Can You Change the Background on a Vizio TV?

As with any new technology purchase, you will want to personalize your new Vizio TV in all the ways that are available to you. For example, when a Vizio TV is newly set up, it will automatically have a preprogrammed default background. Many people wonder if they can select a different background or if they can change the background to a custom photo.

You can easily change the background on your Vizio TV in three simple steps. Simply use the Chromecast app and navigate towards the TV settings. Then click “Ambient Mode.” From there, you will see all the background options available to choose from.

You might still be wondering exactly how to change the background or how to make the background a slideshow of your own photos. Don’t worry. This article will show you exactly how to set up and use the Chromecast app to highly customize the background on your Vizio television.

How Do I Customize the Background on My Vizio TV?

There are several ways to customize your Vizio TV. The easiest way is to use the Chromecast app on your phone. Below you can see the step-by-step instructions on using the app to fully personalize your television’s background.

1. Download the Chromecast App. All Vizio TVs made in 2018 or after have built-in Chromecast technology.  Using your phone or tablet, set the app to Cast Mode. Ensure that the TV is in Cast Mode as well. The TV should automatically be added to your list of devices in the app.
2. Navigate towards Ambient Mode. After clicking on the TV icon in the app, it will give you an option to view Ambient mode. Ambient Mode will start after your television and remote have been idle for a while.
3.  Choose the background setting that you want. The app will give you a selection to choose “Photo Album,” “Art Gallery,” or “Experimental.”
4. Customize the display settings. After choosing a background setting, you can also choose whether to display the weather and time as part of the background.
5. Change the slideshow time. With Chromecast’s newest feature, you can now change the slideshow speed.

How Do I Change the Pictures on My Vizio TV?

The pictures on your Vizio TV can be changed either using the Photo Album setting or the Art Gallery setting.

1. Login to your Chromecast App. From there, click on the TV icon and click Ambient Mode.
2. Choose Photo Frame. Photo Frame is an excellent choice for displaying your photos. All photos have to be in an already existing Google photo album to be able to project onto the TV. Watch this great video to see how to create google photo albums.
3. Choose Art Gallery. If you do not want your photos to be on the TV, you can always select photos or slideshows from the default art galleries. From here, you can create a slideshow from the photos listed or pick one of the premade slideshows.

How Do I Use Vizio’s New Experimental Feature?

The experimental feature on Vizio’s television is the best way to customize your television because it allows you to display photos from social media websites.

This new feature lets you show photos straight from your Facebook album, which takes away the extra step of creating Google photo albums. Of course, you will need a Facebook account to use this feature.

You can also add photos from a Flickr account and put the television in a low-bandwidth mode under the experimental features page.

1. Open the Chromecast App on your smart device. Scroll down until you see your Vizio TV listed and click the three dots in the right-hand corner.
2. Click Ambient Mode and then access the Experimental Feature. This will be listed as the last option in the photo features category.  
3. Choose where you want your photos to be from. You can now decide whether you want to choose photos from Facebook or Flickr. The Chromecast app will take you to a separate sign-in page to select a photo album.
4. Enable the low-bandwidth mode. This is the last of the features on the experimental page. The bandwidth will affect the speed of your internet and how quickly things can be streamed and downloaded. The low-bandwidth mode is great for viewing live videos or recordings.

Watch this video for extra help on accessing the ambient mode and using all the experimental features.

Final Thoughts

The Smartcast televisions by Vizio allow a quick and easy way to change the background on your television by using the Chromecast application, selecting ambient mode, and then choosing one of the features to change your photo show.

For more help on casting your TV through the app, you can check out Vizio’s support center. Keep in mind that only Vizio televisions that have Smartcast will work with the Chromecast app. See if your TV is compatible here.