An LG picture that looks dark is usually a picture mode or a power-saving feature. Open All Settings, Picture and choose a mode such as Standard or Vivid, and raise OLED Pixel Brightness or Backlight; on OLED models the control is OLED Pixel Brightness, and on QNED models Backlight. Check Energy Saving under All Settings, Picture, or General, Energy Saving: Auto or Maximum dims the screen, so set it to Off to test.
The checks in more detail
Check AI Brightness, and Auto Dimming and Screen Saver, which reduce brightness after static images to protect OLED panels: the Temporal Peak Luminance Control and Logo Luminance Adjustment settings under OLED Care lower brightness on bright static scenes, so a dim menu or bright logo is normal. Check HDR: HDR content needs the HDR mode on and Dynamic Tone Mapping set; wrong HDR settings make the picture dark.
Run the Screen Self-Diagnosis to see whether the panel displays a bright test image. Compare with another source, since an app or box may output a dim signal. Check the room light and any bias lighting. Reset the picture settings, update the software and unplug for a minute. If the screen is very dark in every mode and with a flashlight a faint image shows, the backlight or panel has failed on LCD models such as QNED, while OLED has no backlight.
Contact LG for a persistent fault. Judge brightness after your eyes adjust and compare with a phone photo in the same light. Turn off bias lighting and check the same scene in two apps, since dim content and a dim TV look the same at first. If dimness appears only at night, cover the room light sensor with a finger to see whether the picture responds, which proves the sensor is doing it.
Differential
Likely causes of “LG TV line picture is too dark or keeps dimming”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
Energy Saving on
What separates it The picture looks dim at all times because Energy Saving is switched on
How to confirm Set Energy Saving to off in the settings, and check the brightness again
- 2
OLED care dimming
What separates it Static content looks dim because OLED care lowers the brightness to protect the panel
How to confirm This is expected protection, so accept it or reduce the time static images stay on screen
- 3
Wrong HDR settings
What separates it HDR content looks dark because the HDR settings or tone mapping are wrong
How to confirm Set HDR and tone mapping correctly, so the source and the TV agree
- 4
A dim source
What separates it One app looks dark because that source is dim to begin with
How to confirm Try another source, to see whether only one app looks dark
- 5
A failing backlight
What separates it The picture is dark on an LCD model because the backlight is failing
How to confirm Contact LG service, since a failing backlight needs a repair from a technician
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- The picture mode and Energy Saving setting
- Whether only HDR content looks dark
- Whether the Self-Diagnosis screen looks bright
- Whether the dimness is on one source
Try in this order
0 of 7 completedChange the picture mode
ReversibleChange the picture mode, and try Standard or Vivid, which give a brighter picture, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Set Energy Saving to Off
ReversibleSet Energy Saving to off as a test, and see whether the picture becomes brighter.
Raise pixel brightness or backlight
ReversibleRaise the OLED pixel brightness or the backlight, depending on whether your TV is OLED or QNED.
Check HDR settings
ReversibleCheck the HDR settings and the tone mapping, and make sure that they suit your source.
Run Screen Self-Diagnosis
ReversibleRun Screen Self-Diagnosis, to see the panel without any source, and judge its brightness, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Try another source
ReversibleTry another source, to isolate whether the dark picture comes from one device or app.
Reset and update
ReversibleReset the picture settings and update the software, then check the picture again, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- OLED
- OLED models have OLED Care dimming settings.
- QNED
- QNED and UHD models have a backlight control.
- Other models this page answers
- These steps also fit models B3, B4, B5, C2, C3, G3, G4, G5, M4, QNED85T, QNED90T, UR9000.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If the Self-Diagnosis image is dark in every mode, contact LG
- !If one source is dark, check that source
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Screen and Sound Self-Diagnosis by model year.
Sound but no picture.
Menu test, HDMI, antenna and signal strength.
Software Update menu.
The company and its products.
Exact questions
Common questions
Why is my LG TV dark?+
Energy Saving, HDR or the picture mode.
What is Energy Saving?+
A setting that dims the screen to save power.
What is OLED Pixel Brightness?+
The brightness control on OLED models.
What is Logo Luminance Adjustment?+
OLED care that dims bright static logos.
Can HDR cause dark pictures?+
Yes, HDR can cause dark pictures, if it is set wrongly on the TV or the source.
Do OLEDs have a backlight?+
No, OLED TVs do not have a backlight, since each pixel makes its own light.
Should I run the test?+
Yes, run the Screen Self-Diagnosis test, to check the TV's picture without a source.
Can a source be dim?+
Yes, a source can be dim, so try another one before you blame the TV.