Can’t Change TV Aspect Ratio? Here’s Why It’s Grayed Out

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Struggling with a grayed-out aspect ratio and wondering why you can’t adjust it on your TV apps? Don’t fret!

This article delves into the intricacies of TV aspect ratios, offering solutions tailored for TV brands like LG, Samsung, Sony, and TCL.

Dive in and discover how to change your TV’s aspect ratio.

Why Can’t I Change the Aspect Ratio on My TV? (Grayed-Out Settings)

When viewing a movie on a streaming service, a live broadcast, or any other external input (e.g. streaming devices), you should have the capacity to change the aspect ratio.

However, you can’t change the aspect ratio of TV applications. If you are using an application installed on your TV (or pre-installed on the TV), like Netflix or YouTube, you may be unable to adjust the ratio of these apps.

How To Change the Aspect Ratio on Your TV? 

LG

You can read our article here for a detailed guide with troubleshooting tips.

Samsung

1. Go to Settings, and then select Picture;
2. Choose Picture Size Settings;
3. Navigate to Picture Size, and then adjust the TV’s aspect ratio.

Sony (With Google TV)

1. Go to Settings, and then select Display & Sound;
2. Choose Screen;
3. Then head to Wide mode and choose your favorite aspect ratio.

TCL (With Google TV)

1. Go to Settings, and then select Display & Sound;
2. Choose Picture;
3. Navigate to Screen Settings, and then Aspect Ratio.

Some Common Issues

When the aspect ratios of your TV and the input device are unmatched, one of the two problems below will surely occur.

Your Screen Doesn’t Fit on the TV (Black Bars on Sides)

Unmatched aspect ratios between the external device/video and the TV may lead to the issue. 

Keep in mind that the shape of most modern TV screens is 16:9, so if your aspect ratio isn’t the same, your picture will seem off.

Head to your settings and adjust the aspect ratio to the one that can zoom in your screen.

For Samsung TVs, there is a feature that allows you to zoom and adjust the position of the screen to whatever extent you want. 

Using this feature can slowly zoom in your screen to fit the TV, simply follow the instructions below.

1. Go to Settings, and then select Picture;
2. Choose Picture Size Settings;
3. Navigate to Picture Size, and then adjust the TV’s aspect ratio to Custom;
4. In the Picture Size Settings, choose Zoom/Position and adjust freely to what you want.

The Edge of the Screen Is Cut off

This often occurs when your input device/video displays an abnormal aspect ratio in comparison with your TV.

As mentioned above, most TVs’ aspect ratio is 16:9. So, simply re-adjusting the TV aspect ratio to 16:9 will fix the cut-off problem.

Or, for example, Samsung TVs have the Fit to screen feature, or the Auto option when you’re adjusting the Sony TV’s aspect ratio, which allows you to solve this issue.

Often, if your TV has this feature, you will be able to find it in the aspect ratio adjustment settings. 

For example, on a Samsung TV, it’s located right in the Picture Size Settings (which is shown in the aforementioned guide). 

You need to set the Picture Size to Custom, and then you will be able to choose Fit to screen.

This can lead to “Your Screen Doesn’t Fit on the TV (Black Bars on Sides)”. But still, it’s better to have black bars beside your content than have your screen zoomed in and cut off some content.

So it’s ideal that your TV and your input device/video have the same, or at least almost the same, aspect ratio. 

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