You are awakened by the sound of voices speaking in the living room. You grab your heaviest frying pan and sneak inside, only to find the TV is on, but no one is watching. Don't worry, it's not a ghost. (Well, it's probably not a ghost.) If your TV turns on or off randomly, it's probably some other piece of technology that's disrupting your TV's sleep. Here is how to solve this problem.

Unplug your TV (and plug it into the wall)

As with any technology, try turning it off and on again before doing anything else. Except in this case, completely unplug your TV, hold down the power button for 10 seconds, then plug it back in to see if the problem persists.

If you're using a surge protector, try plugging it directly into a wall outlet to eliminate this potential variable. If it was already plugged into the wall, try another outlet, preferably one that isn't connected to a light switch. In this case, you can also plug it into a surge protector.

Disable HDMI-CEC

If I was a bettor, I'd bet on HDMI CEC being the culprit for your power issues. CEC, or Consumer Electronics Control is a feature that allows your devices to control each other via HDMI. For example, when you turn on your PlayStation, CEC can automatically turn on your TV and put it on the correct input, without you having to grab your other remote. This feature can be very handy, but when it misbehaves, it means your TV is turning on and off due to misinterpreted signals.

Open your TV settings and turn off the CEC feature to see if that fixes the problem. Some manufacturers have their own brand name for CEC (Sony calls it Bravia Sync, Samsung calls it Anynet+, and LG calls it SimpLink), so you might have to google it to see what the setting is called on your TV. If this fixes the problem but you still want to use CEC, you will need to start disabling CEC on your other devices until you find the one that is sending the random signal.

Disconnecting from Wi-Fi

Ironically, the 'smart' features of many TVs can often make them look a bit silly. If your TV is connected to other smart home devices like SmartThings, Alexa, Google Home, or Logitech Harmony, it's possible that a routine or other automation might turn your TV on or off by accident. If your TV has a built-in “casting” feature, your phone might even turn it on every time you try to watch a YouTube video.

Before you jump into finding each of these apps, open your TV's settings and disconnect it from Wi-Fi for a few days: if the smart services can't connect, they can't send out those accidental signals. If disabling Wi-Fi fixes the problem, you may need to start digging into your other apps and smart devices to see if any of them regularly interfere with your TV.

Check your TV's power timer

Many modern TVs have a built-in feature that allows you to turn the TV on or off at a specific time of day. If you find that your television turns on or off at the same time as the clock, it is possible that this function was accidentally set by a child or a cat sitting on the remote control. Look in your TV settings for the power scheduling feature and make sure it is disabled.

Change the batteries in your remote control

If your remote control runs out of batteries, it may send erroneous signals due to power fluctuations. Try inserting a new pair of batteries into your remote to see if that fixes the problem. While you're at it, clean the pimples well. If the power button is stuck from the time you spilled soda all over the place, it could be that the button is just pressed and it turns off the TV.

Search nearby TVs

While most TVs shouldn't interfere with each other, TVs from similar brands can easily intercept each other's remote controls if they're close. If you have a Vizio in the living room and a Vizio in the next room, for example, signals from the remote control in one room can affect the TV in the other.

A neighbor might even use a universal remote that sends compatible codes to your TV next door – that's rare, but it can happen. (I've even heard stories of direct sunlight streaming through a window confusing the infrared sensors and turning on the TV – although I've never experienced this myself).

Set your TV's eco mode

Many modern TVs do not turn off completely when you press the power button. Instead, they go into a low-power sleep state, which allows them to use many of the functions described above (like turning on when someone streams a YouTube video from their phone).

Recommended by our editors

If you cannot find the problem, you can try to activate the "eco mode" of your TV. This mode may have a different name depending on the brand, but it turns off your TV completely when you're done watching it. A few built-in functions may be lost, but this should at least give you peace of mind while you troubleshoot. You can also check the Eco mode of your soundbar or other devices, as they may be sending signals to the TV when they go into standby mode.

Firmware update

Again, as with all technology, these problems are sometimes software bugs fixed by a simple update. I listed this point last, however, because TV firmware updates can sometimes cause their own problems – so I only recommend updating if absolutely necessary.

If you have not found the source of the problem, go to your TV settings and see if there is a firmware update available. Some TVs may require manual installation using a USB stick. In this case, check the manufacturer's support site to see if any updates have been released for your model.

Perform a factory reset

Finally, if nothing else works, it might be time to factory reset your TV. Whatever setting is causing the problem should revert to its default. If you plan to change your settings, be sure to change them one at a time, every few days. That way, if the problem recurs, you'll know exactly which setting is causing it.

If a factory reset doesn't work, contact the manufacturer's support. There may be a known bug or hardware issue with your TV model, and a technician might be able to fix the problem once and for all.