Android TV Turns On By Itself: Causes And Solutions

Imagine being startled by rapid gunfire in the middle of the night. I literally had a heart attack. That was until I realized my Android TV had turned on by itself.

Various factors contribute to Android TVs turning on by themselves, ranging from software to hardware-related issues. To solve this problem, you must eliminate all ‌possible causes.

In this post, you will learn why your Android TV turns itself on and what to do to stop this glitch.

Power Surges: Unplug Your TV and Check for Faulty Cables

Power surges might cause your Android TV to power itself on. Unplug the TV from the main power source and carefully inspect the power cord and any other cables for damage.

Check to make sure all the cables are plugged in firmly. If you spot the culprit, replace the cable, and hopefully, your issue will be fixed.

If you’re already using a surge protector, try removing it from the connection and directly plug the TV into the wall outlet to ensure it’s not the one causing the issue.

It could also be that there are many devices plugged into the power outlet or faults in the electrical installation.

A power cycle might also save the day if you suspect your TV has a power supply problem. To perform a power cycle test:

• Plug out your device from the main power supply.
• Press and hold the power button for around 20 seconds (this ensures all the power is drained from the TV).
• Plug the TV back into the power supply unit and power it on to see if the problem still exists.

Remote Control Fault: Inspect the Keys, Replace the Batteries

If there are no faulty cables, but your Android TV still turns on by itself, the chances are that your TV’s remote control could be the problem.

The remote might have sticky keys, which in turn send unintended commands to your TV, making it turn on when it’s not supposed to. Or perhaps the batteries need a replacement.

Inspect the remote and ensure you didn’t accidentally spill a drink on the power button, causing it to stick. You may also get a replacement for the batteries and test to see if the problem persists.

Sleep Timer: Check and Disable It

You or someone else in the house might have set a sleep timer that controls when your Android TV turns on or off.

A sleep timer is a good way to conserve energy and prevent power bills from skyrocketing. But it could turn into a nightmare if it makes your TV turn on by itself in the middle of the night.

Check if the wake-up timer is set ON. If Yes, disable the timer on your TV with these steps:

1. Press the remote control Home button or select Settings from the home screen on your Android TV and then choose System> Power > Wake Up Timer.
2. Select OFF.

If unsure of how to locate the sleep timer setting or how to go about it with your TV, check your manual for model-specific instructions on how to turn off the sleep timer or adjust the sleep and wake-up time to suit your needs.

Outdated Firmware: Check for Software Updates

Your Android TV could be running on an outdated software version, and this could be causing it to turn on by itself. An outdated firmware version also makes your TV vulnerable to bugs and even malware attacks.

Regularly check for updates by visiting the ‘System Upgrades’ section in the settings to keep the most recent version of software installed.

Also, check for problematic apps by going to Settings > Device > Apps & notifications > Running services > Apps with usage access > Check now.

This will list all apps that have used system resources since the last boot.

Is there an app on the list that controls your Android TV without your input? If so, you have two options:

1. Uninstall the App or Apps
2. Disable the App or Apps permissions to access the System

Here is how to disable app permissions from accessing the System.

1. Open Settings by clicking the gear icon at the top right of the screen or by tapping the home button on your remote and selecting Settings from there.
2. Click on Apps & Notifications
3. Select recently used apps under Advanced Settings
4. Choose the active apps when your Android TV turns on itself.
5. Scroll down to notifications
6. Choose either

• Block notifications, or
• App notifications only when the screen is on

Please note that the above steps may vary depending on your Android TV model. Check your TV’s manual for proper actions.

Monitor your TV for a few days and see if this fixes the problem. If not, move to the next step.

Eco-Mode Setting: Turn Off

Most latest Android TVs are equipped with the Eco-mode feature. When enabled, the mode takes over some settings to conserve the power usage and maintain optimal functionality.

Eco mode may, for instance, prevent the TV from completely turning off when the power button is pressed and instead send it to a power-conserving sleep mode.

While this might help ‘get it up faster’, for example, when you start casting a video from your phone, it may open unwanted doors for the TV to receive commands even when off.

CEC or HDMI Setting: Turn Off

Consumer Electronics Control, CEC, is a feature that allows your Android TV to communicate and work in unison with other peripheral devices connected through the HDMI ports.

CEC establishes a layer of control allowing the Android TV to control some of the settings in the devices and the peripherals are also able to control some of the TV’s settings. Devices like gaming consoles and sticks like Fire HD stick might send unwanted wake-up signals when in use, making your Android TV turn on by itself.

Different devices have varied names for this feature: Samsung, for instance, calls it Anynet+, it’s Bravia Sync on Sony devices, and SimpLink on LG counterparts. If you have a different device, a simple google search will help you know what your manufacturer calls it and how to turn it off.

If you have devices plugged into HDMI ports, try disconnecting them for some time while you observe the problem. If it doesn’t work, you may need to disable the CEC function.

To disable, follow these steps:

Step 1: Press the Home button on your remote control to bring up the home screen.

Step 2. Navigate to Settings > Inputs > HDMI CEC Settings and uncheck “HDMI Device Link.”.

The TV will no longer turn on automatically when you use another HDMI-connected device.

If the issue does not resolve itself, you might need to replace the HDMI cables or reset the device’s preferences.

Remote Power On: Disconnect the TV From Wi-Fi

Smart devices, including the smart Android TV, are made to connect with other home devices like Google Home, Amazon Alexa, and others through Wi-Fi. This connection oftentimes allows remote controlling of the devices from any location.

You could be in your bedroom but can turn off your living room lights, increase the temperature of the house, and so on.

Your Android TV may turn on by itself as a result of getting commands from your Google Home assistant.

To prevent such from happening, turn off your TV’s Wi-Fi for some time and observe if it still turns itself on. After the issue is fixed, you can turn it back on.

Hardware Problem: Contact Technician

An issue with the hardware can cause a TV to reboot.

A stuck or damaged power button, for example, could cause problems with your TV.

Defective power supply units and cables could also cause unstable power supply, causing TVs to restart independently.

or hardware problems, contact the manufacturer or technician for help with fixing the issue.

Android TV Bugs: Install Updates

Android TV users online have complained of bugs causing Android TV to turn on when it is not supposed to. Google is working to solve this issue and is constantly releasing updates to fix the bugs.

More Solutions To Prevent Android Tv From Turning On By Itself

Install The Latest Android TV Software

Android TV may turn On by itself because of software issues and bugs. The Android authority recommends updating your TV with the latest operating systems to stop it from turning on itself.

First, ensure your device’s software is up to date. To do this, go to Settings > About > System Update. Download and install any updates available.

Although Google wants your android tv updated with the latest software, this can pose a problem sometimes. The automatic updating and rebooting of your TV at night may give you sleepless nights.

Disable this feature so that your device doesn’t automatically reboot. You will still receive Google updates, but you will need to restart your device manually.

To prevent Android TVs from updating automatically at night:

1. Go to Settings > System > About > Check for updates
2. Turn OFF automatic updates.

You’ll still get any updates, but they won’t happen automatically anymore.

Perform a Factory Reset

If up to here you still haven’t found the reason why your Android TV turns itself on, you may be destined for one hard choice: to reset your TV to its factory settings.

This option wipes out all your custom settings and installed apps but should eliminate the problem. It’s worth a shot if nothing else has worked.

After resetting, remember to sync your accounts.

Also, be sure to keep a copy of your current settings before performing the reset. This will give you an easy time configuring your TV after the reset is done.

Some devices come with an option to back up the settings to a cloud storage service and thereafter sync to restore.

To factory reset your Android TV, follow these steps:

Press and hold the “Home” button on your remote control until an icon with a gear appears on the screen.

Press and hold “Home” again until the “Factory Reset?” box appears.

Click “OK.” Your Android TV will reboot into recovery mode. Simply unplug your device and plug back in again to reboot normally.

The factory reset process resets all settings back to default and should fix any problems with your device.

Still No Solution…Its Time For Support

If you have done everything possible and the problem is still giving you a pounding headache, contact customer care of your TV brand.

Google Support Team or community is also another great place to get help. They would help you with your concern — how to stop android TV from turning on itself.

Conclusion

I hope you will not have sleepless nights anymore over why your Android TV turns on by itself and how to stop it.

While it’s creepy and scary at first, you can stop Android TV from turning on by itself. The solution isn’t always obvious and can take a bit of tinkering before you eliminate the problem.

But If your Android TV is still exhibiting this behavior after trying all the suggestions above, contact Google support or customer care of your TV brand.