Vizio Smartcast Not Working? 8 Ways to Troubleshoot Your TV

What to do when a Vizio SmartCast TV won’t connect to the app

Co-authored by Darlene Antonelli, MA Reviewed by Stan Kats

Last Updated: October 16, 2024 Fact Checked

Is SmartCast on your Vizio TV not working? You may get an error that prevents you from seeing Vizio's recommendations, search, and catalogs, or you see a message that SmartCast Home is not available. On the other hand, if casting is not working on your Vizio, you can try solving the issue by using a verified application like YouTube, Netflix, or Vudu. This wikiHow article lists easy troubleshooting steps to help you fix your Vizio SmartCast.

What to Do If Vizio SmartCast Isn't Working

Power cycle your TV and check your internet connection in Menu > Network > Test Connection.
If the connection test is 0 or unavailable, fix your Wi-Fi or Ethernet connection.
Reset the cache to restart SmartCast Home or reset your TV to factory settings.

1

Power cycle your Vizio TV.

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Your Vizio TV may have a temporary glitch. Power cycling is more thorough than turning the TV off and back on again. Here's what you need to do to power cycle your TV:
- Unplug your TV from the wall socket.
- While the TV is unplugged, press and hold the Power button for 15-30 seconds.
- Plug the TV back into power and turn it back on to see if you solved the issue.

2

Check your Wi-Fi or internet connection.

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SmartCast will not work properly if the connection is weak. Go to Menu > Network > Test Connection to check the integrity of your Wi-Fi connection. If the connection speed is 0 or "unavailable", the TV is either not connected to Wi-Fi, too far from the Wi-Fi access point, or there's a problem with your internet connection.
- You will not see a Wi-Fi connection if your TV is connected with an ethernet cable.
- If you're trying to use hotel or hospital Wi-Fi, talk with the IT there to get steady access without needing to log in with a web page.
- Mobile hotspots don't have reliable internet connections.
- If you're not connected to a network, you can connect with or without a remote.

3

Restart your router.

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It can have a glitch that is preventing your TV from working correctly with the Internet. To restart your router, follow these steps:
- Unplug your router from power.
- Wait for about 2 minutes.
- Plug your router back into power.^{[1]
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4

Check your Wi-Fi password.

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An incorrect Wi-Fi password can prevent the TV from connecting. Remember, passwords are caps sensitive! An uppercase "O" might look like a "0", so take your time and type it into your TV as accurately as you can. Find and re-enter this information in Menu > Network.^{[2]
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- If you haven't changed the Wi-Fi password, it's usually located on your router (on the back, bottom, top, or side). If you changed your password and forgot it, you can reset it easily.

5

Move the TV closer to the router.

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If it's already close to the TV, you might have electronic decorations that are interfering with the signal, so move those as well.

6

Refresh SmartCast Home.

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Resetting your SmartCast cache by changing the language can help clear glitches. Go to Menu/System > Menu Language > Spanish/French and don't close the menu. Wait for the SmartCast Home to load in the new language, then switch back to English (which will be easy to do since you didn't close the menu!)
- If SmartCast Home doesn't reload or loads slowly, your internet connection is weak or your network is slow. Try fixing your network issues to solve why your Vizio SmartCast isn't working.^{[3]
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7

Check the SmartCast servers.

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If the SmartCast servers are down, SmartCast will not work properly. Check online to see if Vizio's servers are offline.
- If Vizio is offline, you must wait until it's working again before using SmartCast.

8

Factory reset your TV.

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Reset your TV's settings to their factory defaults. If SmartCast still isn't working, you can start from scratch. To reset your Vizio TV, go to Menu/Admin & Privacy > Reset to Factory Settings > OK.
- Note that this erases any personal settings that you've created, like color profiles and configurations.^{[4]
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Tips

For a simple solution that some people have found helpful, try changing the input source. Sometimes, it can be on the wrong source and look like SmartCast isn't working.

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Sometimes the buttons on your remote won't work properly, which can mimic the signs that your SmartCast Home isn't working. Follow these steps to reset your Vizio Remote.

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Get in touch with Vizio's Support Team here.

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