If you’re wondering why does my TV flicker with HDMI, stay with us throughout the guide!
The HDMI flickering on a TV mainly shows that the cable connection is not secure, which involves many surrounding factors such as TV input ports, cable connectors, and reliability.
The reason why your TV is flickering with HDMI is due to a loose HDMI connection or a resolution scaling problem from the source.
In addition, we should mention a possible fault with the HDMI connectors or TV ports, which ultimately leads to screen flickering.
Let’s unwrap the most important next!
Top 8 Reasons Why HDMI Connection Blinking?
- Unsecure HDMI connection from the source
- Damaged HDMI input ports or connectors
- Electromagnetic external device interference
- Outdated firmware (bad OS compatibility)
- Source resolution and refresh rate issues
- Power-related issues from the power source
- TV does support HDCP, causing a flickering
- Faulty TV backlight or other hardware blunder
Check For HDCP Support First!
Before jumping into the guide it’s important to confirm that your TV does support HDCP, so you can either Google the device’s model or check the user’s manual.
This is the fundamental digital content protection technology that your TV must have in order for the HDMI connection to work.
How To Fix When TV Keeps Flashing Black Screen HDMI?
Tip: Try switching the sides of the HDMI cable before you start!
1. Soft-Reset Your TV and Source!
The first and one of the most-effective steps is to perform a power circulation on your setup, which involves both the TV and the HDMI source.
This method will help against overheating and will surely refresh the HDMI connection.
- Simply turn off and unplug the TV and HDMI source for 60 seconds!
In case the HDMI flickering on the TV is still there, jump to the next step…
2. Secure the HDMI Cable Connection
One of the most important tasks when inspecting an HDMI connection between a TV and a source device is reliability.
To completely exclude multiple possibilities for flickering on a TV, related to the HDMI connection, follow the steps below:
- Turn off both the TV and the HDMI source.
- Gently unplug the HDMI cable on both sides.
- Inspect both of the HDMI cable connectors.
- Clean the TV and HDMI source input/output ports.
- Remove any dust accumulation or obstructions.
- Tip: Use a soft-bristled brush and avoid liquids!
- Reconnect the HDMI cable tightly on both sides.
- Avoid twisting the cables during the installation.
Try Another HDMI Port!
In case the flickering continues even after the inspection and cleaning, perhaps one of the input/output ports is defective.
To start fresh, plug your HDMI cable into another HDMI port on your TV as well as on the HDMI source (if possible).
Tip: Avoid using the side HDMI on your TV!
3. Change the “Refresh Rate”
Sometimes the flickering appears due to incompatibility in the source’s refresh rate setting and reflects with flickering on your TV.
This is why the best course of action would be to change the refresh rate of our HDMI source, through the settings.
Here is how to change the refresh rate on the most-frequent used HDMI sources:
Windows Computer:
- On Windows 10 or 11 from the Start Menu, go to Settings.
- Select Display, scroll down, and click on Advanced Display,
- Find the “Choose a refresh rate” and set the highest possible.
- Tip: Check the supported GPU output refresh rate and resolution.
PlayStation 4 & 5:
- On your PlayStation 4 or 5 go to Settings.
- From there go to the Sound and Screen tab.
- Then select “Video Output Settings”.
- Finally set the highest refresh rate possible.
Xbox 360 & One:
- Press the Xbox button to open “Guide”.
- Then choose Profile & System > Settings.
- Then open General > TV & Display Options.
- Select the highest refresh rate possible.
Apple TV (iOS):
- From the Home, Screen goes to Settings.
- Next, select the Video and Audio tab.
- Then select Match Dynamic Range.
Roku TV / Fire TV:
- On Roku TV go to Settings > System > Advanced.
- On Fire TV go to Settings > Video > Playback.
- On Roku TV select Auto-adjust display refresh rate.
- On Fire TV select Adjust display refresh rate setting.
- Optional: Manually elect the highest TV refresh rate.
Tip: If you haven’t found the refresh rate options, consult the device’s user manual!
4. Lower the HDMI Video Resolution!
Sometimes the flickering appears because of a big difference between the HDMI source device resolution and the TV-supported resolution.
In that regard, it’s recommended to check what is the supported resolution on your TV and then adjust your source device accordingly.
Tip: You can check the supported resolution on the box of your TV!
- SD – 480p (720 x 480)
- HD – 720p (1024 x 740)
- Full HD – 1080p (1920 x 1080)
- UHD (4K) – 3840p (3840 x 2160)
Based on the resolution of your TV, ensure that the source is not attempting to visualize a higher resolution than the supported one.
Adjust accordingly, especially on HDMI-connected PCs!
5. Use a Shorter HDMI (4K) Cable
In case you didn’t know, video flickering and other related issues might and will occur when you’re attempting to stream 4K with a long HDMI cable.
For UHD (3840 x 2160), the HDMI cable shouldn’t be longer than 32 feet, for optimal quality and no HDMI flickering.
6. Test HDMI Source on Monitor!
To justify whether your television or HDMI source is the culprit for the flickering, we strongly suggest testing with a different TV or monitor.
Nowadays we all have a workstation (computer) or a laptop that supports a monitor with an HDMI input.
- Simply, connect your HDMI source to your laptop or HDMI computer monitor!
This way, you’ll be able to tell whether the flickering is from the source or from your TV, judging by whether the flickering appears on the secondary monitor.
If yes, chances are that the flickering is coming from your source or HDMI cable and not from your television.
7. Disconnect Third-Party Sources!
We’re now moving on to identifying the HDMI flickering on your TV by inspecting other devices.
It’s important to only leave your one and singular HDMI source connected to your TV and eject all external devices such as sound output, and other video inputs.
In addition, try switching between the TV HDMI sources from the menu to select the correct HDMI source. Then check for the flickering.
We also recommend disconnecting other sources of video feed such as connected cameras, coaxial cables, and TV boxes for satellite TV.
With the HDMI source alone, the TV flickering should disappear.
8. Update Television OS (Firmware)
One of the final methods that you can apply is to perform an update on your television and (preferable) on your source device as well.
The flickering could be caused due to missed updates and to check for available upgrades, you’ll need to reach into the settings.
- To universally update a TV go to Settings > System > > System Update!
It’s important for your TV to remain connected to the internet throughout the process and when the update is finished, test the HDMI source.
If your HDMI source is a console or any sort of TV stick, we strongly suggest upgrading the device’s operating system (firmware) as well.
Note: On different brand TVs, the menus and options are labeled differently!
Need More Help?
In case your TV continues to flicker when connected to an HDMI source, but your second monitor did not blink, perhaps it’s your TVs fault.
The best next step is to justify with a second (proven-to-work) HDMI cable so you can confidently conclude a malfunction with the TV.
The following course of action would be checking your warranty and contacting the supplier for reclamation and replacement or simply taking your TV for servicing.
Good luck!
Choosing an HDMI Cable?
Still, asking why does my TV flicker with HDMI? Well, our recommendation would be the PowerBear 4K HDMI High-Speed (4K) Cable.
This way your TV won’t be flickering, at least because of the HDMI connection so if you haven’t got a good cable, you’re missing out!
Quick Recap:
Now that we know why does my TV flicker with HDMI, we know that to solve the issue we need to thoroughly inspect the HDMI cable and ports and adjust the refresh rate.
Also, it’s recommended to test on a secondary TV or monitor to justify the flickering issue.
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