Why Does My Samsung TV Have a Yellow Tint?

Have you noticed an unusual yellow tint on your Samsung TV screen? Perhaps it occurs when you turn on your TV and sometimes goes away when you connect an external device like a PS5. So, what causes a Samsung TV to have a yellow tint, and how do you fix it?

A yellow tint on a Samsung TV may be caused by:

• The TV’s color temperature
• Using a certain Picture Mode
• Having EyeComfort turned on (new models)
• Faulty device connection
• Environmental factors

A yellow tint on your screen can make watching TV difficult, but there is no need to panic. You can try a few things to fix this annoying color distortion issue. 

How to Fix Yellow Tint on Samsung TV Screen

When your TV screen is yellow, it affects playing video games or watching movies. Understandably, this is a situation you would want to resolve immediately.

Here’s how to fix a Samsung TV with a yellow tint, even if you’re not an expert in TV repair.

Adjust the Color Temperature

Color temperature refers to how red (warm) or blue (cool) the color palette appears on your screen. Also known as color tone, this control allows you to adjust the color settings on your TV. An imbalanced color tone can cause a yellow tint on a Samsung TV.

You can change the color temperature by accessing the TV’s picture settings. Follow these steps:

1. From your TV’s Menu page, select “Settings.”
2. Highlight “All Settings” followed by the option labeled “Picture.” For older models, the Picture menu can be found immediately following Settings.
3. Select “Expert Settings.”
4. Scroll through the options and select “Color Tone.”
5. There are four choices: Standard adds no hue; Cool adds a blue-ish hue; Warm 1 adds a pinkish hue; Warm 2 adds a stronger pink hue to the color temperature.
6. On older Samsung TVs, you may see a slider allowing you to adjust between cool (blue) and warm (red) colors.
7. Adjusting the color tone away from red/warm and towards blue/cool should reduce or get rid of the yellowish tint on your screen.

Adjust the Hue

Hue, or tint, is another color adjustment in the Expert Settings under Picture. 

This option will appear as Tint (G/R) in the Expert Settings menu. In this case, the color scale ranges from green to red. To adjust this setting:

1. Access the “Expert Settings” menu.
2. Select “Tint (G/R).”
3. A slider bar will appear on your screen. Use the left and right directional arrows to adjust the tint.
4. Using the left arrow button will make the tint greener.
5. Using the right arrow button will make the tint redder.

If modifying the color temperature doesn’t produce a good result, change the hue from red to green. Adjusting the color temperature and hue is an effective way to reduce the yellow tint on your screen.

There are additional Expert Settings options that you can adjust to fine-tune your picture just the way you want it. These include:

• Brightness
• Contrast
• Sharpness
• Color 

Run a Picture Test

Running a picture test can help diagnose whether there is a problem with your Samsung TV. Here’s how to do it:

1. From the “Settings” page, highlight “Device Care” (on pre-2021 TVs, this will be “Support”).
2. Select “Self Diagnosis.”
3. Choose “Picture Test” and tap “Okay.”

You will be asked to evaluate the resulting picture and indicate whether it appears normal.

The absence of lines on the test screen means your TV screen works normally.

Reset the Picture Settings

You can perform a picture reset to restore your picture settings to the original factory levels. This can help get rid of a yellow tint on your Samsung TV. Follow these steps:

1. Go to “Settings” > “All Settings.” For older Samsung TVs, just go to “Settings”.
2. Select “Picture.”
3. Highlight “Expert Settings” and choose “Reset Picture.”
4. Tap “Yes” to reset your TV’s picture settings.

TIP: The steps for performing troubleshooting procedures can vary from one Samsung TV model to another. The best way to confirm the exact steps for your specific TV is to consult your owner’s manual. Can’t find it? You can find it online through Samsung’s manual locator.

Perform a Color Calibration

To fine-tune your Samsung TV’s picture, try calibrating the color. Performing a Smart Calibration is one way to get the best picture quality from your Samsung TV and get rid of a yellow tint. This feature is available on Samsung smart TVs released in 2022 and later.

This procedure requires a smartphone and the SmartThings app. Before you get started, make sure to register your TV with SmartThings. Your phone and TV should be on the same Wi-Fi network. Here’s how it works:

1. From the SmartThings app, select “Smart Calibration.”
2. Select Basic (< 1 minute) or Professional (approximately 8 minutes) mode.
3. Follow the on-screen instructions for the placement of your smartphone.
4. Select “Apply to Calibrated” or “Apply to Original” and tap “Done” to complete the calibration process.

Other Things to Check on a Samsung TV

Samsung TV EyeComfort

While it does not have a built-in blue light filter, a Samsung TV released in 2022 or later does have an automatic setting known as EyeComfort. 

This self-adjusting feature senses light conditions in the room to optimize screen brightness and color tone settings. 

Eye Comfort also adjusts picture settings according to the time of day. By doing this, the TV reduces blue light to reduce eye strain while viewing the screen. But Eye Comfort can also cause a yellowish tint on the screen as it adjusts for end-of-the-day viewing. 

Here’s how to access the EyeComfort setting:

1. Pull up the Settings page on your TV.
2. Tap “All Settings” > “General & Privacy.”
3. Go to “Intelligent Mode Settings.”
4. To enable Intelligent Mode, toggle the switch to the On position.
5. Highlight “Adaptive Picture” and tap “EyeComfort.”

Device Connection Issues

A poor connection from an external device can cause a yellow tint on your Samsung TV. 

Damaged HDMI cables or dusty connector ports can result in color distortions, including a yellowing effect. If the cables are damaged, replace them. If the ports are dirty, clean them with compressed air.

You should also confirm that your electrical outlets are properly grounded if you are experiencing problems with picture quality. Grounding issues can cause color distortions and conditions like flickering.

Samsung TV Art Mode

If you have a Samsung Frame TV, you may notice a yellow tint appearing on your screen when you switch to Art Mode. To resolve this issue, adjust the color temperature to the Cool (blue) setting as discussed above.

Environmental Factors

One consideration is that the cause of a yellow tint on your screen does not come from within the TV but rather an external condition. 

For instance, if you or someone you live with is a heavy smoker, the color distortion on your TV is from smoke residue. 

To clean a dirty TV screen that has a yellow tint:

1. Grab a clean microfiber cloth
2. Mix a 1:1 ratio of isopropyl alcohol and distilled water. Dab the microfiber cloth in there.
3. Wipe down the screen in one direction
4. Let the screen dry

Depending on how caked the residue is, you may have to repeat this process a few times and even use multiple microfiber cloths.

FAQ: Samsung TV Quality

How long do Samsung TVs last?

The average lifespan of a Samsung TV is between 4 and 7 years based on regular use and the brightness set to maximum. With thoughtful use and care, a Samsung TV can last longer.

For greater longevity, set the brightness to 75% or less. This will reduce the stress on the backlight and help your TV last longer.

How do you know when your Samsung TV is going bad?

Samsung TVs are not cheap and do not come with a lifetime warranty. Things can go wrong with Samsung TVs, especially if they are not properly maintained. 

Here are common signs that your Samsung TV is going bad:

• Vertical lines appear on the screen.
• TV has no sound, or the sound quality is poor.
• The television screen is blank or black.
• The TV light blinks but doesn’t turn on.
• The TV screen keeps flickering.
• The picture fades on some areas of the screen when the TV is on.
• The image on the TV is fuzzy or appears to blur.
• TV retains the image for a few moments when you change the channel.
• The colors on the TV screen appear distorted.
• TV takes a long time to come on.

When should you upgrade to a new Samsung TV?

TV experts say TVs should be replaced every 4 – 7 years on average. The reason is that technology is advancing so rapidly that new features are constantly being released.

So, if your TV is 4 – 7 years old, you are likely missing out on the latest advancements in video quality, resolution, sharpness, color, connectivity, and smart technology.