
Hisense and TCL
Hisense's manual says to unplug the TV and plug it back in after 60 seconds when there is no picture, and to press the button on the TV to find out whether the remote is the problem. TCL says to unplug it for at least 60 seconds and hold the TV's power button for about 15 seconds meanwhile. TCL names these signs that the TV gets power: the standby light is on or blinking, the screen lights up briefly, or you hear the startup sound. On a TCL Roku TV the light is on while the TV is off and goes out when the screen is on. TCL says to contact it when the light keeps flashing and the TV does not start, or when the TV turns off again right after you switch it on.
Philips
For Philips TVs sold outside North America: a light that is on with a black screen means standby, so press the standby button on the remote. To reset it, unplug every cable and device, including a CAM module if you use one, and wait at least a minute after the light goes out. Then plug in only the power cable, and repeat this once if needed. Try another wall socket, without a power strip. If it still does not start, contact Philips TV support.
Panasonic
A steady red light means standby. On some models you have to hold the power button for at least 2 seconds. To reset it, switch off at the wall, unplug it and wait at least 1 to 2 minutes. Disconnect the set-top box, the Blu-ray player and the sound system, and try with only the power cable. If the TV starts, update its software under Menu, Setup, System Menu, Software Update. A flashing red light can mean a fault that needs service, so count the blinks before you call.
After a power cut or a storm
Check the outlet and the circuit breaker first, with a lamp. Then do the power reset, with the TV plugged straight into the wall. TCL's safety rule applies to every TV: if you notice smoke, sparks, a burning smell or visible damage, unplug it at once and stop using it. If it stays dead in an outlet that works, it needs a repair.
When it needs a repair
The makers' support pages end in the same place. Book a repair when:
- the light stays off in an outlet that works (Samsung),
- the light is on, but neither the remote nor the TV's own button starts it after a power reset (Samsung),
- a red light still blinks after the power reset (Samsung, Sony, Panasonic, LG and TCL),
- the screen stays dark for more than 10 seconds after switching on, or there is sound but no picture and no menus (LG).
Have the model number ready, and the number of blinks if the light blinks. Our model number lookup shows where the number is and what it tells you about the TV.
Questions people ask
Why won't my TV turn on when the red light is on?
A steady red light means the TV has power and is in standby, but it does not get the command to start. Press the power button on the TV itself: if the TV starts, the remote is the problem. If not, unplug the TV, wait 2 minutes, or 5 on an LG, and plug it straight into the wall.
What does a blinking red light on a TV mean?
Usually that the TV is reporting a fault. Count the blinks, unplug the TV for 2 minutes, and plug it back in with nothing else connected. If it still blinks, contact the maker with the number of blinks. Sony says the meaning of each number differs between models.
How do I reset a TV that won't turn on?
Unplug it from the wall, unplug the other cables and devices, and wait: 30 seconds for Samsung, 2 minutes for Sony, at least 60 seconds for TCL. LG asks you to hold the TV's power button for 30 seconds and leave it unplugged for 5 minutes. Then plug in only the power cable, straight into the wall.
Why won't my TV turn on after a power cut?
Check the outlet and the circuit breaker with a lamp first. Then do a full power reset, with the TV plugged straight into the wall. If you notice smoke, sparks, a burning smell or damage, unplug it and stop using it. If it stays dead in an outlet that works, it needs a repair.
Why is there sound but no picture on my TV?
Then the TV is on. Press Home or Volume: if a menu or the volume bar appears, the screen works, and the cause is the input or the connected device. On a Sony without Android, the Presence Sensor can switch the picture off. If there is no menu either, LG says the TV needs service.
Sources
Every step on this page comes from the makers' own support pages and manuals:
- Samsung: TV will not turn on, One Connect and pairing, sound but no picture
- LG: TV will not turn on, power issues, standby light, when to contact service, power reset
- Sony: TV will not turn on, Help Guide, light colors, red light on Google TV and Android TV, no picture or no power
- Hisense: common questions, 55A6H manual
- TCL: TV will not power on, Roku TV status light
- Philips: blinking light
- Panasonic: UK, North America