If you are using an Xbox on your TV, you may have encountered times when the screen is flickering or is display a blank screen. This can be frustrating if you are trying to play a game or stream a movie. Luckily, this can be easily resolved as the issue is result of refresh rates and TV output settings. In this article we give our advice to resolving flickering screens on your Xbox.
Turning off ALLM
The main thing we recommend is turning off ALLM on the TV. ALLM stands for Auto Low-Latency Mode. This mode is normally used to provide a great gaming experience by increasing the refresh rate to 120hz. However some TVs only run at 60hz so if this setting is activated then the refresh rates do not match each other, which can result in flickering. By turning off this mode, it stops the settings from automatically adjusting the settings and prevents the flickering. After turning this setting off on the TV, you may be required to also untick this setting on the Xbox.
Turning off Game Mode
If turning off ALLM hasn’t already done this automatically, we would suggest turning off ‘Game Mode’ on your TV. Game Mode generally operates in a similar manner to ALLM, where it can increase the refresh rate. By turning this off, it can remove flickering.
Unticking Variable Refresh Rate (VRR)
Variable Refresh Rate, otherwise known as VRR, refers to the way in which a TV adjusts the refresh rate to support and match that of a connected external device. Whilst disabling ALLM should prevent the refresh rate from adjusting itself, we would also recommend unticking this setting on your console to prevent the console from changing this setting.
Changing the Colour Depth
Another thing to change on your Xbox is the colour depth setting. This can help to resolve problems of a blank screen when using an Xbox. To amend this, try the following on your Xbox:
- Go to Settings.
- Go to General.
- Go to TV & Display Options.
- Go To Video Fidelity & Overscan.
- Select Colour Depth.
- Change to 12 bit.
Checking the HDMI Cable
With most issues between devices, it is important to check the connection. In this case, between the console and the TV the connection would be the HDMI cable. This should be checked to ensure the cable is secure in both the console and TV, and there are no damages. A HDMI 2.1 cable should be used to provide the best picture quality.
By trying the above you can resolve image issues when using your Xbox and improve the picture quality. For specific instructions for your TV, please contact the relevant support team.