LG TV Keeps Switching Inputs: 9 Fixes

Do you have an LG television that keeps switching inputs? Maybe it defaults to HDM1 each time you switch it on, or perhaps a continuous pop-up suggests you use HDMI2 as the input. Either way, a TV that keeps trying to change inputs can be incredibly annoying.

A TV may keep switching inputs because you have a specific feature – such as the quick start mode or auto input detection – enabled. This issue could also arise from a glitch in your app, faulty hardware, or dusty input ports. Still, don’t worry. We have all the solutions you need to prevent this random switching.

Reasons Why LG TVs Switch Inputs By Themselves

An LG TV has several input modes, like HDMI1, HDMI2, and AV, allowing you to switch devices depending on what you want to watch or stream. However, sometimes your TV begins to switch inputs autonomously based on default programming or errors in the settings.

You Have Quick Start Mode Enabled

When you have quick start mode enabled on your device, it means that your TV switches back to a default input each time it is turned off and on.

There Is A Glitch In One Of Your Apps

If you experience frequent pop-ups to switch inputs when you’re streaming content on a platform such as YouTube, Netflix, or Prime, there could be a glitch in your app settings, which causes you to receive this message and triggers your television to switch the input source.

5 Fixes To Prevent An LG TV From Changing Inputs

The ability to change between various inputs is handy because it allows you to connect and use multiple devices on one television. But, when your TV starts changing these inputs of its own accord, it can become incredibly frustrating.

Fortunately, there are several steps you can take to prevent this continual switching of input sources.

1. Reset the TV

Preventing your LG TV from continuously switching ports could be as simple as resetting the device. This can be an excellent place to start before playing around with other elements of the television’s hardware or software. To reset the TV, follow these steps:

• Unplug the power cord from the wall outlet.
• Press and hold the power button on your TV for 10-15 seconds.
• Replug the device into its power source and restart it.

2. Turn Off Auto Input Detection

When Auto Input Detection is enabled, your LG TV can switch autonomously and choose its input source each time you turn it on. Turning off this feature prevents your television choosing its own source and helps to recitify the issue.

1. Go into setting
2. Select “connections”
3. Choose “device connection, then click OK
4. Look for “auto-detection” and turn it off
5. Restart the television

3. Disable Quick Start Mode

Not all LG TVs will enable you to turn off auto input detection, but you can still disable this feature by turning off quick start mode.

1. Press the cog icon (settings) on your remote control; this will open the on-screen menu.
2. Select “all settings” – this may present as three dots or a cog wheel
3. Scroll to General
4. Search for Quick Start+, press the right button on your remote, and then scroll down to “turn Quick Start+ off.”
5. Restart the TV

4. Turn Off CEC

CEC – or Consumer Electronic Control – allows communication between the devices connected to your television, allowing control across devices via a single remote. However, this built-in device can sometimes conflict with input selections. Therefore, disabling this feature can give you more control over which input is selected.

You’ll find the option to turn off CEC in the General Settings menu (as above), where the feature is listed as SIMPLINK or HDMI-CEC.

5. Clean Up Your Apps

If you’re getting input pop-ups when streaming content on platforms such as YouTube, Netflix, or Prime, the app might be the problem. One way to deal with this and prevent further glitching is to clear your app’s cache.

1. Go to Settings
2. Click Application
3. Select the app which is experiencing pop-ups
4. Delete stored data

If this doesn’t work, you can also try reinstalling the app. To do this, follow the above steps, but instead of selecting “delete stored data,” opt to reinstall the app.

Why Does My LG TV Keep Switching Input To HDMI?

Auto Input, Quick Start, or CEC could all be to blame for a constantly switching input source, but they aren’t the only reasons your TV tries switching input to HDMI.

1. The HDMI Cable

If you’ve tried disabling all of the features listed above to no avail, the problem could lie in your hardware, such as the HDMI cable. Most vendors suggest keeping wires shorter than 20 feet because the length will impact the signal strength.

Try replacing long cables with ones that fit comfortably between the HDMI port and external device without too much slack.

2. The HDMI Port

An LG TV that continuously tries to switch to one specific input source could signify an issue with that port. If the connection is loose, it may keep trying to reconnect, which could explain why the message keeps appearing.

Every time the port connects, it may suggest switching to that input. If you notice a problem with one specific input source, try unplugging your device from the port, checking the connection cable, and clearing away any dust or debris from the socket and cable to eliminate the issue.

Dirty connection ports can trigger messages that a “new input device is connected” to your LG TV, even if there is no new connection. The best way to rectify this issue is to regularly clean all input ports by removing dust and debris.

Once cleaned, try connecting and disconnecting your devices to ensure everything works correctly.

3. Hardware Issues

Suppose the problem lies with the television itself, and you’ve already tried restarting it and disabling some standard features. In that case, you may need to try a factory reset to rectify the issue. To restore your LG TV to its factory settings, follow these steps:

1. Go to the settings menu
2. Select “General” under the tab options
3. Scroll down until you find “restore default settings.”
4. Click ok and allow your TV to run through a factory reset.

A TV that keeps switching inputs could also indicate an issue with your remote control. Try disconnecting your remote and using manual controls or an external app to see if you can rectify the problem.

If your TV stops glitching when your remote control is disconnected, look at replacing the remote to avoid further issues.

4. A Motherboard Malfunction

If you’ve ruled out hardware features and the presence of dirt or debris and problems with input switching persist, you may have to look to the motherboard as a source of the issue. To see if this could be the problem, try the following test:

1. Remove the power cord from its outlet.
2. Disconnect all external devices
3. Hold the TV’s power button for 15 seconds.
4. Release the button and wait for 60 seconds.
5. Reconnect all external devices, replug the power cord, and turn on your TV.

Once the process is complete, your TV might cease switching outputs. However, if the problem persists, it could point to an issue with the motherboard – and you might have to replace this part of your device altogether.

If you suspect the motherboard to be the issue, the best thing to do is contact an LG electrician to test your device and replace the board (if applicable).

Final Thoughts

One of the most common reasons why your LG TV keeps switching inputs is that you have an auto-input feature selected. Solving this problem is as easy as going into your settings menu and disabling that feature.

Still, sometimes the problem is more complex and lies with part of your TV hardware or external ports. By following the steps above, you should be able to identify and solve the issues with your LG TV input and prevent it from switching back and forth.