Why is My Vizio TV So Slow? (Try these Fixes TODAY) [2023]
If you find that your Vizio TV is responding slowly, this could be caused by a number of different common issues, including problems with an app that doesn’t load normally, difficulties with certain content not playing, delaying of the onscreen menu, and issues with streaming services.
But before you reach out to customer support, check out our list of fixes for when your Vizio TV behaves sluggishly.
ℹ Why is my Vizio TV Slow? Try this quick fix first…
If your Vizio TV is slow, you must reset it. Unplug your television from the wall and wait exactly 60 seconds. Next, reconnect your TV to the power source. This will perform a safe soft reset on your TV, allowing it to start right up again without any issues.
The above method is called a “soft reset” and will most likely cure the issue, but if it doesn’t don’t worry….because we have compiled a list of alternative ways to fix your slow Vizio TV.
How to Troubleshoot a Slow Vizio TV
How To Perform a Soft Reset on a Vizio TV (Step by Step)
Often, software issues have caused your TV to operate slowly. These glitches can be solved easily by simply resetting the device.
When your TV is slow, it’s likely due to a software issue. The quickest approach to fix these problems is to restart the system, like with other electronic devices.
In the end, hitting the power button won’t truly restart your television set. When you push the off button on your TV, it goes into standby mode. However, this can lead to a buildup of problems in the TV’s software over time.
1. Make Sure to Unplug Your Television from the Wall First
Disconnecting your TV from the wall socket may seem like an obvious solution, but it is the most common way to get it to turn on again.
2. Wait for a FULL One Minute!
Set the timer on your iPhone, stare at the microwave clock, or count 1 Mississippi…2 Mississippi…
However it is that you have to keep track of time, just please wait until a FULL minute has expired before you plug your TV back into the wall.
3. Plug the TV Back into the Outlet and Switch it On
The final step is to plug the TV back into the outlet (wall or surge protector).
Your Vizio TV should power back on, but if it doesn’t don’t worry…we’ve got your back!
Continue reading the rest of this article for a list of common fixes to get your Vizio TV to perform faster (they are listed in order of easiest to most difficult to execute).
Verify Connection to 5GHz Band
Your Vizio TV may be slow because its network adapter is connected to the wrong WiFi band.
Make absolutely sure that your Vizio is linked to the 5GHz band of your WiFi network.
Radio signals that are known as dual-band are now standard on virtually all modern routers.
The presence of two distinct networks enables vastly increased speed. Because of the two bands, connection problems and interferences are avoided, and the overall dependability is increased.
You will normally connect to the 2.4 GHz band if you require a greater range; however, the 5 GHz band is appropriate for you to use if you require faster speeds and better performance.
The 5GHz band however does has the disadvantage of requiring you to be in close proximity to your router.
Test your WiFi Connection (And Speed)
If your Vizio TV is running slow, it can never hurt to troubleshoot the problem by performing a speed test.
If there are issues with the speed of your WiFi network, it could be your internet connection and not your Vizio TV causing the slow response time.
We’ve even provided you with an easy-to-use speed test tool below 👇
During this test, we are aiming to achieve a download speed of at least 25 Mbps and preferably greater.
In the event that you do not succeed in passing any of these tests, I would recommend contacting your Internet service provider (ISP) to verify what your top end download speed is capped at for the monthly broadband package you purchased.
Disconnect All Other Devices from your WiFi Network
Your home’s WiFi network is going to be put under a significant amount of strain if everyone in the house attempts to stream material onto their own devices at the exact same time.
Some issues you could run into are stuttering, lagging, and flickering video streams.
Before its performance begins to suffer, your router is only able to manage a certain number of connections that are active at the same time. This could possibly be the reason why your Vizio TV is operating at such a snail’s pace.
The quickest and easiest way to resolve this issue is to ensure that only a small number of individuals are connected to the internet simultaneously and to power off any devices that are not currently in use.
If at all possible, disconnect ALL devices from your home’s WiFi network EXCEPT for your Vizio Smart TV and run a download speed test to pinpoint the issue.
Move your Router Close to the TV (As Close as Possible)
One thing is for sure…you’ll have better overall speed performance the closer your router is to your Smart TV.
Here are a few other things to consider when choosing a spot for your home router:
- Position your router as high as possible
- Keep it away from any other electronic devices that could create interference
- In order to maximize your router’s range, you should position one of its antennas vertically and the other horizontally
Play around with setting up the router in various locations close to the television set and continue to run speed tests to see if the download speed improves.
Troubleshoot SmartCast Apps
The phase where we zero in on specific applications rather than the entire TV is here.
If you have reason to believe that one of your apps is responsible for the slowness problem, you should begin monitoring its activity.
Here are some tips:
- When the TV freezes, try to remember what you were doing just before, or which app you had open
- When you turn on the TV, make a note of the apps that launch immediately, as well as any errors that occur
- If you find apps that are causing issues, delete them and try reinstalling
If you can’t identify any faulty apps or reinstalling them doesn’t speed up your Vizio TV, it may be time to take more drastic action…
How to Factory Reset a Vizio TV
The factory reset option is recommended if none of the above suggestions fixes your Vizio TV being slow.
If your Vizio TV is slow, it could be because of a software error. A factory reset of your television can resolve this issue.
If you have access to a functioning remote control, then try this method first (It’s the easiest):
- To access the menu, press the Menu button once the TV has been turned on (you may have briefly powered it up by disconnecting it or removing the remote batteries).
- Click the System option that should be present in the menu.
- Find Reset & Admin and Reset TV to Factory Defaults and then press Reset
Before performing a factory reset, the TV may request a code from the user. If it does, the default code is 0000, which is four zeros.
If you can’t find your remote or it doesn’t work, then try performing a factory reset by using the buttons located on the Vizio TV itself.
- Find the Power (which is normally located on the side of the screen) and press it to turn the TV on
- Hold down the Volume and Source buttons
- A few seconds later, the TV will display a message that says “Press and hold the input button for a few seconds.”
- About 10 seconds after pressing the Input button, let go of the button
- The TV will immediately reboot and enter factory reset mode. Rebooting and resetting your TV takes a few minutes.
Once the process is finished, your Vizio TV will return to the settings it had when it was purchased.
Still, having issues? It may be time to call in the professionals…
Contact Vizio Customer Support
Contacting customer support may be necessary if none of the above solutions work to speed up your Vizio Smart TV.
Vizio customer support is available via text message, internet live chat, and phone.
You can contact customer support at 1(844) 254-8087 if you want to speak with someone directly. Customer service hours are 8:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m. Central Standard Time, Monday through Friday.
On the weekend the hours are 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. CST
You can also try out the Text Support or Live Agent Chat options if you prefer to communicate via typing.
While contacting support may resolve the issue, there may be other problems with your TV that you are unable to resolve on your own.
They can help you by working with you over the phone or by providing instructions on how to send in your TV for repair, if necessary.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about troubleshooting your slow-responding Vizio TV 👇
Why is Vizio TV lagging?
Changes to the speed of your Internet connection are the root cause of re-buffering. A large number of additional devices on your home WiFi network that are simultaneously consuming bandwidth can also cause the network as a whole to move more slowly. If you want the streaming experience to be better, please turn off the other devices.
Why does my Vizio keep freezing?
There are a variety of causes for why Vizio TVs freeze. It’s possible that the TV is having trouble because of a defect in the software or hardware, a problem with your internet connection, or an issue with the settings on your system. You can try to resolve these issues by restarting the TV, the WiFi router, or even by returning the settings to their original factory defaults.
How do I clear the cache on my Vizio Smart TV?
How to Clear App Cache and Cookie Data on a Vizio SmartCast TV:
- Press the Home button on the remote to open the menu on your Vizio SmartCast TV
- Click on Settings
- Choose Apps
- Go to the System Apps page
- Now, pick the app whose cache you want to clear
- Just click Clear Cache
- Select OK
What is the response time for a Vizio TV?
Fortunately, the response times of all gaming TVs available on the market today, including VIZIO 4K TVs, are lightning quick. Response times are often less than 1 millisecond (ms) on average.
In Conclusion…
This post has covered many potential solutions to common speed issues like slow internet, lagging load times, and apps crashing.
Here is a summary of the ways to fix your slow Vizio TV:
- Perform a soft reset
- Verify you are on the 5GHz band
- Check your WiFi speed
- Disconnect all devices from network
- Move router closer to TV
- Troubleshoot apps
- Perform a factory reset
- Contact Vizio customer support
I hope you try out all the methods listed above. Feel free to leave any additional solutions you may find in the comments 👇