Troubleshooting Vizio HDMI Port Not Working Issue

If your Vizio HDMI port not working, there is nothing to be concerned about, because there is more than one solution available.

The truth is that most of the time it’s not the port that is faulty, instead, there is a cloaked issue that is about to be unveiled.

Many people managed to resolve issues with HDMI ports on their Vizio TVs at home so we believe you can too!

The method that will shine some light on the issue would be to replace the HDMI port first and if it does not work, change the HDMI cable itself. 

On the other hand, you could try changing the display settings or updating your Vizio TV software version first to identify and hopefully resolve the issue without having to replace any hardware.

Regardless of your case, in this post, we will definitely find out what’s wrong with your HDMI port and teach you how to fix it.

But before we jump to the solutions, let’s take a look at the possible reasons for your HDMI connection issues.

Why Is Vizio TV HDMI Port Not Working?

Unfortunately, there are quite a few possible reasons that could be preventing your HDMI input from proper functionality.

Here are the most frequent and well-known occurrences that might impact your HDMI connectivity:

• Temporary glitch.
• Faulty HDMI cable.
• Faulty HDMI port.
• Outdated TV firmware.
• Misconfigured settings.
• Internal software issue.
• Issues with the external device.

At this point, we can safely conclude that you are experiencing one of the above-illustrated issues. 

There is no need to be concerned as we are going to address each of them and teach you how to approach the problem correctly.

How To Fix When HDMI Port Not Working on Vizio TV?

Considering that you cannot be sure where the issue is coming from, yet we are going to start with the easiest methods first and progress further if the issue persists.

In that regard, we recommend checking if your HDMI port is working upon applying a method successfully.

Solution #1 Power Cycle

It would not be appropriate to take any actions before you take care of the obvious things.

The very first and most important step should be to perform a power cycle or in other words, reboot your Vizio TV in a manner that will restart all services.

Follow the steps below to perform a power cycle in the right way:

1. Turn off your Vizio TV.
2. Unplug ALL devices connected to the TV’s inputs.
3. Disconnect the power cable from the power supply.
4. Wait for a few minutes and connect ONLY the power cable.
5. Turn on your TV and connect ONLY the HDMI input.
6. Test.

It is important to perform a power cycle also on the device that you are using as a source for your HDMI input. If the issue is still there, let’s move on to the next solution.

Solution #2 Inspect Hardware

At this point, we cannot be sure if the issue is coming from your Vizio HDMI port or the external device that you are using.

If possible, you can try connecting another device using the same HDMI cable and the same HDMI input.

If now there is an image, it means that the problem is not with the Vizio TV or its input port.

On the other hand, if the issue is there even when using another (proven-to-work device), the problem might be with the cable. Test using another cable to identify where the problem is coming from.

Pro Tip:

If there is no alternate HDMI cable in your household, test all available HDMI ports on your external device as well as on your Vizio TV.

If you cannot manage to get any output and there is no way to test the issue with alternate hardware, it is worth trying the rest of the solutions, so keep reading.

Solution #3 Troubleshoot Software

If your HDMI port is not working on Vizio TV, the problem could be related either to your TV’s software or the external device that you are using.

Either your settings are not configured rightfully or the OS firmware is really old (outdated).

How To Configure Display Settings?

If you are using a Windows or Apple device to output to your TV through HDMI, here is what you need to do:

1. Press the Windows button on your keyboard to open the Start Menu.
2. Go to Settings then choose System and go to Display.

Take a look at the settings and make sure that your device is not set to use only its built-in monitor, especially if the device is a laptop.

Make sure to choose to extend or mirror display so you can get the output to your Vizio TV.

Note:

For Apple users, go to Apple Menu > System Preferences > Displays > Display.

How To Update My Devices Firmware?

Here is how to check and possibility install any missed firmware updates:

• Press the Menu button on your remote.
• Go to System.
• Choose Check for Updates.
• Download & install any updates found.

Your Vizio TV might restart several times during the update process and it could take up to 15 minutes, depending on how many missed updates there are.

In addition, we recommend doing the same for your external device in case its HDMI output is compromised.

Solution #4 Update Graphics Driver

In case your external device is a personal computer, the problem might be coming from the lack of a video driver.

Be informed that devices such as Xbox and PlayStation do not require a manual driver installation and this solution applies only to desktop or laptop devices.

Depending on your graphics card (GPU) model, go to the respective website and download a suitable driver.

If there is a driver installed, check for updates and make sure to apply any updates found.

Solution #5 Factory Reset Vizio TV

We assume that if you are here then you have tried all of the previous methods and if your Vizio HDMI port not working, now we will take more drastic measures.

In this solution, you will learn how to perform a factory reset, which will permanently erase all configurations, data, and settings bound to your TV.

Note:

We recommend backing up any settings that you might need later. 

Here is how to perform a factory reset:

1. Press the Menu button on your Vizio remote:
2. Go to System and then choose Reset & Admin.
3. Insert your passcode (the default passcode is “0000”).
4. Select Reset and confirm by pressing OK on your remote.
5. Be patient and let your TV reset to default settings.
6. Set-up your TV.
7. Test HDMI connectivity.

Read Next: How to Get Local Channels on Vizio Smart TV?

Vizio HDMI Port Is Still Not Working…

If you have tried everything and your HDMI port is still not being recognized as input, then we can safely conclude a hardware issue.

It is either your HDMI port, cable, or another hardware aspect of your TV. If there is no other device to test with, we cannot be sure whether the hardware problem is with the Vizio TV or your external device.

The last thing you can do at home is run an antivirus scan on your external device and hopefully cage harmful software that could be preventing your HDMI port from working properly.

If nothing helps, as a last resort you can contact Vizio in order to chat with a technician in real-time or call for a phone conversation.

Tip:

Don’t forget to share what you’ve tried in this post to avoid performing the same troubleshooting steps over again.

Bottom Line

If you find yourself in a situation where the Vizio HDMI port not working, by applying our solution you should be able to get rid of the issue or at least locate where the problem is coming from.

After all, it is a piece of tech that could glitch anytime, but with the proper tools at your disposal, you shouldn’t be afraid.