TV has a black screen or won't turn on? The flashlight test and other checks at home
A black screen doesn't have to mean a broken panel. Most often it's the backlight or the power supply, and both repairs cost a fraction of the price of a TV. In 10 minutes you'll know what you're dealing with.
- Most common cause
- the LED backlight or the power supply
- Time
- 10 minutes
- Backlight replacement at a repair shop
- 200–600 zł, depending on screen size
Don't remove the back cover. There can be dangerous voltages on the power supply board even after unplugging. Don't press on the screen during checks, because the panel cracks easily.
Step by step
Unplug the TV for 5 minutes
Pull the plug out of the wall socket (don't just turn it off with the remote) and wait a few minutes. This reset fixes frozen software and power supply protections. Plug it straight into a wall socket, without a power strip.
Check the light on the TV
The light is off completely: usually the power supply, or no power at the socket. The light is on, but the TV doesn't respond to the remote: check the remote's batteries and the button on the TV itself. The light keeps blinking: the TV is reporting an error, and the number of blinks is often a fault code from the service manual.
Do the flashlight test
Turn the TV on, set it to the menu or any channel and shine your phone's flashlight on the screen from close up, at an angle. If you can see the outline of the picture or menu in the light, the panel works and the backlight has failed. This is the most common and a relatively cheap repair.
Check the input source
Press Source/Input on the remote and switch to the built-in tuner or an app. If the picture appears on one source but not another, the culprit is the set-top box, the HDMI cable or the console, not the TV.
Turn off power saving
Eco mode and the light sensor can dim the picture a lot. Set the picture mode to “Standard” in the menu and turn off power saving before you decide the backlight is fading.
Update the software
If the TV restarts or freezes on the logo, download the update from the manufacturer's website to a USB stick and install it following the instructions. A factory reset sometimes helps too.
- The screen is cracked or you see colored stripes and blotches. That's the panel.
- You smell burning or hear crackling from the casing.
- The light is off even though the socket works. The power supply needs a repair shop.
- The TV is under warranty. Report it before anyone opens it up.
How much does a repair shop charge?
| LED backlight replacement (43–55 inches) | 200–450 zł |
| LED backlight replacement (65 inches and larger) | 350–700 zł |
| Power supply repair / replacement | 150–350 zł |
| Motherboard | 250–600 zł |
| Panel replacement | 50–80% of the price of a new TV |
Typical prices at independent repair shops in Poland, October 2026. Authorised service centres and big cities can be more expensive.
Repair or buy new?
The backlight and the power supply almost always pay off to repair, especially in TVs of 55 inches and larger. Replacing the panel rarely pays off, only in expensive OLED and mini-LED models. With a cheap TV that's a few years old, it's better to put the money toward a new one.
Check if it's worth repairing your TV
Pick your model and fault. In 2 minutes we show the repair cost, what the device is worth and an honest verdict.
Open the calculator →FAQ
I hear sound but there's no picture. What does that mean?
The TV is working, but the screen isn't lighting up. In 8 out of 10 cases it's the LED backlight. You can confirm it with the flashlight test.
Will the backlight fail again after replacement?
Good repair shops replace all the strips at once, not just the damaged one. It's also worth lowering the backlight brightness in the menu by a few steps. That noticeably extends the life of the LEDs.
Does an OLED TV have a backlight?
No. In an OLED each pixel lights up on its own, so a black screen most often means the power supply, the motherboard or the panel. The flashlight test won't help here.