Google Assistant Not Turning Off TV (What to Do)

Have you ever been in the middle of a relaxing night and the next thing you know, the TV is suddenly on, courtesy of your Google Assistant? I know I have! It’s incredibly frustrating, but there is a way to make sure this doesn’t happen again. In this blog post, I’ll share with you the steps I took to solve the problem of my Google Assistant not turning off my TV, as well as some other solutions I discovered along the way.

The most common reason Google Assistant may fail to respond to a command is due to outdated software. So, the first thing you should do is check to see if the TV software and firmware are up to date. If you have a Google Chromecast, it may be necessary to update it as well.

Tips to Fix Google Assistant Not Turning Off TV
Check and update the TV software and firmware.
For Samsung smart TVs: Click Settings or Menu on the remote, select Support, click Software Update, and click Update Now.
For Google TV: Press Quick Settings on the remote, select Settings, select System, click About, and select System Software Update.
For Android TV: Click Help or the Home button and then Help on the remote, select Status & Diagnostics, and click System Software Update.
Prompt Chromecast firmware to update by rebooting it.
To reboot Chromecast: download the Google Home Android or iOS app, connect the smartphone and Chromecast to the same WiFi network, tap the Chromecast device, tap the gear icon, tap the three horizontal dots icon, and tap Reboot to reset the Chromecast.
Power cycle the TV by unplugging it from the power socket, waiting for at least one minute, and plugging it back in.
Turn on Consumer Electronics Control (CEC) to allow your TV to receive commands.
To turn on CEC on Samsung TV: click Settings on the remote, select Settings, look for General or Connection, select External Device Manager, and click Anynet+ (HDMI-CEC).
To turn on CEC on Google TV and Android TV: Open Settings, select Device Preferences, click HDMI CEC, select CEC Control, and toggle the CEC Switch to turn it on.
Contact the TV manufacturer if none of the above solutions work.

Table of Contents

How to Fix Google Assistant Not Turning Off TV

Most of the issues that cause Google Assistant to stop responding to the command to turn off the TV can be easily solved.

So, here’s what to do when your Google Assistant won’t turn off the TV.

Step 1: Update TV Software

Many people have reported that whenever their TVs have a new update, Google Assistant stops responding to commands like “turn off the TV.” So, the first thing that you should do is update your TV.

This process may differ slightly from one TV brand to the next, so we’ll focus on the top brands.

To update Samsung smart TV, you should:

Click Settings or Menu on your remote
Select Support

Click Software Update
Click Update Now
Keep the TV on until the update is complete

Updating Google TVs and Android TVs may vary slightly from model to model, but there are general steps that you can follow.

Here’s how to update a Google TV:

Press Quick Settings on the remote

Select Settings
Select System
Click About

Select System Software Update

To update Android TV, here’s what to do:

Click Help or the Home button and then Help on the remote

Select Status & Diagnostics
Click System Software Update

Step 2: Update Chromecast Firmware

Google Chromecast firmware is typically updated automatically. These updates, however, can occasionally be staggered. So, if you’re using Google Chromecast, the problem could be due to out-of-date firmware.

You can wait for the update to download automatically, which may take several days. You can also try to prompt the device to update.

When Chromecast reboots, it usually tries to download and install the latest available firmware.

Here’s how to prompt your Chromecast device to update:

Turn on the Chromecast device
Download the Google Home Android app or the Google Home iOS app
Connect the smartphone and Chromecast device to the same WiFi network

Locate the Chromecast device on the app
Tap the Chromecast device to get an overview of it
Tap the gear icon

Tap the three horizontal dots icon
Tap Reboot to reset the Chromecast

Step 3: Power Cycle the TV

Google Assistant may not respond to your command due to a temporary glitch. The quickest way to resolve any issues is to power cycle the TV. If you have Google Home or Chromecast, you should also power cycle them.

Here’s how to power cycle any electronic device:

Unplug the device from the power socket while it’s turned on
Leave the device unplugged for at least one minute and up to 10 minutes

Press and hold the power button if your device has one for five seconds
Replug the device into the power socket

Google Assistant should work properly now. So, after your TV and Google devices turn on, command Google Assistant to turn off the TV.

Step 4: Turn On Consumer Electronics Control (CEC)

Consumer Electronics Control (CEC) is a feature that allows users to control multiple HDMI-connected devices from a single remote. If your Google Assistant is linked to your TV via Google Home, disabling CEC may prevent your TV from receiving commands.

To make sure that CEC is turned on, here’s what you should do on Samsung TV:

Click Settings on the remote

Select Settings
Look for General or Connection
Select External Device Manager

Click Anynet+ (HDMI-CEC)

To turn on CEC on Google TV and Android TV, you should:

Open Settings

Select Device Preferences
Click HDMI CEC
Select CEC Control

Toggle the CEC Switch to turn it on

Step 5: Contact TV Manufacturer

If all else fails, there could be a serious problem with the TV. In that case, it’s best to contact the manufacturer so that a professional can figure out what’s wrong.

Conclusion

Google Assistant is designed to make life easier. So, it can be a frustrating experience when it won’t turn off the TV.

Luckily, with some troubleshooting and patience, you should be able to fix whatever is causing the issue. You may need to go through several steps to get your Google Assistant to respond to your commands again, so make sure you follow the steps in our article!