Troubleshooting Your TV Signal: How to Stop Channels From Vanishing

Installation issues, poorly maintained antennas, and other interference issues could be why your TV channels keep disappearing. If you suddenly lose a channel, the first thing to do is try to re-scan for channels on your TV.

Isn’t it annoying when your TV channel disappears on its own without any warning? Has a disappearing channel issue ever made you miss football or your favorite show? Unfortunately, we cannot completely stop our TV channels from disappearing out of the blue, but we can help.

What could be the cause of your disappearing TV channels, and how can it be fixed? We’ve provided the answers you’ve been searching for on why your TV channels keep disappearing and how to fix them.

Let’s look at some quick solutions for whenever some channels go missing.

Why Does My TV Channel Keep Disappearing?

Here are some issues that could cause problems:

1.  Broken Antenna

A broken antenna could be the reason for your disappearing channel. These are steps you should take to confirm if your missing channel is really from a faulty antenna.

  • The first step is to confirm if your TV antenna is faulty by plugging the antenna’s connector into another TV unit
  • The next thing is to check if there are physical damages since the antenna can be exposed to bad weather outside the house
  • Ensure that the cables are plugged in correctly or if it’s broken
  • Also, finally, ensure that your antenna is facing the broadcast tower and objects don’t block it
  • If you discover that your antenna or TV tuner is faulty, you can purchase a new one

2.  Signal Problems

Often, we see the “No Signal” information displayed on our TV screen. It could remain like that until you take action. Have you ever wondered what causes that?

The signal problem can be a result of the weather conditions. Rain, strong wind, and fog can make your smart TV or installed antenna lose its signal. Tall buildings around a mounted antenna can also cause your TV to lose its signal. If this is the case, you could probably try to reposition the antenna to get signals.

3. Antenna Positioning and Broadcast Tower Problems

Antenna positioning and tower broadcast problems are another common cause of your disappearing channels. The right way to position an antenna is to face the broadcast tower to get better signals directly, especially if the antenna is placed outside the house.

Perhaps your antenna was placed on the roof of your home, you should probably check if the antenna is still in the optimal position. This is because a slight shift in the antenna can seriously affect your channels.

4. Channel Numbers Mixed Up

All your channels could be there just that the numbers are all mixed up! A common issue users experience is finding channels that are on different numbers than where they’re actually mapped. This is a common issue that corrects itself most of the time.

5. Channels Changes Beyond Your Control

Sometimes, disappearing channels are beyond your control and not a result of badly working gadgets. There could be a licensing issue between the tv networks and your TV provider or just broadcast tower problems.

Also, your cable or TV provider could at their discretion, remove or add certain channels. Some of these providers give users access to higher-end channels to ‘bait’ them.

If you give your service provider a call, you’d probably hear that the missing channels were some form of promo and that you’d need to upgrade to fully access them.

6. Your Settings

There are tons of TV providers out there with tons of settings. A change in TV settings could result in channels looking like there missing even when they’re still there!

For instance, Twitch users who have the Bettertwitchtv extension might erroneously turn it on causing the recommended channels by the side to disappear.

If you have the auto-scan on, it could also be adding and removing channels without your knowledge!

How To Fix A TV Channel That Keeps Disappearing

The interesting thing about TV channels that keep disappearing is that they can be fixed. Here are the possible things you need to do to fix a TV channel that keeps disappearing.

1. Manual Retuning

Manual retuning is usually done with a smart TV remote. It can be done to retrieve missing channels or to restore reception. It also allows you to select the transmitter that provides the best service for your area.

Before you do a manual retune, you must know the transmitter your aerial is pointing towards and its channel number. Adding to that, with a manual retune, you can save your channel frequencies one by one.

2. Scan for Channels

You can choose to scan your TV for channels or re-scan when you discover some changes in frequency. Scanning also helps to fix TV channels that keep disappearing.

Also, keep in mind that scanning can take up to 10 minutes. All it takes is to patiently sit back with your remote until the scanning is over.

3. Reset Your TV Box

If you own a TV box and channels keep disappearing, and you’re sure that the issue isn’t from your TV provider, you might want to reset your TV box. How you do the TV box reset will depend on what gadget and provider you use.

Roku users can easily locate the reset button and use it.

4. Check Your Cables

Wind, critters and the Grinch are all part of a gang that mess with your TV cables, the Grinch is always a prime suspect during Christmas…

Ok, seriously, critters like to gnaw on cables and your connections get easily get loose as a result of wind causing the coax to short out internally if bent too far. Check your cables to ensure they’re in working condition.

5. Raise Your Antenna

While many people know that changing antenna direction could resolve several issues, not a lot of people know how much antenna height also plays a role.

To solve disappearing TV channels, move your antenna up about 4ft and try re-scanning the channels. We created an extensive guide on optimal antenna height.

6. Call Live Support

How I HATE calling TV providers! They could keep you on hold for so long you’d feel like dumping all your gadgets and living off the grid! But sometimes, calling live support is your best bet.

There are issues they can easily fix on their end that you’d simply never be able to handle on your own. From Hulu to Roku to Twitch, virtually every tv provider today has live support.

Grab a 1000-piece puzzle or two when you’re ready to call them. Be sure to have all the required info at hand so you don’t end up waiting some more.

Conclusion

Now that you’ve discovered the different things that can cause your TV channels to keep disappearing and are aware of what to do to fix them, you shouldn’t be worried anymore. Why not try it out. Be careful with electric components though, you could get seriously electrocuted.

14 thoughts on “Troubleshooting Your TV Signal: How to Stop Channels From Vanishing”

  1. yes I had a new tv antenna installed with new cable and connectors,preamp got good signal and 97 channels for 2 days and now I lost 12 channels help please

  2. Oh snap. My antenna and tv are in pristine condition and position. CBS simply comes and goes.
    Must be broadcast tower problems. Beyond my control.

  3. I think some co is intentionally trying to ruin antenna tv.to lose Chanel 2,4,5,9,21,and others all in the same night,not possible, someone is trying to force us to pay for tv, My tv scan can’t get any of them back, Do not give me the bull about checking my wires etc, May be you are part of it.

      • Totally understand happened on my smart TVs.Trying to make me feel stupid They went of all together at the same time called for help waited 20mins told me would have to wait another 30mins which made it 5pm change over time laugh they can have there stupid machines back will not Pay get out of contract fees there were no services.

    • yeah me to,all my conservative channels from direct tv,I need to watch a real tv,not a computer,any answers from anyone on providers that carry all my christain and conservative programs ANYONE,please,I am recently widowed all alone and never turn off my tv because I can not stand the silence,please some one help

  4. you were correct – I re-scanned and all my channels came back – I just deleted the ones I don’t and bingo – ALL GOOD !

  5. everyday at the same time I keep looseing my channels I rescakam but does not help I have never had this problem be for why are the cable companys alouded to scam people this way

  6. The only channels I can get are ABC and 7, what’s going on,I’ve only been here 4wks it’s a new tv and at the first scan got all channels now I only get two,ABC and 7..

    • We also can’t get ABC, Seven and Ten networks since energex had power off all day. We’ve done every re-set in the book and they won’t come back. Anyone else had this issue?

  7. Only one channel, cannot change. Has been this way for three weeks now, AFTER a technician came to “fix it.” This has happened off and on for months now. PLEASE help. Jim

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