If your Insignia TV won’t turn on, you can fix it by power cycling it. First, unplug your TV’s power cord from your outlet and wait 45 to 60 seconds. Waiting the appropriate amount of time is important as it allows your Insignia to fully reset. Next, plug your power cable back into the outlet and try turning the TV on. If this doesn’t work, double-check that all your cables are securely plugged in and test your power outlet with another device
1. Power Cycle Your Insignia TV
When you turn your Insignia TV “off,” it isn’t truly off.
Instead, it enters a low-powered “standby” mode that allows it to start up quickly.
If something goes wrong, your TV can get stuck in standby mode.
Power cycling is a fairly common troubleshooting method that can be used on most devices.
It can help fix your Insignia TV because after continuously using your TV the internal memory (cache) may be overloaded.
Power cycling will clear this memory and allow your TV to run like it’s brand new.
To wake it up, you’ll have to perform a hard reboot of the TV.
Unplug it from the wall outlet and wait for 30 seconds.
This will give time to clear the cache and allow any residual power to drain from the TV.
Then plug it back in and try to turn it on again.
2. Replace the Batteries in Your Remote
If power cycling didn’t work, the next potential culprit is your remote.
Open the battery compartment and ensure that the batteries are fully seated.
Then try pressing the power button again.
If nothing happens, replace the batteries, and try the power button once more.
Hopefully, your TV will turn on.
3. Turn Your Insignia TV on Using the Power Button
Insignia remotes are pretty durable.
But even the most reliable remotes can break, after prolonged usage.
Walk up to your TV and press and hold the power button on the back or side.
It should power on in a couple of seconds.
If it doesn’t, you’ll need to dig a bit deeper.
4. Check Your Insignia TV’s Cables
The next thing you need to do is check your cables.
Inspect both your HDMI cable and your power cable, and make sure they’re in good condition.
You’ll need a new one if there are any horrendous kinks or missing insulation.
Unplug the cables and plug them back in so you know they’re properly inserted.
Try swapping in a spare cable if that doesn’t fix your problem.
The damage to your cable could be invisible.
In that case, you’d only find out about it by using a different one.
Many Insignia TV models come with a non-polarized power cord, which can malfunction in standard polarized outlets.
Look at your plug prongs and see if they’re the same size.
If they’re identical, you have a non-polarized cord.
You can order a polarized cord for around 10 dollars, and it should solve your problem.
5. Double Check Your Input Source
Another common mistake is using the wrong input source.
First, double-check where your device is plugged in.
Make note of which HDMI port it’s connected to (HDMI1, HDMI2, etc.).
Next press your remote’s Input button.
If the TV is on, it will switch input sources.
Set it to the correct source, and your problem will be solved.
6. Test Your Outlet
So far, you’ve tested many features of your TV.
But what if there’s nothing wrong with your television? Your power outlet may have failed.
Unplug your TV from the outlet, and plug in a device that you know is working.
A cell phone charger is good for this.
Connect your phone to the charger, and see if it draws any current.
If it doesn’t, your outlet isn’t delivering any power.
In most cases, outlets stop working because you’ve tripped a circuit breaker.
Check your breaker box, and see if any breakers have tripped.
If one has, reset it.
But keep in mind that circuit breakers trip for a reason.
You’ve probably overloaded the circuit, so you may need to move some devices around.
If the breaker is intact, there’s a more serious problem with your home’s wiring.
At this point, you should call an electrician and have them diagnose the problem.
In the meantime, you can use an extension cord to plug your TV into a working power outlet.
7. Check Your Insignia TV’s Status Light
One of the tools that Insignia provides to help diagnose the faults in the TV is the status light.
This is the red light at the bottom of your TV that indicates its power state and operation.
Looking at what the light is doing can be a powerful tool in diagnosing your Insignia TV.
Insignia TV Solid Red Light
The solid red light indicates the Insignia TV should be operational and in standby mode.
When on the light should turn blue.
If the red light is not on and it should be, ensure your TV is plugged in and that there is power going to the outlet.
Then try a manufacturer reset on the TV.
Insignia TV No Red Light
No red light means the unit is either off, in standby mode, or potentially unplugged.
The red status light can be turned off for all situations in the system settings menu, as well as be able to adjust its brightness.
If you do not see the light and your TV is now operating, check that the light brightness is turned up in the system power settings, under Standby LED.
Insignia TV Flashing Light
If the status light on your Insignia TV is flashing, it indicates that there is a technical or power issue.
A potential fix would involve resetting the TV and checking that all cables and connections are tight and in good repair.
Check that the power outlet is functioning correctly and delivering the proper voltage.
There are additional flash codes that can be looked up for status lights that blink a set number of times before restarting.
8. Factory Reset Your Insignia TV
In many cases, there will be a physical button somewhere on the back of the TV that allows a factory reset.
These switches are generally very small and recessed into the housing so that they need to be activated with a paperclip or similar object.
To reset the TV, you’ll need to press that button for a minimum of 10 seconds, depending on your TV model.
If there is no reset button, there may still be a way to perform a factory reset on your TV, but it would need to be on.
If you manage to get the TV back on, you can often find a factory reset option deep in the menu system.
It will generally require one or more confirmations, but you can then reset your TV back to manufacturer defaults.
9. Contact Insignia Support and File a Warranty Claim
If you believe the issue may be able to be covered by the Insignia warranty, such as storm damage or defective components, you can reach out to Insignia’s product support directly to begin the warranty claims process.
You’ll need to file a warranty claim that will require some of the pertinent information about your model.
You can also call them at 1-877-467-4289.
For all Insignia TVs, there is an automatic 1-year warranty period from the date of purchase.
Sometimes, the place you bought the unit will even accept a return for an even exchange.
This will require you to bring the TV back to the store, where they will swap it out for you.
As a last resort, you may be able to find a local repair service that can provide affordable TV repair.
In Summary
If your Insignia TV won’t turn on, it’s not the end of the world, and in many cases, you will still be able to get it back on.
In the unlikely event that you can’t, there may still be some repair options that are affordable.
Remember to pay attention to the red status light, and understand your model’s manufacturer reset process and you should be able to do most of your own troubleshooting.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I reset my Insignia TV that won’t turn on?
Unplug your Insignia TV, then press and hold the power button.
While still pressing the power button in, plug the TV back in.
You should see the unit power on and display the Insignia logo screen.
Once you see the Insignia logo, you can release the power button, and your TV will begin the reset.
Once it has completed powering on, you should see a recovery screen that will request that you confirm the data wipe & factory reset.
The power button will allow you to select options, and eventually, you will see the “wipe data/factory reset” option turn green.
When selected, the system will reboot and reset.
What to do when your Insignia TV turns on but the screen is black?
The most common causes of powering onto a black screen are a power failure, backlighting failure, third-party device incompatibility, and software issues.
The software issues can generally be fixed with an update, though the other causes will require deeper troubleshooting.
