Samsung TV Flickering: Causes and Solutions

Nothing quite induces a pulsing headache like a flickering TV. While your Samsung TV used to work perfectly, it’s been flickering constantly as of late. You’ve tried turning your TV off and on again, but it doesn’t seem to have helped. 

Is it time to purchase a replacement? No! 

There are several software and hardware issues that could result in your TV flickering. While some of these issues can be fixed by adjusting your TV’s settings, others will require you to replace some of your TV’s components.  

So, why is your Samsung TV flickering? And what can you do to make it stop? 

Keep reading to find out! 

Causes

Here are a few reasons why your Samsung TV may be flickering.  

Problems with the Picture’s Screen/Brightness Functions

Ambient Light Detection

Many Samsung smart TVs feature an Ambient Light Detection function which manages the screen’s brightness by automatically adjusting it according to the environment’s lighting. 

However, this feature can malfunction, causing your TV to rapidly dim and then brightness, creating a flickering effect. 

Energy Saving Mode 

True to its name, this mode seeks to save energy by dimming your TV screen. If you’re a penny-pincher, you may have enabled this mode to decrease your home’s electrical bill. 

However, the amount of energy this mode actually saves is questionable and may not make a significant difference to your monthly bills. Additionally, like Ambient Light Detection, it can cause your TV to dim and then suddenly brighten. 

Contrast Enhancer 

This handy feature keeps your TV’s contrast balanced by automatically detecting the bright and dark areas of the picture and adjusting them accordingly. However, depending on the film you’re watching and the contrast enhancer’s functionality, this may make your TV appear to be flickering. Some movies switch from dark to light scenes every minute or so, resulting in the Contrast Enhancer constantly adjusting the screen’s contrast in an attempt to keep the image balanced.

Brightness Optimisation, Brightness Reduction, and/or Motion Lighting 

These are other features that may automatically dim or brighten your screen according to the environment’s lighting, your TV’s power consumption, or any motion on-screen.

While sometimes useful, they can also cause a lot of frustration if they fail to stabilize the screen’s brightness. 

Its Light Bulbs Are Dying 

Your TV’s light bulbs may be weakening and dying, causing them to flicker. Since the bulbs are no longer strong enough to emit a steady stream of light, they may be dimming and brightening constantly. 

This is likely to happen if your TV is very old since, at a certain point, every TV’s lights will stop working. 

A Bad Connection to the TV/Internet 

Its Cable Is in Poor Condition

If you’re connecting an external source device (e.g. laptop, gaming console, streaming stick, etc.) to your TV, it’s a good idea to check the cables being used. 

Some cables, like HDMI cables, deteriorate over time, causing the image to glitch and flicker. 

This also applies to converters since their cables may weaken after several years of use. 

While you’re at it, check your TV’s ports to ensure they’re in good condition and aren’t missing any pins. 

Poor Connection to the Internet or Broadcasting Network 

Finally, a slow or unstable internet or broadcasting network could cause your TV’s picture to be cut out since the signal isn’t strong enough to deliver a stable, high-quality image. 

In this case, there’s nothing wrong with your TV or its cables. Instead, you should look into your internet and broadcasting signal strength since the flickering effect may actually be a result of buffering. 

Solutions

Are you struggling with a flickering Samsung TV? If so, try some of our tried and true solutions! 

Adjust Some of Your TV’s Settings

Turn off Ambient Light Detection 

Since Ambient Light Detection can cause your screen’s brightness, it’s best to disable it. Please note that doing so will mean you have to manually adjust your screen’s brightness.  

2016 or older models: 

Step 1: Find and press your remote control’s Menu button. 

Step 2: Head to System. 

Step 3: Go to Eco Solution. 

Step 4: Navigate to Eco Sensor. 

Step 5: Click on the Off option to disable it. 

2017 or newer models:

Step 1: Press the Settings button on your TV remote. 

Step 2: Go to General. 

Step 3: Head to Eco Solution. 

Step 4: If the Ambient Light Detection option is green, select it to turn it off. 

Watch the video demonstrating how to disable Ambient Light Detection on a Samsung TV. 

Turn off Energy Saving Mode 

Follow the steps below to disable Energy Saving Mode on your TV. While this does mean your TV may consume slightly more energy, it should not make a noticeable difference to your electric bills. 

Step 1: Head to the Home screen and click on the gear icon to open the Settings. 

Step 2: Open General. 

Step 3: Click on Eco Solution. 

Step 4: Highlight Energy Saving Mode and select it to turn it Off. 

Watch the video below to see how to turn off Energy Saving Mode. 

Turn off Contrast Enhancer 

Step 1: Press the TV remote’s Settings button. 

Step 2: Head to Picture. 

Step 3: Open Expert Settings. 

Step 4: Go to Contrast Enhancer and select the Off option. 

If you’re a visual learner, check out the video below demonstrating how to turn off Contrast Enhancer. 

Disable Brightness Optimisation, Brightness Reduction, and/or Motion Lighting

For 2022 models

Step 1: Open the Menu. 

Step 2: Launch the Settings menu. 

Step 3: Go to All Settings. 

Step 4: Click on General & Privacy. 

Step 5: Head to Power and Energy Saving. 

Step 6: Then, disable Brightness Optimisation, Brightness Reduction, and Motion Lighting by selecting them. 

For 2021 and earlier models

Step 1: On the Home screen, select the Settings menu. 

Step 2: Head to General. 

Step 3: Go to Power and Energy Saving. 

Step 4: Turn off the Brightness Optimisation, Brightness Reduction, and Motion Lighting functions by clicking on them. 

Check Your Broadcasting Connection 

Before trying to improve your broadcasting connection, it’s a good idea to check if the flickering is a result of an unstable signal. 

You can check your TV’s signal strength in its settings. 

Let’s learn how! 

Step 1: Go to the Home screen before selecting the Settings option. 

Step 2: Head to Support. 

Step 3: Navigate to Self Diagnosis. 

Step 4: Open Signal Information and check the Signal Strength and Signal Quality. 

Check out the video below demonstrating how to check your TV’s broadcasting connection.

If either one reports that the connection is slow or of poor quality, then you should take additional steps to improve it, such as investing in a signal booster. As the name suggests this nifty product will boost the broadcasting signal, making it faster and improving its stability. 

Also, to see a complete list of solutions to fix buffering and flickering, check out our article Sling TV Keeps Freezing/Buffering: Causes and Solutions.

Replace Some Physical Details

If your TV’s cable or light bulbs are causing the screen to flicker, you must replace them. 

Try using a new cable, ensuring it’s compatible with your setup and high-quality. You may also want to verify that the TV’s ports are in good condition and are clear of dust and debris. 

If they are dirty, use compressed air  or a clean, soft brush to clean them. We recommend turning off and cooling your TV before cleaning it. 

TV light bulbs are harder to replace at home, so we suggest bringing your TV to an experienced electrician to replace them for you. 

While you can find and pay for your own technician, we recommend verifying if your TV is still under warranty before doing so. If your warranty policy is still valid, Samsung may replace the bulbs for you free of charge. 

To learn more about your Samsung warranty, what it covers, and how to confirm its validity, check out our article Samsung TV Warranty, Explained.