TV and streaming · Repair guide

How to fix a TV that says No Signal

Error messageNo Signal

9 fixes, easiest first3 min readUpdated November 2026

Quick fix

Press the Input or Source button on the TV remote and choose the HDMI port your cable box, game console or streaming device is plugged into. Then make sure that device is turned on and its HDMI cable is pushed in firmly at both ends.

What it means

"No Signal" means the TV is on and working, but nothing is coming in on the input it is set to. Usually the TV is on the wrong input, the connected box is off, or an HDMI cable or port is loose or faulty.

Common causes

  • The TV is set to the wrong input
  • The cable box, streaming device or console is off or frozen
  • A loose, worn or damaged HDMI cable
  • A faulty HDMI port on the TV or the device
  • An HDMI switch, sound bar or receiver in between
  • HDMI-CEC (automatic input switching) sending the TV to the wrong device
  • A streaming stick that isn't getting enough power

How to fix it

Work down the list. Each fix is safe to try before moving on to the next.

01Choose the right inputEasy

  1. Look at the back or side of the TV and note the number of the port your device is plugged into, such as HDMI 2.
  2. Press Input or Source on the TV remote (Samsung remotes say Source; LG calls it the External Input button).
  3. Select the matching input and wait a few seconds for the picture.
  4. For an antenna or a red, white and yellow cable, choose the antenna/TV input or AV/Video instead of HDMI.

Why it helps: "No Signal" most often just means the TV is looking at an empty input.

02Turn on the connected deviceEasy

  1. Make sure the cable box, satellite box, Blu-ray player, console or streaming device is on.
  2. Press its own power button even if it looks like it is already on.

Why it helps: A box that is off or asleep sends nothing to the TV, so the TV reports no signal.

03Reconnect the HDMI cableEasy

  1. Unplug the HDMI cable from both the TV and the device.
  2. Plug both ends back in firmly.
  3. Check the cable for kinks, bent plugs or damage, and replace it if you find any.
  4. If you use an antenna, make sure its cable is screwed in or pushed in tightly.

Why it helps: A cable that has worked loose or worn out is one of the most common causes of HDMI no signal.

04Try a different HDMI port and cableEasy

  1. Move the cable to another HDMI port on the TV and select that input.
  2. Try a different HDMI cable you know works.
  3. If the picture comes back, the first port or cable was the problem.

Why it helps: HDMI ports and cables can fail; swapping them tells you which part is at fault.

05Restart the TV and devicesEasy

  1. Unplug the streaming device or box from power (not just the HDMI cable), wait one minute and plug it back in.
  2. If that doesn't work, unplug all other HDMI devices from the TV.
  3. Unplug the TV's power cord for 30 minutes, then plug it in and reconnect only the device you want to use.
  4. Streaming sticks: power them from the adapter that came with them, plugged into a wall outlet, not the TV's USB port.

Why it helps: A full power reset clears HDMI handshake problems between the TV and the device.

06If you use a sound bar, receiver or HDMI switch, connect directlyEasy

  1. Unplug the device from the sound bar, receiver or HDMI switch.
  2. Plug it straight into an HDMI port on the TV and select that input.
  3. If the picture appears, the go-between device is the problem; check its own input setting or contact its maker.

Why it helps: Each extra device in the chain is another place the signal can drop.

07If the TV keeps switching to the wrong input, check HDMI-CECMedium

  1. HDMI-CEC lets devices turn the TV on and switch its input. Each TV brand names it differently (Samsung calls it Anynet+, LG calls it Simplink) and it is in the TV's settings menu; where it sits depends on the model and year.
  2. On a 2022 or newer Samsung TV, find it at Settings > All Settings > Connection > External Device Manager > Anynet+ (HDMI-CEC); on older Samsung models, Settings > General > External Device Manager.
  3. On a Roku player, go to Settings > System > Control other devices (CEC) and turn on 1-Touch Play so pressing a Roku button switches the TV to it.
  4. If the TV jumps to a device you aren't using, turn CEC off on that device or on the TV.

Why it helps: CEC can switch the TV to an input that has nothing on it, or fight with another device for control.

08Run the TV's HDMI cable test and picture settingsMedium

  1. On Samsung TVs that have it, stay on the HDMI input and go to Settings > Support > Device Care > Self Diagnosis > Signal Information > HDMI Cable Test.
  2. Samsung says the test is most accurate on cables under 6 feet. Replace the cable if it fails.
  3. On a Samsung TV, if the signal drops for a few seconds at a time, turning off HDMI UHD Color for that port can help.
  4. Check your TV maker's menus for a software update, and update the streaming device too.

Why it helps: These built-in checks and updates fix signal problems that cable swaps can't.

09Test the device on another TVEasy

  1. Connect the device and cable to a different TV.
  2. Or connect a different device (such as a game console or DVD player) to the same TV port.
  3. If the device works elsewhere, the TV is the problem; if it fails everywhere, the device is.

Why it helps: Swapping devices shows which one needs repair or replacing.

Check it's fixed

  • The "No Signal" message is gone and the picture from your device shows.
  • The picture stays on when you turn the TV off and on again.
  • Switching between inputs shows each connected device correctly.

When to get help

If no device shows a picture on any HDMI port, contact the TV maker for service. If one box (such as a cable box) shows no signal on every TV, contact the company that supplied it. Never open the TV.

Questions

Why does my TV say No Signal when everything is plugged in?

The TV is usually on a different input from the one the device uses, or the device is off. Press Input or Source and pick the right port, then power the device on.

Is HDMI no signal a problem with the TV or the cable?

It can be either. Try another cable and another HDMI port, then test the device on another TV to find out which part is failing.

Why does my TV keep switching inputs on its own?

This is usually HDMI-CEC, which lets connected devices switch the TV's input. Turn it off on the device that keeps taking over, or in the TV's settings.

My TV says No Signal on an antenna channel. What should I check?

Make sure the antenna cable is tight and the TV is set to the antenna or TV input, not HDMI.

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