Have you ever experienced Vizio Smartcasts not working? You’re not alone. Thousands of people experience “Smartcast Starting Up, Please Wait” or “Smartcast TV Not Available” on their Vizio TVs.
The common problem is that Vizio Smartcast not working. Most people experiencing this problem can easily fix it with an easy fix.
In the following article, we’ll show you how to fix Vizio Smartcast. After carrying out each step, test your Smartcast to see if something has changed for the better.
Let’s get started.
Vizio Smartcast Not Working | Troubleshooting and Diagnostics
If you are experiencing problems with your Vizio Smartcast, we recommend soft-power-cycling your TV.
By clicking “Menu” on your remote control, you can scroll down to System > Reset & Admin > Soft Power Cycle. Tap yes when asked. Smartcast will now be fixed when the TV is powered off and reset.
What is Smartcast?
All Vizio TVs come with Vizio’s Smartcast-enabled app platform built-in. Using Smartcast is very similar to using Chromecast or Amazon Firestick. Streaming applications such as Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, and others are also available.
With Smartcast, these apps can be installed directly on your Vizio TV. You can even control your TV with a smart speaker like Amazon Alexa or Google Home.
You can try the following fixes:
- Perform a power cycle on your TV
- TV factory reset
- Do a power cycle on your router or modem
- Update your TV’s software
1. Perform a Power Cycle on Your TV
If your Vizio Smartcast is not working, you should first power cycle the TV.
Either of the following methods can accomplish the same result. An easy way is what we just described – the “Soft Power Cycle”:
- Press the menu button on the TV remote.
- Select System.
- Go to Reset & Admin.
- Then choose Soft Power Cycle.
As an alternative, if that doesn’t work, you can try the hard power cycling method as follows:
- By pressing the power button on the back or side of the TV, you can turn it off.
- Disconnect the TV from the outlet.
- Press and hold the power button on the TV for twenty or thirty seconds while it is unplugged.
- Replug the TV.
- Continue to hold the power button for 20-30 seconds.
- Wait for the Smartcast logo to appear and check if it’s working correctly.
This power cycle method removes any residual power in your television by holding down the power button while the TV is unplugged. If this doesn’t solve your problem, you should try some more possible fixes.
See also Can I Use My Samsung Soundbar With a Sony TV?
2. TV Factory Reset
The problem may arise when you need to factory reset your Vizio TV to be set up as it was when you first bought it.
It is important to remember that a factory reset will erase all the TV settings and return them to their original state.
If you’re OK with that, you can follow these steps and would like to factory reset your Vizio TV.
- Use the TV remote, select
- Select
- Open Reset & Admin.
- Select Reset TV to Factory Settings.
A factory reset should be performed automatically on the TV. The process will restart in about a minute or two when it’s finished.
Once your TV has turned on again, you’ll need to restart all your settings and reconnect it to your router.
3. Do a Power Cycle on Your Router or Modem
Even after power cycling and factory resetting your TV, Vizio Smartcast is not working. In this case, try power cycling your router/modem. It is sometimes possible to fix Smartcast problems by simply restarting the router.
You will do this by holding down the power button on your router until it blinks. Once powered on, you will press the same button to turn it on again.
You may also try unplugging it directly from the outlet, waiting at least 60 seconds, and plugging it again. After the router re-establishes a connection, please wait a few minutes.
As soon as all the lights on your router flash green, you may attempt Smartcast again. If the router is working, but the Smartcast is not working, you might consider moving the router closer to the TV or getting a WiFi extender.
4. Update Your TV’s Software
The Vizio TV comes with new software updates from time to time. This type of update happens most of the time automatically, but sometimes it’s missed. You may be still running an old version of Smartcast and need to update.
- You can update your Vizio TV’s firmware by turning on the TV and clicking “Menu” on your remote.
- From there, you can select “System.”
- Look for “Check for Updates” and click it.
It will now automatically start looking for any available updates. Your TV will install the new one if there is one. Please turn off your TV after it is installed and on again when finished.
Did that solve your Smartcast problem?
Try Vizio support
You should contact Vizio support if you’ve tried all the above Vizio Smartcast troubleshooting steps.
Since they are the experts in their products, hopefully, they have a few further ideas up their sleeves.
To reach them at the following times, dial 1-(844)-254-8087:
- Monday – Friday, 8:00 AM – 11:00 PM CST
- Saturday – Sunday, 8:00 AM – 9:00 PM CST
Tip: It’s best to call between 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM CST from Monday through Friday, as these are the shortest wait times.
Vizio Warranty Policy
The last resort, but if you are still unable to get Vizio Smartcast to work, you might also check whether your TV is still covered by its warranty.
You can either have Vizio repair or replace your TV once you describe the issue and Vizio determines whether it’s covered under warranty. You can even get in-home services if your warranty covers this. It’s worth a try.
Summary
Vizio TVs are great. They are affordable and offer a lot of useful features. Unfortunately, the Vizio SmartCast feature seems to be poorly implemented, and many customers find it does not work to its full potential.
If your Vizio Smartcast is not working, you can put these troubleshooting tips to good use and hopefully fix the issue with some patience.
If none of the above solutions works, it may be worth contacting the Vizio support centre or your TV manufacturer about warranty repairs.
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