vizio tv black and white

Is your Vizio TV black and white? We understand how annoying that is; believe us.

After all, shows nowadays are more vivid than ever, and you certainly want to catch every detail. We will help you fix that.

To troubleshoot a Vizio TV displaying only black and white, start by power cycling the device and checking connected devices. Additionally, check network connections, picture settings, HDR settings, and ensure the firmware is up to date.

You will hardly need to deal with hardware in this situation. We strongly believe the issue is an occasional glitch or a firmware problem that will be solved in a few minutes.

Follow the instructions below to find the answer.

Vizio TV Black And White – Reasons

reason why vizio tv black and white

Do you have a Vizio TV? Many people buy the brand because of its reliance and its numerous features.

However, some users stumble on the following issue: Vizio TV is suddenly black and white.

That is curious and annoying, so we must check what’s happening:

✅ Settings Issue

Some settings on your Vizio TV are responsible for how the color shows up. Some of them might make the screen look only black and white.

✅ HDMI Problem

When you have an HDMI device connected but its signal only shows in black and white, the problem could lie in the HDMI port or cable.

✅ Power Cord

Sometimes, the issue has to do with the power cord not providing enough power or the TV needing to be power cycled.

✅ Firmware

If the TV’s firmware is glitched, that could cause color problems. Also, it might be wise to check if a firmware update is needed.

How To Fix The Vizio TV Black And White 

how fix vizio tv black and white

So there are some options you can try when your Vizio TV only black and white doesn’t seem to go away.

Below we will start from the most basic procedures and advance to more complex troubleshooting.

Different solutions will apply depending on what is wrong with your TV.

1. Power Cycle The TV

The first procedure you must try on your Vizio TV when it only displays black and white is power cycling. A proper power cycle has some steps you need to follow closely.

Here they are:

  1. Unplug the power cord from the wall;
  2. Hold the TV’s power button for 5 seconds;
  3. Plug the cord back in;
  4. Turn the TV on.

Next, you must check if the color has returned. If not, try power cycling at least one more time before skipping to the next possible solution.

2. Check The HDMI

check the hdmi

The second solution we suggest will apply only if you have an external device sending video to your TV.

Vizio TV black and white HDMI can be a problem if you have a game console, a Roku stick (or similar gadgets), or any other device on the HDMI port.

The troubleshooting goes as follows:

  1. Disconnect the device from the TV;
  2. Check the cord’s ends to see if they are fine;
  3. Ensure that the TV shows colors when the HDMI is not selected;
  4. Plug the HDMI cord into the other HDMI port.

If that doesn’t solve the issue, you might want to try a different HDMI cable if you have one lying around.

Also, try the device on a different TV. That could show you whether the problem is your TV or your video game/TV box/etc.

Note: Perhaps you are connecting through another port. In that case, the same procedures suggested above still apply. You have to check if the cables are fine.

3. Adjust The Picture Settings

 Now it is time to check the picture settings on your Vizio TV. If anything you watch on the TV is always black and white, that indicates a deep issue.

adjust tv picture settings

We hope you can solve it by navigating through these settings:

  1. Open the TV’s Menu;
  2. Go to “Picture”;
  3. Select “Picture Mode”;
  4. Choose a different picture mode than the one currently selected.

That might help to fix the issue and display colors again. If it doesn’t, there are some other options you can manage.

Change Other Settings

Beyond the picture mode, the Vizio TV offers you the possibility of adjusting color through some precise settings.

Once you are in the Picture settings, find these tabs and adjust them to see if something changes:

  • Contrast;
  • Brightness;
  • Color;
  • Tint.

Reset Picture Settings

reset tv picture settings

If tinkering with the settings doesn’t solve the issue, we recommend resetting the general picture settings.

Here is how you can do that:

  1. Open the TV’s Menu;
  2. Go to “Picture”;
  3. Select “Reset Picture Settings” at the bottom.

We hope that helps!

Solution #4: Turn HDR Off

Smart TVs nowadays have plenty of built-in technology to deliver the best sound and image, right?

But the software side of that sometimes glitches, which might be the case with HDR here.

Here is how you can find the HDR menu and disable the feature to try and fix the color:

turn off the hdr
  1. Open the TV’s Menu;
  2. Go to “Picture”;
  3. Select “More Picture” (or “Expert Settings” if your TV is a bit older);
  4. Choose HDR;
  5. Toggle it off.

After saving the changes and exiting the menu, you need to restart the TV. Only then will the changes take effect, and the color should be re-established.

5. Check The Network

Is your Vizio TV showing black and white only when you access streaming apps? In that case, the issue might stem from your network connection.

Here are some methods you can put into practice:

  • Restart the router and wait a bit before connecting again;
  • Disconnect some devices from the network and leave only the TV connected after restarting the router;
  • Connect the TV to the router via an Ethernet cable to enhance the connectivity.

6. Update The TV’s Firmware

update firmware update

If none of the solutions above has worked so far, it is time to start suspecting the TV’s firmware.

Perhaps the most recent update hasn’t been installed in the TV, causing a glitch that messes with the TV’s color.

It is time we install the update:

  1. Make sure your Vizio TV is connected to the internet;
  2. Press the V button on your TV remote to open the Vizio SmartCast menu;
  3. Select “System” from the menu
  4. Select “Check for Updates”;
  5. Follow the on-screen instructions to check for available updates.
  6. Select “Install Update” (if available);
  7. Follow the on-screen instructions to download and install the firmware update. 

The updating process might take a while, but you must wait through it. The TV might turn off and on again during the procedure.

7. Reset The TV

Is no update available for your TV? In that case, all that’s left to do is reset the device. Thankfully, Vizio TVs have two methods of resetting: the hard and the soft.

Let’s start trying a soft reset:

reset vizio tv
  1. Press the Menu button on the remote;
  2. Choose “System”;
  3. Choose “Reset & Admin.
  4. Choose “Soft Power Cycle.”

Hard Reset Your TV

When the issue is deeper within the TV’s firmware code, you will have to hard reset the TV.

That means erasing all the apps installed and any personal data already stored. 

  1. Disconnect the TV from the Wi-Fi network;
  2. Press the Menu button on the remote;
  3. Navigate to “System”;
  4. Choose “Reset & Admin”;
  5. Find Reset TV to Factory State and select it;
  6. Input the PIN code of your Vizio TV (if you don’t have a custom PIN, the default is 0000);
  7. Select Reset;

After the hard reset, your TV should work like new. It shouldn’t be slow nor present a black and white screen. If the screen still shows issues, you must contact the brand.

What We Learned

A Vizio TV in black and white is no good since we are no longer in the 60s, right? The Vizio TV sometimes glitches and starts showing the wrong colors.

However, there are many easy ways of fixing it, as you have just learned!

Read Next: Vizio TV Sound And Picture Out Of Sync?

Nicole B
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