TCL TVs are a fantastic bang-for-your-buck option in today’s market. Most of them come with Roku as their smart platform, a powerful system that can go toe-to-toe with those found in higher-end TV brands.
Like any tech, though, TCL TVs can sometimes experience issues. And a common problem is a TCL TV light blinking.
The good news is, there are some easy, do-it-yourself ways to address the problem.
Let me walk you through why you might find your TCL TV light blinking and the steps you can take to get it back to normal.
The Clever Fix
Search for a small button labeled “Reset” located at the back of your TV. Using a pen or a straightened out paperclip, press down and hold this button for about 10 seconds.
Why is my TCL TV light blinking?
Often, a blinking light on a TCL TV is a sign that your TV is stuck in standby mode.
But there could be other causes too. The blinking light might indicate that your TV isn’t connected to the internet, the remote has been disconnected, or there’s an issue with your TV’s backlight.
How to fix a TCL TV light blinking
If your TCL TV doesn’t turn on or the screen is black
1. Reset your TV
If your TCL TV light is blinking and the TV won’t switch on, a quick reset might be just what it needs. You’ll usually find a tiny reset button at the back of your TV. Grab a pen or a straightened paperclip, press and hold the button for around 10 seconds.
Don’t worry if it doesn’t work the first time – you may need to give it a few tries.
A typical TCL TV’s status light will blink briefly when the TV is switched on from being off. After a few seconds, the TV should come to life, the blinking light will stop, and the image will pop up.
However, there are cases where a TCL TV seems to get stuck in standby mode. When this happens, the LED light keeps blinking, leaving the screen in darkness.
The quickest way to fix this is by hitting the TV’s reset button.
Finding the reset button can be a bit of a challenge, given that it’s small and not always clearly labeled.
Look for it at the back of the TCL TV, often at one side, above or below the HDMI and USB ports. Occasionally (though it’s rare), you might find it underneath the bottom bezel of the TV.
This tiny button is a factory reset button, restoring your TV to its brand-new, straight-out-of-the-box condition. Once you’ve pressed the button successfully, your TV will reboot and you’ll need to go through the setup process again.
2. Power cycle your TV
If your TCL TV is trapped in standby mode, with a blinking status light, power cycling your TV can help.
Power cycling, also known as a soft reset, drains any remaining power from your TV and resets its main board. It’s a robust reboot that can clear out any glitches or software bugs.
To perform a power cycle, unplug your TCL TV from the power outlet for about a minute. While it’s unplugged, press and hold your TV’s power button for about 15 seconds. After the minute is up, plug it back in.
Once everything is plugged back in, check to see if the light has stopped blinking and if you can turn your TCL TV on.
3. Have your backlight tested and repaired
If your TCL TV status light continues to blink and the screen remains dark, it might mean that your backlight or its driver is damaged.
The backlight is a key component that produces the light needed for an image to show up on your screen. It’s made up of LED strips. If these strips are not working as they should, your TV screen will stay dark.
Fixing a broken backlight isn’t exactly a piece of cake. You’ll have to take apart quite a few parts of your TV to get to the LED strips. And once you’re there, you need to make sure you install the new LED strips correctly before reassembling everything.
This process isn’t without risks. You could end up damaging some other part of your TV or even breaking your TV screen. Plus, if your TCL TV is still under warranty, taking it apart could make that warranty null and void.
Given all this, if you suspect a backlight problem, your best course of action is to take your TV to a local TV repair center. They can run a thorough test and confirm if the issue is really with the backlight.
Sure, it might cost you a bit more, but at least you’ll have peace of mind knowing your TV is in the hands of an expert.
If your TCL TV is on
4. Connect your TV to a network
If your TCL TV is powered on but its status light is still blinking, it might be because it’s not connected to a network.
To address this, first, check the network connection on your TCL TV. Make sure your router is up and running, and check whether your other devices are connected to the internet.
If you haven’t connected your TCL TV to Wi-Fi, you can do so by following these steps:
- Press your remote’s Home button.
- Scroll up and select Settings.
- Go to Network.
- Select Set up new wireless connection.
- Choose your wireless network and enter your password.
- Select Connect.
You could also opt for a wired connection instead. Just choose Wired in the Network Settings and connect your ethernet cable into the appropriate port at the back of your TCL TV.
Once your TV is connected to the internet, the blinking status light should cease.
5. Turn off Roku features
I completely get it – not everyone wants to connect their TV to the internet.
But, if you’ve got a TCL TV, it’s going to keep blinking that status light until you connect it to a network, which can be pretty irritating.
If you’d rather not connect your TCL TV to a network, there’s another route you can take. You can turn off its Roku features, effectively converting your TCL TV into a non-smart TV.
To do this, you must factory reset your TCL TV first, then turn off Roku features in the initial setup.
- Press your remote’s Home button.
- Navigate to Settings.
- Select System > Advanced system settings.
- Go to Factory reset > Factory reset everything.
- Enter the code that will appear on your screen.
- Select OK.
Your TCL TV will then automatically restart. Don’t unplug it. Wait for the initial setup screen to appear.
Once the initial setup screen appears, you can disable Roku features by following these steps:
- Press your remote’s right arrow button while in the Let’s get started screen.
- Select Setup for home use.
- Once you’re in the Choose your network screen, scroll down to select Connect to the Internet later.
- Press the OK button. The Connected devices will appear.
- If you have a cable box or any device, plug it in and select Everything is plugged in and turned on.
- You’ll be then directed to the home screen, where only the connected devices are displayed.
6. Reconnect your remote
One more reason your TCL TV status light might be blinking is due to a disconnected remote.
Sometimes, TCL TV remotes get unpaired for unknown reason, which can trigger the blinking light.
To re-pair the remote:
- Open your remote’s battery compartment.
- Press and hold the pairing button until the pairing light blinks.
- Restart your TCL TV.
- Wait for about 30 seconds for the remote to connect to your TV.
- A remote pairing notice will appear.
- Once the remote is paired, its battery level should appear in the upper right corner of the TV screen.
If all else fails
7. Contact TCL TV support
If you’ve tried everything, and nothing’s worked, and it’s been less than a year since you bought your TCL TV, the next best step is to reach out to TCL TV support directly.
Typically, TCL TVs come with a limited one-year warranty from the date of purchase. If the folks at TCL determine that the problem is due to a manufacturing defect, they’ll cover the cost of repair or replacement.
Not sure if your TV is still under warranty? Reach out to the TCL support team at 1-877-300-8837. They’re available Monday to Friday from 9 AM to 12 AM (ET), and Saturday to Sunday from 9 AM to 6 PM (ET) to answer your questions.
Summing up
A blinking status light on your TCL TV can be a real nuisance. Thankfully, there are several measures you can take to resolve the issue.
If your TCL TV light is blinking but the TV won’t come on, try resetting it. Look for a tiny reset button at the back of your TV and hold it down for at least 10 seconds with a pen or straightened paperclip.
Finding this tiny button might require some hunting – it’s generally situated above or below the USB and HDMI ports. But if you can’t find it there, check under the bottom bezel of your TV.
If the status light keeps blinking and your TV doesn’t turn on, you can try power cycling your TCL TV or having its backlight tested.
If your TCL TV is on but the status light is still blinking, it might be because it’s not connected to a network. In this case, you can either connect your TCL TV to a network or disable the Roku features if you prefer not to have it hooked up to the internet.
Don’t forget to check if your TCL TV’s remote is properly paired if the status light is blinking while the TV is on.
And if nothing seems to work, don’t hesitate to reach out to TCL TV support. They can help you figure out if your TCL TV is still covered under the warranty.