TV Going Light And Dark (Why And How To Fix)

As a frustrated TV owner, I had been dealing with my TV going light and dark and decided to do some research and testing to see if I could solve the problem. After some trial and error, I was able to find a solution that worked for me and want to share my experience and other solutions I discovered with other TV owners who may be dealing with this issue. In this blog post, I’ll explain why TV’s go light and dark and how you can fix this issue.

A TV goes light and dark depending on the settings, the type of TV you have, and what you’re watching. For example, if you’re streaming a movie and the quality is not exceptional, the image may look lighter or darker. Having settings like auto-dimming and contrast can also affect the TV.

Tips for Fixing a TV Going Light and Dark
– TVs can go light and dark due to various settings, the type of TV you have, and what you’re watching.
– Common causes of a TV going light and dark include damaged or broken lighting panels, dynamic contrast settings, connecting the TV to a device with an external input, dimming due to eco sensor or ambient light detection, image retention, global dimming, and incorrect display.
– You can fix a TV going light and dark by adjusting settings and, in some cases, replacing a bulb or getting a new TV.
– To avoid TV problems, purchase a reliable TV from a reputable manufacturer and opt for an OLED TV.

Table of Contents

Why Does My TV Go From Light To Dark?

There are a few different types of TV screens, and while most have similar settings, the more modern TV screens may have more settings that affect their display.

Standard TV screens include QLED, LCD, LED, and OLED screens. While LED and LCD screens remain popular, OLED screens are the best TVs to purchase and will likely display the best picture without lighting issues.

There are a few common reasons that make a TV go from light to dark; these include:

Damaged Or Broken Lighting Panels In Your TV

Damaged or broken lighting panels in your TV are one of the least common reasons your TV is going light to dark but should be considered and ruled out if you want to fix your TV.

If there are damaged or broken lighting panels, there will be dark spots scattered on your TV along with changes in the picture’s color.

This is not a major fix and requires replacing a bulb in the backlights of your TV. However, this should be fixed by a professional.

Dynamic Contrast Settings Affecting Your TV Screen

Dynamic contrast features are present in most, if not all, modern TVs. This feature enhances the image on your TV, increases the quality, and ups the contrast for a stunning picture display.

The dynamic contrast also makes brighter images lighter and darker images darker when watching your favorite series or movies. If your TV displays very light to very dark images, it could be the dynamic contrast settings.

Your TV Is Connected To A Device With An External Input

When you connect your TV to your laptop, you may find the screen dims immediately. This could be due to the dimming settings on your laptop. Using an HDMI cable from your laptop to your TV can also slightly affect the image color and quality.

You can adjust this by resetting the input settings on your TV, which should solve the problem so the settings from the TV are the only ones used and the laptop settings don’t affect the TV’s display.

Dimming Due To Eco Sensor Or Ambient Light Detection

In slightly older TVs, ambient light or eco dimming sensors adjust the brightness and backlight of the TV based on the amount of light in the room. This feature’s primary purpose was to enhance the viewer experience and conserve electricity.

TV Going Light And Dark To Prevent Image Retention

Some TVs may have image retention. For example, if an image is on the TV screen for an extended period, some TVs may automatically dim the image to prevent the TV from keeping this image displayed.

A telltale sign of image retention is a dimmer section on one side of the screen while the other sides remain bright.

Global Dimming Making Your TV Go From Light To Dark

Global dimming happens in LCD screens that have a CCFL liquid crystal display. In these displays, the entire screen is dimmed instead of a specific area when the image is displayed. This liquid display makes darker images deeper in color, making the screen go black.

TV Going Light To Dark Due To Incorrect Display

TV’s have theatre mode or standard neutral mode of display. One of these is generally the default mode set on your TV. Most TVs have theatrical mode, which has a better image display, but not all TVs support this.

You can purchase an input device to make this possible. Still, it’s best to change your settings to get the best picture first before purchasing additional items to help fix your TV’s display.

How Do I Fix My TV Going From Light To Dark?

Most of the above issues that cause your TV to go from light to dark can be fixed by adjusting your settings.

However, if settings aren’t the cause and you need to replace the bulb in the lighting panels of your TV, it’s best to get a TV repair man or service center to do this for you.

Most TV’s come with a warranty, and if it is still under warranty, you can simply take it in to get fixed if the issue is not resolved by adjusting the settings and the cause of it is something else.

Here are the common fixes to help fix your TV and prevent it from going light to dark.

	How To Fix Your TV From Going Light To Dark
Common Causes	How To Fix It
Damaged or broken light panels	Replace the bulb
Dynamic contrast	Find this setting under the image or picture settings on the TV. First, lower the dynamic contrast and see if the picture improves. If not, then you can turn it off (this depends on the type of TV you have)
External input	Change your TV’s input mode to the mode you use the most
Eco Sensor or ambient lighting	This setting can be located under the energy-saving or picture settings. In addition, you can simply turn off the ambient lighting or eco sensor.
Image retention	Built-in feature in some TVs, and there is no way to turn this off
Global dimming	Global dimming is also built into the TV’s display, and purchasing another TV is the only way to fix it.
Incorrect display	Adjust display settings

Try a soft reset

A soft reset, is where you turn off the TV and unplug it from the wall outlet. You then usually have to wait for 60 seconds then you can put the plug back in and turn the TV on again. Performing a soft reset clears a device’s internal memory of running programs, which often clears up any technical glitches.

Try a hard reset

A hard reset involves completely resetting the TV to its factory defaults. Most TV models have specific instructions. However, if you have a Samsung TV here are the steps to follow:

To perform a factory reset:

Head to Settings > General.
Select Reset.

Enter your PIN > then select Reset.

Note: If you didn’t change your PIN initially the code is 0000

Conclusion

A TV that goes from light to dark can generally be fixed by adjusting the settings. However, in some instances, you may have to replace a bulb in the backlighting of the TV, while in others, the cause of your TV going from light to dark cannot be fixed.

The best way to avoid TV problems is to purchase a reliable TV from a reputable manufacturer and opt for an OLED TV.