Vizio Subwoofer Blinking? (Here’s The Easy Fix!)
Well, if your Vizio subwoofer blinking in white light, there is absolutely nothing to worry about!
The blinking white light on the Vizio subwoofer only indicates that the device is in Pairing Mode and actively searching for the soundbar to connect to.
If the white light is persistent and remains blinking for more than 3 minutes, it means that the subwoofer is unable to connect successfully.
Here’s what to do when the Vizio subwoofer is not pairing to the soundbar:
Let’s continue with an in-depth walkthrough of all these steps!
Vizio Subwoofer Blinking – Easy Ways to Fix the Issue Instantly!
Note: When the subwoofer successfully connects to the soundbar the white light will turn solid.
1. Verify that the Soundbar is Working
If the Vizio subwoofer is blinking continuously, this means that for some reason the device can’t wirelessly discover and connect with the Vizio soundbar.
One of the primary reasons is that the soundbar is turned off and currently not working, which will trigger the subwoofer blinking light.
On most Vizio soundbars, you can instantly check whether the device is working by looking at the power indicator light.
The light could be on one of the sides or in the middle of the device.
If you see no power light on the Vizio soundbar, try the following:
- Press the Power button to turn on the soundbar.
- Check whether your power supply is connected.
- Plug the soundbar to a different electrical outlet.
- Use direct connection (no extenders or dividers).
If you see the power indicator of your soundbar light up, this means that the device is working and that the subwoofer should automatically connect.
In case the blinking light on the subwoofer doesn’t turn solid, continue reading…
2. Power Cycle Subwoofer & Soundbar
If the Vizio soundbar is working, but the subwoofer’s light won’t switch from blinking to solid, this means that the device is still unable to connect.
So, perhaps there is a connection problem on a software level, thus by restarting the operating system of both devices, you’ll solve the issue.
- To power cycle, your Vizio subwoofer and soundbar, unplug the power cords from the respective power outlet for 60 seconds.
After a minute of discharging, reconnect their power cords, verify that both devices are working, and wait to see whether the blinking light will turn solid.
Note: It takes up to 3 minutes after reconnecting, for the subwoofer to connect to the soundbar!
3. Pair Subwoofer to Soundbar (Manual)
With technology, the automatic, especially wireless connection can sometimes fail to establish as intended.
In some cases, we can resolve the connection issues between the subwoofer and the Vizio soundbar by giving the devices a bit of a manual push to show them the right direction.
If the white blinking light on your subwoofer is still there, follow these steps:
- First, verify your Vizio soundbar is on and working.
- Locate the pairing button on the subwoofer’s back.
- Note: If the white light is blinking, no need to press.
- On your Vizio soundbar locate the “Power” button.
- Press the power button for 5 seconds continuously.
This will force the Vizio soundbar to connect to a nearby Vizio subwoofer in pairing mode, hence the white blinking light should shortly turn solid.
Note: If the white blinking light on the Vizio subwoofer turns off, press the Pairing button on the back to put the device in Pairing mode and try again.
4. Shorten the Space Between Devices
Sometimes when the Vizio subwoofer can’t connect to the soundbar, the issue is in the proximity between both devices.
Whenever the space in between is too great, the wireless signal may not be able to reach, hence the subwoofer will either constantly disconnect or not connect at all.
The recommendation here is to relocate both devices to another place, while keeping them very close, only to justify whether the distance is causing the issue.
If yes, then here are a few recommendations regarding positioning:
- Don’t keep the subwoofer/soundbar in enclosed spaces.
- Verify that nothing is physically obstructing both devices.
- Try to keep the devices on the same level in your room.
- The maximum recommended distance is about 10 feet.
If both the devices are close to each other, but the subwoofer can’t connect, continue reading…
5. Resolve Wireless Signal Interference
If your Vizio subwoofer can’t connect to the soundbar and the white light is blinking to no avail, something may be impacting the wireless signal.
The wireless signal is prone to interference and perhaps your Vizio setup is close to a device/appliance that is impacting the connection.
Here are some examples of devices that can impact the connection:
- Wi-Fi routers, modems, and access points.
- Bluetooth transmitters or cordless phones.
- Microwave ovens or units using RF signals.
- Smart home devices or wireless controllers.
- Baby phones or devices using 2.4 or 5 GHz.
We recommend temporarily turning off such devices near your Vizio setup and trying to perform the manual connection again.
6. Update Vizio Soundbar’s Firmware
Sometimes, the Vizio subwoofer light blinking issue is related to the firmware version of the Vizio soundbar.
However, if your Vizio soundbar is connected to the Wi-Fi and set up in the Vizio mobile application, updating the firmware is quick, simple, and very effective against any issues.
- To update a connected Vizio soundbar, open the Vizio mobile app, go to the soundbar’s menu, and tap on “Check for Updates”.
If your Vizio soundbar starts updating, don’t touch anything and allow the newest version of the firmware to get installed.
When ready, retry the manual method of pairing your Vizio subwoofer.
Note: If your Vizio soundbar is not paired to the app, use this link to update through the web!
7. Reset the Vizio Soundbar to Default
If your Vizio subwoofer just won’t connect the soundbar and the white blinking light is blinking, perhaps something with the system is not intact.
One of the most powerful solutions that you can try is performing a factory reset on the soundbar, which will reset all settings to default.
This will guarantee that nothing in the soundbar’s system is preventing the connection but will erase all your custom settings and configurations permanently.
Here’s how to factory reset the Vizio soundbar to defaults:
- First, verify that your Vizio soundbar is turned on.
- Locate the Bluetooth and Volume Down buttons.
- Press both buttons simultaneously for 5 seconds.
- All three lights on the soundbar will flash 3 times.
If you’ve seen the light flash, then the Vizio soundbar is currently resetting.
It’s hard to predict how long the reset will take, so be patient and when the reset is over try pairing the subwoofer.
Note: If your Vizio soundbar has a display, you’ll see “RESET” for the continuity of the process.
Why is My Vizio Subwoofer Blinking?
If you’ve tried anything but nothing works and the subwoofer is not connecting to the soundbar, perhaps something on a hardware level is faulty.
The best thing you can do is contact the Vizio customer support team or attempt to claim the warranty through a reclamation to the merchant.
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.