You see a black screen or experience poor video quality when watching TV with Xbox One

You may experience poor video performance or see a black screen when you watch TV on your Xbox One. The following can cause this to happen:

• Problems with your HDMI cable.
• Problems with the way your cable set-top box is connected.
• Problems with the settings on your set-top box.

To resolve these problems, try the following solutions.

Note For issues with specific models of cable set-top boxes, AV receivers, or TVs, visit the TV Hardware Information Xbox forum.

Please note that Xbox Support Forums content is available only in English. To translate Xbox Support Forums content into another language, paste the URL into an online translation tool such as Bing Translator.

For general troubleshooting when your TV screen or monitor remains blank or black when you start your Xbox One console, see Troubleshooting a blank TV screen or monitor while your Xbox One is on.

For issues with stuttering or slow-refreshing videos, see Video on Xbox One is stuttering.

For issues with fuzzy or unclear videos, see Video on Xbox One is fuzzy.

For issues with Xbox OneGuide, see OneGuide can’t control your TV, AV receiver, or set-top box.

Solution 1: Check your HDMI cables or try a different one

A damaged or incorrectly connected HDMI cable can prevent the video signal from reaching your Xbox One correctly.

• Check your HDMI cables to make sure they’re securely connected to your devices and free from damage.
• Try using a different high-speed HDMI cable. Some cables are higher quality than others, and a low-quality cable can impact your video signal.

Solution 2: Power cycle your set-top box, and then check its settings

• You may need to power cycle your cable set-top box to clear out incorrect configuration data. To do this, disconnect any cables (including power cables) from the device for 30 seconds or more. Then plug the cables back in.
• Try restarting the TV app.
• Try setting your cable set-top box to a video output of 720p.
• Disable multichannel surround sound (such as Dolby Digital or 5.1).

Note Some cable set-top boxes have other settings that may impact video output. Set-top boxes vary greatly between manufacturers. If you need help checking or configuring your set-top box, contact your hardware provider.

Solution 3: Power cycle your Xbox One

To correctly power cycle your Xbox One, follow the steps at How to power cycle your Xbox One console.

Solution 4: Directly connect the set-top box to your TV

Make sure you have a good video signal by connecting your cable or satellite set-top box directly to your TV. If you still have video performance issues, contact your provider for further assistance.