Hisense TV won’t turn on – possible causes and how to fix

To start with, make sure the power outlet is functional. You can do this by plugging it into a different device and checking if it works or not. Alternatively, you can also use a different power outlet for your Hisense TV. If it turns on, your power outlet could be malfunctioning and might need repairing.

The power cord your Hisense TV uses can also be damaged, preventing it from turning on. Make sure it is firmly plugged into the TV as well as the power outlet. Also, check the entire power cord for any signs of frays, cuts, bends, or overall damage. If it is damaged, your TV will not turn on. In that case, a replacement power cord can be purchased online.

As the name suggests, surge protectors protect your electronics from power spikes or surges. That’s because an unwanted power surge can damage your TV, console, and other electronics. However, surge protectors can also break down and stop working. So, if you’re using one, remove it and check if the TV turns on. If it does, the issue may be with the surge protector and not the TV. 

If you suspect this is the case, you can replace your surge protector easily, as they are available for around $10 – $15 online or at most hardware stores. 

If you’re using a simple power strip to power multiple electronics from a single outlet (like your TV, soundbar, and console), there’s a big chance the power strip is malfunctioning, and the TV is fine. You can test this by first removing the power strip and directly plugging your TV into the wall outlet. If the TV works, it’s highly likely that your power strip is broken. If that’s the case, simply purchase a new one, which can be typically found for under $10.

The TV may not turn on if your remote batteries are dead. Try a different pair of batteries to use the remote. Just pop the back cover on the remote, remove the old batteries, and put the fresh ones in while matching the positive (+) and negative (-) signs.

Like every other electronic, your remote can occasionally run into a few bugs and glitches. However, these can be easily cleared with a power cycle, which means draining all the existing power from your remote and giving it a fresh restart. Here’s how you can power cycle your remote: 

• Remove the battery cover from the remote.
• Take out the batteries.
• Hold the power button on the remote for around 20 to 30 seconds.
• Put the batteries back in.

Once the batteries are in, the remote will restart on its own, and you don’t have to do anything. Just press the power button, and if everything works, the TV should turn on. If it doesn’t, you can move to the next step.

If the TV actually turns on but does not show anything other than a “no signal” or “no input” error, chances are the input source is not configured. For instance, if you’ve plugged the HDMI cable into the HDMI 1 port but the TV is configured to display HDMI 2, it won’t work. Here’s how you can fix this:

• Press the input/source button on your Hisense remote.
• Scroll to the correct input source.
• Press the Enter button.

You can try the different input sources until one of them works. Alternatively, you can read at the back of your TV which port you’re connected to and select that one.

If the TV does not turn on at all, there might be a bug in the firmware causing the issue. This can be cleared by a simple power cycle. Just like with the remote, power cycling your TV will also remove all of its existing power and give it a restart. It is a very common fix for all electronics and does no harm. All you have to do is:

• Unplug the TV from its power source.
• Disconnect all cables.
• Let it sit for around a minute or two for the power to drain.
• Plug all cables back.
• Reconnect the power source.
• Finally, turn it on.

Many people have reported that a busted backlight on their TVs can also be the root cause of the problem. This means that technically, the TV will turn on, but its defective backlight will not display anything, giving the impression that the TV is not turning on. Using your phone’s flashlight (or any flashlight for that matter), you can check whether your TV has a damaged backlight.

• First, turn off all the lights in your room to make it completely dark.
• After that, power on your Hisense TV and press the power button to turn it on.
• Shine your phone’s flashlight onto the TV’s screen.
• If you see dull/faint text or images, the backlight is not working.

However, if the flashlight reflects back and nothing is visible on the screen, the backlight should be fine, meaning there is something else that’s wrong, and you should try the next fix.

Just like the power cord, the TV will not function properly if your HDMI cable is broken or not inserted correctly. 

• Remove your HDMI cable and examine its connector for bent/missing pins.
• Similarly, look for any cuts or damage to the cable itself. 
• If everything looks good, firmly insert the cable in the right HDMI port – it should go all the way in. 
• If you have a spare working HDMI cable, use that instead. 

If the issue is resolved, you will know that the HDMI cable was causing the problems. While you can get a new HDMI cable for a couple of bucks, it is always better to invest in a better one that will set you back by around $10. As a result, you will get a more durable (braided) HDMI cable that also performs better. 

If none of these methods have worked for you and your Hisense TV is still not responsive, there can be something wrong with its OS or firmware. You can remove all of the software-related bugs with a factory reset, but keep in mind that doing so will revert the TV to its default settings — clearing all custom settings and configurations.

• Look for the reset button at the back of your Hisense TV (usually a small hole).
• Insert a small pin, paperclip, or toothpick in the reset button and hold for around 10 to 15 seconds.
• Wait for the TV to restart on its own.

Once the TV has automatically restarted, it means the factory reset was successful.

If your TV is still not turning on, the issue is likely with the mainboard or some other internal hardware. In this case, your only option is to contact Hisense support for assistance.