Vizio Soundbar Flashing White? (Don’t Panic, Easy Fix!)
Vizio soundbar flashing white and not responding? Don’t worry, we know how to solve this!
The flashing white lights on a Vizio soundbar, often indicate an ongoing problem or an activated Demo Mode.
This involves a lot of factors and possibilities, so in this quick guide, we’ll carry you through several chronological solutions and help you not only identify but also resolve the issue.
Here’s everything that may cause the blinking white light on the Vizio soundbar:
Let’s walk you through these possibilities in-depth!
How to Fix When Vizio Soundbar Flashing White?
Note: Are you sure that your Vizio soundbar is set to the correct input as per the connection?
1. Power Cycle the Vizio Soundbar
One of the easiest things to attempt (if you haven’t tried already) is soft-resetting the soundbar, also known as a “power cycle”.
This will only reboot the operating system and discharge your Vizio soundbar from residual power, providing a fresh boot and hopefully, no white blinking light.
- To power cycle your Vizio soundbar, unplug the device straight from the power outlet for about 60 seconds and reconnect the adapter.
Wait for 2–3 minutes until the Vizio soundbar is fully loaded up and if you continue to see the white blinking light, keep reading…
2. Inspect the Connection to the TV
According to the majority of Vizio soundbar users, the primary reason for a white blinking light is a faulty connection with the receiver (in most cases a TV).
The Vizio soundbar (based on model) could be connected to the TV via HDMI ARC, Component, or even Optical cable for audio input.
So, based on the connection you use, verify that you utilize the correct TV port to plug in the Vizio soundbar and ensure that the connection is secure.
2.1 Using HDMI Connection
When using an HDMI connection, one side of the cable must be plugged into the “HDMI IN” port on the Vizio soundbar.
The other side of the cable must be connected to the “HDMI (ARC)” port on the TV.
However, in some cases, the port might be labeled “HDMI OUT” or not labeled at all.
2.2 Using Component Cable
When using component cable, on your soundbar and TV you must match the color pattern of the cable.
Hence, the red connector (right “R”) goes into the red port and the white connector (left “L”) goes into the white port on both your TV and Vizio soundbar.
2.3 Using an Optical or AUX
When using an optical cable or 3.5mm AUX, there is pretty much nothing that could go wrong, and the only thing to inspect is if the cable is tightly connected on both sides.
The AUX cable is labeled “AUX” and the optical ports on the TV are “OPT-OUT” and “OPT-IN” on your soundbar.
Important: Verify that the cables are not damaged, ripped, or worn out, and check whether the connectors are bent or ports are obstructed.
3. Disconnect all Bluetooth Devices
Sometimes, the Vizio soundbar may start blinking in white when you attempt to pair more than one Bluetooth device simultaneously.
For instance, if your phone has been paired to the Vizio soundbar recently, and the Bluetooth profile is remembered, trying to connect a different device may result in a white blinking light.
So, one way to fix this would be to verify that only one device is connected. To achieve this you must unpair your smartphone or other wireless device from the soundbar and then reconnect.
Here’s how to unpair Android or iOS smartphone from Vizio soundbar:
- Android: Settings → Connected Devices → Connection Preferences → Bluetooth → Vizio Soundbar → Unpair/Forget.
- iOS: From the Home Screen go to Settings → Bluetooth → Vizio Soundbar → (i) Info → Forget Device.
If you have a different device connected via Bluetooth to your Vizio soundbar, such as a TV, go into the menu and find the Bluetooth settings.
Then unpair your device, and connect only one wireless device for input to your Vizio soundbar.
Note: Always disconnect previous devices from the soundbar, before trying to connect another.
4. Exit Demo Mode on the Soundbar
If your Vizio soundbar is flashing white lights, the device might very well be in one of the Demo Modes.
The Demo Mode is a unique feature on Vizio products, designed for devices that are still in retail stores, to be able to play music and display their features in the showroom.
If your Vizio soundbar is in Demo Mode, many functions will not work as intended, so you must make sure to exit this mode to return to normal operation.
4.1 How to Exit Demo Mode #1
Demo Mode #1 is designed for optical input and volume control for soundbars in retail stores and the only options enabled are volume up and down.
To deactivate Demo Mode #1 press and hold the Input + Bluetooth buttons for 10 seconds and wait until all 12 LEDs flash 4 consecutive times.
4.2 How to Exit Demo Mode #2
Demo Mode #2 is designed to showcase content played on a USB flash drive where only a few options such as fast-forward and rewind are enabled.
To deactivate Demo Mode #2 press and hold the Input + Volume Up buttons for 10 seconds and until all LEDs on the soundbar flash 4 times.
4.3 How to Exit Demo Mode #3
Demo Mode #3 is designed for RCA input presentation, where the only option available is the volume controller.
To deactivate Demo Mode #3, hold the Input + Volume Down buttons for 10 seconds and wait until all the LEDs on the soundbar flash 4 times.
Quick Tip: You can also deactivate Demo Modes from the Vizio mobile application, only if your soundbar is paired via Bluetooth to your smartphone.
5. Reset your Soundbar to Default
If your Vizio soundbar flashing white light, even when the device is not in Demo Mode, perhaps you’re facing a software-level bug.
One guaranteed way to resolve system-related problems is the factory reset, which will reset the operating system and revert all device settings to default.
Here’s how to factory reset the Vizio soundbar in easy steps:
- First, verify that the Vizio soundbar is powered on.
- Locate the Bluetooth and Volume Down buttons.
- Hold both buttons simultaneously for 10 seconds.
- Wait until the LEDs on the soundbar flash 4 times.
That’s it. The Vizio soundbar is now reset to default.
If you, however, still see the blinking white light the problem could be down to the connection with the input device, in most cases, your TV.
6. Test Connecting Different Inputs
If you’ve tried everything but your Vizio soundbar is still blinking in white, perhaps the problem is with the connection to the TV/input device.
What we recommend doing is attempting to connect the Vizio soundbar to a different input device, whether it’s a TV, streaming player, or other input.
We strongly recommend using an HDMI (ARC) connection, just to be sure that the connection is intact with the secondary device.
Note: If your Vizio soundbar is blinking uncontrollably, even when connected to a different input, you may attempt to claim your warranty.
Finn Wheatley, a Master’s graduate in Computer Science from UCL, London, honed his skills at small data science consultancies. There, he helped large corporations enhance their data capabilities by deploying cutting-edge machine learning analytics and resolving technical hurdles.