Samsung's flicker guide lists three checks: run a Picture Test, test the HDMI cable, and check other devices on the same circuit for grounding issues. The Picture Test under Settings, Support, Self Diagnosis shows whether the flicker appears in the built-in test image: if it does, the TV is at fault, and if it does not, the source or cable is. For the cable, use HDMI Troubleshooting and try another certified cable and port, since a marginal HDMI cable flickers at 4K and HDR.
The checks in more detail
Grounding: Samsung says other devices on the same circuit, especially those with motors or heaters, can introduce electrical noise, so plug the TV into another circuit or a surge protector. Samsung's other pages explain that scene changes between light and dark or sudden room lighting changes can look like flicker because the TV adjusts brightness through Eco Solution, so switch off Ambient Light Detection and Energy Saving,
and try Contrast Enhancer off, which Samsung names as a cause of flickering or dimming. Check Motion Settings and Auto Motion Plus, LED Clear Motion and Local Dimming, which can produce flicker at low settings. Check the refresh rate from a PC or console and turn off VRR to test. Update the software and reset the picture. Flicker that appears in the Picture Test in all modes may be a backlight or T-Con fault.
Record a short slow-motion video of the flicker with your phone. A flicker that appears in the video at a steady rate points at backlight dimming or refresh, and an irregular one points at the signal or cable, which narrows the fault quickly. If flicker appears only with one device, check that device's refresh rate and resolution settings before blaming the TV, since a mismatch is the most common cause.
Differential
Likely causes of “Samsung TV line screen flickers, flashes or goes black intermittently”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
A marginal HDMI cable
What separates it The picture flickers at 4K or HDR because the HDMI cable is marginal
How to confirm Swap the HDMI cable for a certified one, and check whether the flicker stops
- 2
Electrical noise
What separates it The picture flickers when other appliances run because of electrical noise
How to confirm Use another circuit or a surge protector, and see whether the flicker stops
- 3
Eco Solution or Contrast Enhancer
What separates it The brightness pulses because Eco Solution or Contrast Enhancer is adjusting it
How to confirm Turn Eco Solution and Contrast Enhancer off, and see whether the pulsing stops
- 4
VRR or refresh mismatch
What separates it The picture flickers in games because of a mismatch with VRR or the refresh rate
How to confirm Test with VRR switched off, and see whether the flicker in games stops
- 5
A backlight or T-Con fault
What separates it The picture flickers in the Picture Test because of a backlight or T-Con fault
How to confirm Contact Samsung service, since flicker in the built in test points to a hardware fault
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- Whether flicker shows in the Picture Test
- The source and the cable that are in use when it flickers
- What else is on the circuit
- When the flicker happens, and what was on the screen
Try in this order
0 of 7 completedRun the Picture Test
ReversibleRun the Picture Test and look for flicker, since it shows whether the TV itself is at fault.
Swap the HDMI cable
ReversibleSwap the HDMI cable and the port, to isolate which of them is causing the flicker.
Try another circuit
ReversibleTry another circuit, or use a surge protector, to rule out electrical noise as the cause.
Turn off Eco Solution
ReversibleTurn off Eco Solution and Contrast Enhancer, since both change the brightness automatically, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Turn off VRR
ReversibleTurn off VRR as a test, to see whether variable refresh is the cause of the flicker.
Update the software
ReversibleUpdate the software on the TV, and reset the picture settings, then check for flicker again.
Contact Samsung
ReversibleContact Samsung if the Picture Test itself flickers, since that points to a hardware fault.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- Gaming
- VRR flicker is more likely on Neo QLED and OLED models used with consoles.
- Backlight
- OLED models have no backlight to fail.
- Other models this page answers
- These steps also fit models CU8000, Q80C, Q90T, QN900D, QN90B, QN90C, S90C, S90D, S95C, S95D, LS03D.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If the Picture Test flickers, contact Samsung, because the fault is in the TV
- !If the flicker follows the cable, replace the cable with a new certified one
- !If it is under warranty, ask for a repair
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Picture Test, HDMI cable test and grounding.
Picture Test, HDMI test and firmware.
Game Mode, Input Signal Plus and HDMI 2.1.
Automatic, internet and USB updates.
The company and its products.
Exact questions
Common questions
How do I test flicker?+
Run the Picture Test, which shows whether the flicker comes from the TV or the source.
Can other devices cause it?+
Grounding or noise on the circuit can.
Can Eco Solution cause flicker?+
Yes, brightness adjustments can look like it.
Can VRR cause flicker?+
Sometimes, VRR can cause flicker in games, so turn it off to test.
Can an update fix it?+
Sometimes, an update fixes flicker, so update the TV and then check again.
Is flicker in the test a hardware fault?+
Flicker in the Picture Test is likely a hardware fault, so contact Samsung.