Why Does My Samsung TV Have a Fuzzy or Blurry Picture? (Fix it Now)
By Trae Jacobs,
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Samsung TVs are revered for their crisp, crystal clear picture and beautiful display. That’s why when one suddenly seems to have a blurry picture, it can be concerning. What exactly causes a Samsung TV to have a fuzzy picture and is there anything you can do about it?
Why is Samsung Smart TV Suddenly Fuzzy?
As we mentioned above, there is a laundry list of reasons why your Samsung TV can show a blurry motion or grainy picture. Here are all the things that could cause your Samsung TV to have a fuzzy or blurry screen:
- Samsung TV Resolution or Aspect Ratio is Incorrect
- HDMI Cables are low quality or damaged
- Change your Sharpness settings
- Picture Settings need to be Reset
- Samsung TV needs a Soft Reset
- Check for Interference with Signal
- TV Hardware needs to be replaced
If your TV has a blurry picture and you’re not sure what to do, fear not, for we’ve got you covered.
Most of the time a fuzzy picture is caused by a signal with the wrong resolution being fed into the TV. This can be the result of the cables you’re using or the device that you stream from.
Alternatively, the picture settings on your TV may have accidentally been changed, causing a stretched picture that also looks blurry.
Samsung TV Resolution is Set Too Low, Change Picture Size
A common reason why Samsung TV screens get blurry or pixelated is because the resolution setting is set too low for what video you’re trying to watch on your Samsung TV. This is the same for if you’re using a cable box (or set-top box) as it can have a low resolution setting too.
Sometimes when you try to watch older shows or movies, you’ll need to change your picture size/resolution to 4:3. But most shows today are watched in 16:9 or 1080p and beyond.
You may have accidently left it on aspect ratio 4:3 or a different Picture size, so we recommend checking this setting first and changing it to the 16:9 Standard setting.
Follow these steps to change your Picture Size:
- Press the Home button on your remote.
- Go to Settings, then All Settings.
- Select Picture.
- Select Picture Size Settings.
- Select 16:9 Standard.
You may need to press Menu or Settings button depending on what model remote you have.
Upgrade or Replace HDMI Cables
HDMI cables have taken over as the standard for display screens across TVs, computers, gaming consoles, and more. It could be the culprit if you happen to have a damaged or faulty HDMI cable.
Before you replace your HDMI cable, check to see if it’s securely plugged in and making a full connection.
If they are securely plugged in, inspect your HDMI cable for a few things:
- Is it damaged or fraying?
- Is the HDMI cable High-Speed or 4K?
4K/8K HDMI cables are not required, but if you have a 4K TV, it will certainly help. At the very minimum, you should be using an HDMI Cable built for High-speed.
Other specs to pay attention to are the refresh rate (60Hz/120Hz) and the HDMI cable type (1.0-2.1).
Change Your Sharpness Settings
Sometimes over Sharpness can cause blurriness but it’s not common. This is still a good setting to check before we fully reset all your Picture settings.
Follow these steps to adjust your Sharpness settings:
- Press the Home button on your remote.
- Go to Settings, then All Settings.
- Select Picture.
- Select Expert Settings
- Scroll down until you see Sharpness
- Adjust your Sharpness settings.
Reset the Picture Settings On Your Samsung TV
If all else fails, you can go into your settings and reset the picture on your TV. This is similar to a factory reset but it just applies to the TV’s picture.
Follow the steps below to reset the picture on your Samsung TV:
- Press the Home button on your remote.
- Go to Settings, then All Settings.
- Select Picture.
- Select Expert Settings
- Select Reset Picture
- Select Yes to Confirm
Now the picture on your TV will have been completely reset and it should hopefully look as good as it did when you purchased it.
Perform a Soft Reset
The first step in troubleshooting any technology is simple, turn it off and then turn it back on again. There are a few different ways to perform a soft reset on a Samsung TV.
How To Soft Reset or Cold Boot Your Samsung TV with Remote:
- Confirm your TV is on.
- Press and hold the Power button down on remote until the TV turns off.
- Continue holding down the Power button until the TV turns on again.
How To Soft Reset or Cold Boot Your Samsung TV by Unplugging:
- With the TV turned off, unplug the power cord from the outlet.
- Wait 60 seconds, then plug it back in.
- Power on your TV.
- Check if existing issues are fixed.
When the TV turns back on, most issues should be resolved by now. Menus should work appropriately and apps should launch normally without disruption.
If you are still running into issues, try a Factory reset for your Samsung TV.
Check for Interference with Signal
Your Samsung TV could be showing a pixelated or blurry motion on screen due to interference to your TV.
Here are a few things to check:
- Change the power outlet your TV is plugged into
- Reposition your Satellite or Antenna
- Clear off any debris from your Satelite or Antenna
- Inspect any other cables related to display on your TV to with external devices
Cable Provider Issues
If you see a blurry picture while watching through your cable provider, whether it be DirecTV, Dish, AT&T or Spectrum, your first action should be resetting the set-top box. Steps will vary by device but usually include finding a reset button or pressing and holding a power button until the device turns off then back on again.
I have DirecTV Stream right now and the reset button is a little red button on the side of the reciever.
Samsung TV Hardware Needs to be Replaced
If your Samsung TV is still showing a blurry or fuzzy screen, it may be time to start looking at the actual hardware of your Samsung TV. Try inspecting it for any physical damage you can see.
People generally see their TV picture quality drop noticeably between 8-10 years after purchase.
We suggest contacting Samsung support and seeing if your Samsung TV is still under warranty to be repaired or replaced.
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