How to factory reset a Vizio Smart TV

How to factory reset a Vizio Smart TV

Cheap TVs have gotten really good, they offer an amazing large 4K panel for under $ 1000. No one makes better budget TVs than Vizio, one of our favorite brands when it comes to TVs. 


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As well as featuring great panels, their TVs also include some of the best software available. Smart TVs have been all the rage for nearly a decade, and during that time we've seen software go from slow and confusing to sleek and fast. 



Some TV models include Roku or Amazon software, but most of the newer models of Vizio TVs include SmartCast, the company's software for streaming from your device or phone via Airplay and Google Cast.

Of course, no television has perfect software, and as much as we like Vizio's hardware and software, they're not perfect. Their TVs can occasionally run into problems, including:


  • The TV does not turn on.
  • Lines that appear randomly through the center of the image.
  • The TV display does not work.
  • The TV keeps turning off and on at random.
  • Smart functions stop working.
  • And so on …

Fortunately, there is a simple solution to most of these problems: a factory reset. Vizio TVs, like most electronic devices, have two reset options: a soft reset and a hard reset.

A soft reset is simple: just turn off the device, leave it off for a few seconds and turn it back on. This clears the memory, dissipates any remaining charge, and restarts the device, which combines to solve a large percentage of device problems. (There's a reason why the first piece of advice a tech support person gives is to turn it off and on again.)



After a soft reset, the permanent settings on the device will remain intact. Unfortunately, even the more persistent problems of a transient error will be.


A hard reset is more serious. Not only does it do everything that a soft reset does, but it will restore the firmware or configuration of the device to factory defaults, clear the memory, and completely reset the device. A hard reset is basically the same as going back in time when you first removed the Vizio Smart TV from the box.

If a device is misbehaving or showing errors, it is usually restored via a soft reset. If not, it sometimes takes a hard reset. The downside is that you have to reconfigure and set up the TV again.

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WHEN TO USE A HARD RESET

A hard reset of a Vizio Smart TV will erase all configurations and settings. It will remove all account details for any smart apps, reset network data, and initiate a firmware update if available. 


You should always do a soft reset first to see if this fixes the issues you are having with your TV. 

If the TV continues to have problems after a soft reset, a hard reset will restore the factory settings. Forces the TV to clear the configuration and replace all files with default files from the cache. It will be like you first turned it on when you brought it home from the store.


A hard reset of a Vizio Smart TV is known to fix:


  • Problems with not joining an available wireless network.
  • Intermittent problems with Smart TV options.
  • Audio problems or problems with video playback.
  • Problems signing in to smart apps or random app crash.
  • Not being able to access the internet, even with a good signal.
  • Generally strange behavior.
  • And much more …
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HOW TO RESET A VIZIO SMART TV

To perform a hard reset on a Vizio Smart TV, you need to use the TV remote control. Before starting, unplug the router. Then:

  1. Press the menu button on the Vizio remote control.
  2. Go to “System” in the menu and select “OK”.
  3. Select "Restore & Admin." And select "OK".
  4. Select "Reset TV to Factory Defaults" and select "OK".
  5. Enter the parental lock code when prompted. The default parental lock code is 0000.
  6. Select "Reset", then "OK".
  7. Wait until the TV turns off.

The TV will clear its configuration and restore all files from its cache. This may take a minute or two and you will see the TV turn off and on again. Once the hard reset is complete, you should see the TV setup screen.


  1. Reconnect the router.
  2. Perform the setup procedure on the TV and reconnect to the Wi-Fi network.

This method should work on the latest Vizio Smart TVs.

HOW TO RESET A VIZIO SMART TV THE HARD WAY

If your TV doesn't reset the standard method, you may have to do things the hard way.


  1. Turn off the TV but leave it connected.
  2. Press and hold the “CH +” and “CH-” buttons on the remote control of the TV.
  3. Press and release the “Power” button on the remote control of the TV.
  4. Release the “CH +” and “CH-” buttons.
  5. Press the “Menu” button on the remote control of the TV.
  6. The TV should turn on and present the menu to you. You should see an “F” in the lower right to indicate this is a factory setting screen.
  7. Press and hold the “Menu” button for a few seconds.
  8. You should see the service menu. From there, you can access the factory reset options.

HOW TO HARD RESET A VIZIO SMART TV WITHOUT REMOTE CONTROL

Since Vizio Smart TVs have no buttons other than the power switch, you are completely dependent on the remote control for a hard reset. However, remotes get lost easily and often don't work properly. However, you may be able to use a universal RCA remote to reset the TV.

If you know of any other ways to reset a Vizio Smart TV or are having trouble with your Vizio TV, let us know in the comments below!

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