Your LG Smart TV — A Plain-English Guide

1 Magic Remote cursor jumps everywhere

1. Hold the remote still. The cursor disappears after 3 seconds — that's the design.
2. To bring it back, give the remote a gentle wiggle. NOT a wave — just a small left-right movement.
3. If the cursor stays jumpy even when you hold it still, the batteries are weak. Two fresh AAs fix it. Replace both at once.
4. Want the cursor totally off? Settings → All Settings → General → Pointer Speed → turn off Pointer or set it to Slow.

2 Captions won't stay on

1. On the Magic Remote, press the Settings (gear) button. Find Accessibility → Subtitles → toggle on.
2. If captions are on but not showing on a specific app, check INSIDE that app — Netflix, YouTube, and Disney+ each have their own caption toggle, separate from the TV's.
3. For live TV or cable, captions come from the cable box, not the TV. Use the cable remote's CC button.
4. Size too small? Same Accessibility menu → Subtitle Settings → Size → choose Large.

3 App won't install or won't open

1. Press the Home button. Scroll to the LG Content Store (or App Store) icon. Search the app by name.
2. If it says "not compatible with your TV," your TV is older than the app supports. Some streaming services drop older TVs every 2-3 years.
3. App installed but won't open? Settings → All Settings → General → System → Reset to Initial Settings will NOT erase your apps; you need a hard restart: unplug TV for 60 seconds, plug back in.
4. Common missing apps on older LGs: HBO Max, Peacock, Paramount+. Workaround: use a $25 Roku stick instead.

4 Picture looks washed out or too dark

1. Most LGs ship in "Vivid" mode which oversaturates everything. Settings → Picture → Picture Mode → switch to Standard or Cinema.
2. For older eyes, try Cinema or ISF Expert (Bright Room). These warm the picture and reduce eye strain.
3. If a specific show is too dark (lots of new streaming dramas have this problem), turn on Local Dimming if your TV has it, and bump Brightness 5 notches up.
4. Energy Saving mode dims everything. Settings → Energy Saving → Off. You lose a few watts; you gain a watchable picture.

5 Sound is fine on one app, terrible on another

1. Each app has its own audio settings. In Netflix or Hulu, check the audio track — pick Stereo or 5.1, not "Dolby Atmos" if you don't have a soundbar.
2. TV speakers are weak by design. A $100 soundbar makes everything dramatically better — voices clearer, no more cranking the volume.
3. If you have a soundbar that pairs by Bluetooth, the LG sometimes drops it. Settings → Sound → Sound Out → Bluetooth → re-pair.
4. Hearing aids: many newer LGs support Bluetooth hearing aid streaming directly. Settings → Accessibility → Bluetooth Hearing Devices.

⚠️ Heads up.

If a popup appears on your TV (or in a web browser) saying your LG TV has a virus or needs a security update with a phone number to call — it's a scam. LG never asks you to call a number. Real software updates come automatically through Settings → Support → Software Update.

Same with phone calls claiming to be "LG support" or warranty-renewal robocalls. LG doesn't call homes. The real LG support number is 1-800-243-0000 — write it down. If you're unsure, call me first at (330) 200-8042.