As an avid Amazon Fire TV user, I’ve recently been struggling with an issue that I’m sure many of you have encountered: a white screen that appears seemingly out of nowhere. It’s beyond frustrating, and I was determined to figure out the cause and find a solution. After doing some research, I’m here to share the culprits behind this issue and how to fix it.
In this post, I’ll be discussing the possible causes of the Fire TV white screen and the best ways to tackle this problem.
The most common cause for the Fire TV white screen is the enlarged text banner. Once you turn it off from the settings, you’ll solve the problem.
| Causes of Fire TV White Screen | Troubleshooting Steps |
|---|---|
| Enlarged text banner | Turn off the enlarged text banner in the settings. |
| Software bugs | Restart the TV to fix software bugs. |
| Faulty HDMI cables | Replace the HDMI cable to fix the issue. |
| TV screen issues | If the above steps don’t work, the issue may be with the TV screen itself, which will need to be fixed. |
Table of Contents
Enlarged Text Banner
The text banner of your Fire TV sometimes overlays the entire screen for unknown reasons. This buggy text banner is the most common cause of the Fire TV white screen.
You’ll need to turn off that text banner from the settings. To do that, follow these steps:
- Go to the settings on your home screen, particularly the gear icon
- Scroll down to the accessibility option
- Select the text banner option and turn it off
This should make quick work of the problem in most cases. If it doesn’t work, we have other causes and their solutions.
Software Bug
The second most common reason for the Fire TV white screen is its software. The software is known to have some minor issues like small and white screens. Sometimes, it’s easy to solve both screen problems by simply restarting your TV.
That doesn’t mean using the power button or unplugging and then plugging the TV. You need to restart the Fire TV system. There are two methods to do that:
Use the Settings
Navigate to the Settings of your Fire TV home screen, and find the Device & Software option. It will open a list of options that you can choose from. Find and click on Restart.
Your Fire TV will then give you a notification that it’s about to restart.
You may also use the settings option on your remote control, and it will give you the same result. On the other hand, if you have a Fire Smart TV, the remote settings button will take you to a different set of settings that won’t have the restart option.
So, it’s best to always rely on the settings icon from the homepage.
Use the Remote Hotkey
Instead of manually looking for the settings on the home screen, you can use your remote to restart your Fire TV.
Click and hold both the Play and Select buttons for around 10 seconds. Your Fire TV will restart.
HDMI Cable Issues
Faulty HDMI cables can cause a variety of display problems. Stuttering, black screen, white screen, and blank screens can all be caused by a faulty HDMI cable. It’s a pretty common problem when the cable is cheap.
Sometimes, the HDMI cable is fine but is too long for the signal to remain consistent. If you’re using an HDMI cable that’s longer than 50 feet, consider replacing it with a shorter one.
Longer cables tend to lose the signal quickly, especially if they’re not made from high quality materials.
Faulty HDMI-CEC
The HDMI-CEC (Consumer Electronics Control) allows HDMI-supported devices to work with the remote control.
Sometimes, the CEC would bug out and cause flickering or white screens. You’ll need to turn it off and then on again from the settings. Follow these steps to do so:
- Navigate to Settings on the home screen
- Select Display & Sounds
- Locate the HDMI-CEC and turn it off and then on again
Faulty Screen
A faulty screen is probably the worst-case scenario for a white screen. Damaged screens can display random colors, complete blankness, or white screens.
You need to rule out that possibility by removing your firestick from the TV and trying to use the TV normally. Try to watch some local channels or plug in a gaming console. If the problem persists, the screen may be damaged and in need of fixing.
If the problem disappears, then there may have been a problem with the firestick itself. Try plugging it again into the same TV or a different TV. Additionally, try using a different firestick for that TV, so you can tell where the problem is.
Final Words
Many reasons could cause the Fire TV white screen. Fortunately, all of them are easy to solve if you turn off the text banner, restart the TV, or fix the cable problem.
Should the worst happen and you discover that your screen is the main problem, you’ll need to get your TV fixed. Luckily, broken TV screens rarely display white. So, if you see white, then you can probably fix it.
Read more: FireTV green screen
