Samsung TV turns itself off, or won't turn fully off (The Frame)

Why a Samsung TV switches itself off

A Samsung TV that turns off on its own is usually following one of its own settings. Samsung’s troubleshooting says to check the timers first, then the energy-saving features that switch the TV off when nobody seems to be using it. Turn off the one you don’t want; there is no single master switch.

• The TV goes off after a while, or at the same time each day: check the timers and Auto Power Off, then the rest of the checks below.
• The picture goes black but the TV isn’t really off: see Auto Power Saving.
• The Frame goes to Art mode when you press Power, or never seems to turn off: see If The Frame won’t turn fully off.
• The TV turns off or on together with your set-top box or soundbar: that’s HDMI-CEC. See Samsung Anynet+ (HDMI-CEC).
• Your picture and sound settings keep going back to how they were: see If settings reset every few minutes.

Check the timers and power-saving settings

Work through these in order:

1. Sleep Timer and Off Timer. Sleep Timer turns the TV off after a countdown; Off Timer turns it off at a set clock time. Where to find them, and the quick way to change them, are in the Samsung sleep timer guide.
2. Auto Power Off. This turns the TV off when neither the remote nor the buttons on the TV have been used for a while. If you watch for long stretches without touching the remote, this is the likely cause. The 2017 and 2018 manuals give a fixed 4 hours; newer ones let you choose the period. Turn it off, or set a longer time, in the power-saving menu below.
3. On Timer (if you use it). Samsung’s 2026 UK manual says some models switch off about 3 hours after the On Timer turns them on, if nobody uses the TV. It’s a safety and energy feature. To stop it, press a button on the remote within those 3 hours, or set an Off Timer as well as the On Timer.
4. Auto Power Saving (2022 and newer manuals only). See the next section.

Auto Power Off and Auto Power Saving live in the power-saving menu. Find the row that matches how your TV’s menu looks:

Your TV’s menu	Where the power-saving settings are
Settings on the Home screen leads straight to General, and General has Eco Solution (2017–2020 TVs: M, N, R and T series)	Home → Settings → General → Eco Solution → Auto Power Off
Settings leads straight to General, and General has Power and Energy Saving (2021 A-series TVs)	Home → Settings → General → Power and Energy Saving → Auto Power Off
Home shows a Menu item (2022 B-series TVs)	Home → Menu → Settings → All Settings → General & Privacy → Power and Energy Saving
Left directional button opens the menu (2023–2026 TVs)	Home → left directional button → Settings → All Settings → General & Privacy → Power and Energy Saving

In the last two rows, Auto Power Off and Auto Power Saving are both in that menu. Samsung notes that in some regions Auto Power Off may not work while Samsung TV Plus is playing.

Auto Power Saving turns the screen off (2022 and newer)

Auto Power Saving is a different feature from Auto Power Off. When the TV is on Wi-Fi, it uses Wi-Fi signals and remote-control use to judge whether anyone is watching. If it decides the TV is idle, it switches off the screen.

If your picture goes black while you’re sitting in front of it, turn Auto Power Saving off in the power-saving menu above. Samsung says it isn’t available on every model and may not work with every Wi-Fi router, so if you don’t see it, your TV doesn’t use it.

If the screen goes darker rather than black, that’s a brightness-saving feature instead; see Samsung TV keeps dimming or flickering.

If The Frame won’t turn fully off

On The Frame, a short press of Power while the TV is on switches between Art mode and TV mode. That’s why the screen keeps showing artwork instead of going off.

To turn The Frame off completely, press and hold Power on the Samsung Smart Remote. Samsung’s manuals give this instruction for The Frame from 2017 to 2026. From the 2021 manuals onward, Samsung adds two points: you can also press the TV Controller button on the TV, and with a remote other than the Samsung Smart Remote the TV may not turn off completely.

Make a short press turn The Frame off: Power Button Option

Some newer Frame models let you change what a short press does. Power Button Option is set to Art/TV by default. Set it to On/Off and a short press turns the TV on or off instead of switching to Art mode. Where it is depends on the menu:

Your TV’s menu	Where Power Button Option is
Settings leads straight to General (2017–2021 TVs)	Not in these manuals. Press and hold Power to turn off
Home shows a Menu item (2022 TVs)	Home → Menu → Settings → All Settings → General & Privacy → Power and Energy Saving → Power Button Option (in Samsung’s US manual; the UK manual for B-series TVs doesn’t mention it)
Left directional button opens the menu, and All Settings has no Advanced Features	Home → left directional button → Settings → All Settings → General & Privacy → Power and Energy Saving → Power Button Option (US 2024 manual and the UK manual for some small and budget models; not in the US 2023 manual)
Left directional button opens the menu, and All Settings has Advanced Features	Home → left directional button → Settings → All Settings → General & Privacy → Remote Control → Power Button Option

The last layout is in the UK manuals for C-, D-, F- and H-series TVs and Samsung’s US manuals for 2025–2026. Samsung says the option may not be supported on every model. If you can’t find it, pressing and holding Power still works.

If The Frame turns itself off, or on, in Art mode

Art mode has its own automatic power behaviour, separate from the TV’s power-saving menu:

• The room goes dark: in the 2021 and newer manuals, the screen is set by default to turn off when the light around the TV dims in Art mode.
• Nobody is around: Sleep After turns the TV off when no motion is detected for the time you set, and Night Mode turns it off when no light is detected. They’re in Art mode’s own options at the bottom of the Art home (Settings, Art Mode Options or Art Options, depending on the TV), or in the SmartThings app.
• It turns on, or stays on, unexpectedly: the motion sensor reacts to any visual change, such as lights, pets or movement outside a window. Lower Motion Detector sensitivity in the same Art options. Samsung says the sensor may not work properly if the room is very dark or bright, or depending on how the TV is installed.
• Auto Power Off still applies: from the 2021 manuals onward, Samsung warns that the TV may turn off in Art mode if the remote isn’t used for the set time. Sleep Timer and Off Timer are disabled in Art mode.

These sensor features depend on the model and region.

The Sero (2020)

Samsung’s 2020 manual adds that The Sero has its own Auto On/Off and Off Timer options in the SmartThings app, which can switch the TV on as your phone comes near and off a set time after it moves away. Check those if The Sero turns off by itself.

If settings reset every few minutes: Retail Mode

If your picture and sound settings go back to how they were after about 5 minutes, or every time you turn the TV off, the TV is in Retail Mode: a demo setting for shop displays. Samsung lists an on-screen advert banner (a “POP”) as another sign. Set Usage Mode to Home Mode:

Your TV’s menu	Where Usage Mode is
Settings leads straight to General (2017–2021 TVs)	Home → Settings → General → System Manager → Usage Mode
Home shows a Menu item (2022 TVs)	Home → Menu → Settings → All Settings → General & Privacy → System Manager → Usage Mode
Left directional button opens the menu, and All Settings has no Advanced Features	Home → left directional button → Settings → All Settings → General & Privacy → System Manager → Usage Mode
Left directional button opens the menu, and All Settings has Advanced Features	Home → left directional button → Settings → All Settings → General & Privacy → Usage Mode

Samsung’s newer UK manuals (for C-, D-, F- and H-series TVs and some small and budget models) say Retail Mode can only be chosen during the TV’s initial setup, not from the menu, so a TV in Retail Mode was probably set up that way. Samsung’s fix is still to choose Home Mode here.

If none of these is on

• The TV turns on or off with another device: see Samsung Anynet+ (HDMI-CEC). To stop your phone switching the TV on, see Power On with Mobile.
• The screen dims instead of going off: see Samsung TV keeps dimming or flickering.
• The TV won’t come back on: Samsung’s checks are that the power cord is firmly connected at both ends, the remote works, and any cable or satellite box is plugged in and on. On models with a One Connect Box, check the cable between the TV and the box.

Common questions

Will turning off Auto Power Off use more electricity?

Only if the TV is left on unattended. Samsung describes Auto Power Off and Auto Power Saving as ways to cut power use when nobody is watching. With them off, the TV stays on until you, or a timer, turn it off.

Is pressing Power on The Frame the same as turning it off?

Not by default. A short press switches to Art mode, which still shows an image. Press and hold Power to turn it off, or set Power Button Option to On/Off where your TV has it.