Discover 10 Reasons Why Your Samsung TV May Appear Dark and How to Fix Them

Samsung has been dominating the tech industry for quite a while now. And one of the greatest focuses of Samsung is its cutting-edge TV. As one of the leading companies in the tech industry, they are responsible for making a new model of TV every year.

But if you are a Samsung TV user who is dealing with the problem of the dark screen, you are not alone. Many users have reported this problem in recent years. However, the great news is that with the right information in hand, the problem is easily fixable.

So, without any further ado, let us dive right in and find out the fixes for your dark screen on Samsung TV.

Why is your Samsung TV Dark and What is the Solution?

1. Adjust Your Samsung TV Brightness

The most popular culprit for Samsung TV being too dark or too bright is the picture settings. If you’re sure that the colors on your TV are correct but it’s just a little too dark or bright, try adjusting the following settings first:

• Go to Settings >> Picture >> Expert Settings >> Contrast (depending on you tv model, a setting of 80 to 85 works well for most videos)
• Go to Settings >> Picture >> Expert Settings >> Brightness (45 to 55 is recommended depeding your model)
• Go to Settings >> Picture >> Expert Settings >> Sharpness (25% or less)
• Go to Settings >> Picture >> Expert Settings >> Color (45 to 55 is recommended)
• Go to Settings >> Picture >> Expert Settings >> Tint (G/R) (You can set this to 0 except the color of the input source is too green or too red)

2. Adjust Picture Settings on Your Android Box or Streaming Device

If the TV is connected to an android box or streaming device, please try changing the resolution or settings of the picture from the android box. Sometimes if the resolution of both your TV and android box is not the same, you may experience too bright or too dark tv pictures.

Other things to try, depending on your Samsung TV model:

3. Picture mode

One of the main reasons your Samsung TV might look so dark is due to the picture mode. Not all picture mode is the same or has the same purpose. So, you have to find the right model to get the best TV experience.

Some of the available options in a Samsung TV are,

1. Standard: This is the picture mode that is set by default. It is optimal for most of the view environment. But if your room is too bright, this might result in a slightly darker viewing experience.
2. Dynamic: This is a bight picture mode. So, in case you are dealing with a dark screen, you can opt for this option.
3. Movie: This picture mode is designed to watch movies in the dark. But will look immensely dark in bright lights and regular use.
4. Natural: This is designed to offer you a comfortable experience if you plan on watching the TV for a long time.

4. Backlight settings

By default, the backlight setting is set to somewhere in the middle. But if that is not enough for your environment, the screen may look relatively dark,

You can easily fix this problem by going to the backlight setting and crank it up until you are satisfied with the result. Depending on your model, the backlight setting might be labeled as brightness.

5. Watch in SDR

Contrary to popular belief when it comes to HDR vs SDR, opting for HDR is not always a good course of action. Even though things might look special in the HDR setting, there is no shame in swapping to SDR for a brighter viewing experience.

As HDR picture tends to look darker, this option is always viable for any user.

6. Changing Gamma

Every Samsung TV has a dedicated Gamma setting. In most cases, the gamma is preset to 2.2. But in case your screen looks darker than you want it to be, you can lower the gamma setting by a few points to make the picture look brighter.

7. Energy-saving mode

Many Samsung TV has a built-in energy-saving mode, that saves energy. But on the downside, you get less brightness and quality of the picture.

If you see the energy start logo on your screen, go to the picture mode and set it to standard instead of energy saving to brighten up your screen.

8. Select the TV’s Home Mode

4K Samsung TVs are equipped with a feature known as home mode. While setting up your TV for the first time, you may be prompted to choose between Home or Retail or Store Demo Mode.

If your Samsung TV is set to Retail/Store Demo mode, the picture settings might be unsuitable for home use. 

To adjust this, simply:

1. Select Settings on your Samsung TV Smart Hub
2. Select System
3. Select Expert Settings
4. Select Usage Mode
5. Choose Home Mode

Test to ensure you have the right picture mode.

9. Turn Off Adaptive Brightness

Samsung TV’s adaptive Brightness automatically adjusts the backlight brightness of your TV by using ambient light sensors to detect the ambient light level. 

For 2016 Samsung TV models or older:

• Go to System
• Select Eco Solution
• Select Eco Sensor
• Select “off”.

For Samsung TV models that were made in 2017 or later:

• Go to Settings
• Select General
• Then Ambient Light Detection
• Use the slider to turn it up or down

10. Worse Case Scenario – Damaged Backlight

Backlight LEDs or strips cause many problems on modern TVs. One or two backlight LEDs on your TV might have broken the circuit on the side showing shadows.

This isn’t a DIY fix if you’re not an expert or very handy. You might need to contact an expert TV technician or invoke your warranty if you still have it. Don’t turn on your TV until you get it fixed. You might melt the defuser lens sheet if you do so.