A common complaint, particularly on newer LG TVs, is that dimming occurs sporadically.
The dimming on LG TVs can be noticeable, especially when the content changes from dark to light scenes. Along with dimming, users can also notice the brightness keeps changing on LG TVs.
There are a few common reasons why your LG TV may dim, and luckily, most of them are easy fixes.
Auto-Dimming is a feature on modern LG TVs as it can help prevent burn-in on OLEDs. It also utilizes ambient lighting detection to adjust the screen dimming depending on how light your room is.
LG TV dim screen fix
Here are the most common solutions:
- You have the APS (Auto Power Saver) picture setting selected
- You are using your LG TV as a monitor
- You have a faulty HDMI port
- Bad HDMI Cable
We will take you through some steps to help eliminate the dimming issues.
Step 1: Disabled APS
The Auto Power Saver mode can apply screen dimming on LG TVs in order to save energy consumption.
It detects the lighting in the room, so if the room is too light, it will dim the screen.
Disabled APS (Newer LG TV Models)
To disable APS on newer LG models.
- Settings button (On remote)
- Picture menu
- Change from APS mode
Scroll through the different picture options but do not have APS selected to stop the dimming from occurring.
Related Reading: How to fix LG TV Blue Tint
Disable Energy Saver (Older LG TV Models)
To disable the energy saver mode on older LG TV models is easy
- Settings button (On remote)
- All Settings
- Picture Menu
- Energy Saver (Set to off)
Step 2: Update your LG TV software
It’s a good idea to update your firmware to ensure that software issues aren’t causing intermittent dimming issues.
Updating your LG TV firmware can also help resolve other issues, such as an LG TV showing a purple-tinted picture.
Keeping the LG TV software up to date can assist you in preventing some issues that appear over the lifespan of your TV.
Most LG TVs have automatic updates enabled by default, which should install automatically, presuming that your TV is connected to the internet.
Even with this setting enabled, it is possible that updates can be missed or an installation can be interrupted and thus cause issues with your TV.
Older LG firmware or a partial software installation could be causing the dimming screen problem.
We strongly recommend updating your LG TV firmware to ensure you have the latest software, access to new apps, and an improved viewing experience.
Ultimately, regular updates improve your viewing experience and give you better security & privacy protection.
How to update your LG firmware
If your TV is turned on, hit the settings button on the remote.
Now you will see the setting menu on the TV’s left side (Please note that this may vary depending on the model of your LG TV).
At the bottom of the row of icons, you should see the all settings button. Please select this option to proceed to the next menu.
Now navigate down to “SUPPORT” on the new menu that appears and then select “SOFTWARE UPDATE”
Now you can activate the automatic update feature and also check for new updates.
Once the updates have been installed, restart your TV to see if the LG intermittent dimming has been resolved.
Step 3: Change your selected input device/source
You should confirm whether or not an external device causes the dimming issue.
You can change the input device or source by pressing the corresponding button on the LG remote as shown in the image below.
Once you have pressed this button you are shown a list of available inputs.
Inputs are the devices that are connected to your LG TV. This could be a DVD player, Cable Box, Firestick .etc
You should navigate through your inputs to see if the dimming issue persists when you change through the different inputs.
If the dimming issues are present on each port, it would suggest that the problem is coming from your LG TV unit.
If you can limit the dimming issue to one external device or port, you should investigate the settings for the device attached.
You may also want to switch that device to another port to rule out an I/O or port malfunction.
What is an input device I/O issue?
I/O stands for input/output – it generally refers to the different ports on your TV. These can include;
- HDMI
- DVI
- Display Port
- USB
- VGA
- RGB
It is not uncommon for a port to become damaged or unusable after prolonged use or an extended period of plugging and unplugging cables into the same port.
I/O Input issue example:
The dimming issue is only present on HDMI 2.
This would suggest you have a damaged HDMI 2 port or a bad HDMI cable.
Step 4: Consider backlight failure
When trying to diagnose issues related to decreased screen brightness in TVs, one of the primary culprits is often their backlights.
Backlight failure is frequently experienced by devices relying on backlighting for screen illumination, such as LCD televisions and monitors.
It is a crucial component that is comprised of light sources responsible for providing brightness and contrast – is positioned behind the LCD panel itself.
Its failure due to aging, wear-and-tear, or degradation alongside other factors like power supply problems, electrical shorts, or damaged circuitry systems can result in reduced brightness levels or even render screens unusable through flickering displays.
If you suspect a backlight failure is causing your LG TV dimming issues, you should talk to your local repair store and consider the cost of replacement vs buying new.
Contact LG Support
If none of our tips have helped in resolving the LG TV dimming issue, then it might be time to consider contacting LG support, as you may have a defective TV unit.
LG may be able to advise you of other things to try or help diagnose the root cause of the issues.
I would strongly recommend contacting LG before you consider any other fixes that may invalidate your warranty or cause further damage to your LG TV.
Conclusion – LG TV Dimming Fix
When you have an LG TV that keeps dimming, it is annoying, but it very rarely means that you have a broken TV.
Most LG TV dimming fixes can be found in the settings menu unless you backlight failure.
You will usually resolve the issue with a few tweaks to your TV settings.
We hope these tips helped you!
