Got a TCL TV? Change these 16 settings ASAP – here’s why

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ZDNET’s key takeaways

• Your TCL TV is probably not optimized for residence proper out of the field.
• A number of fast adjustments can dramatically enhance your expertise.
• It’s also possible to cut back pointless information assortment whilst you watch.

TCL is understood for its finances TVs, however lately, it has delivered some jaw-dropping fashions and persistently rolled out wonderful {hardware} that always rivals far costlier units. My concern, nonetheless, is that almost all TCL TVs ship with default settings that don’t provide the finest image, efficiency, or privateness protections at residence. Fortunately, the repair is easy.

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Your TCL TV has over a dozen totally different settings that offer you fine-tuned management over how your TV processes movement, shade, brightness, and even how a lot information it collects about you. Altering them is simple and might radically enhance your expertise.

Beneath are the TCL TV settings value altering instantly, why every one issues, and precisely the best way to regulate it.

1. Change the image mode: Film or Filmmaker

Most sensible TVs now embrace a number of image modes, together with TCL fashions, which regularly default to Customary, Vivid, or Sports activities. These modes use overly cool colours, extreme brightness, and synthetic distinction. They’re meant to face out on showroom flooring, however at residence, the impact is commonly too aggressive. As a substitute, you’ll want to use Film or Filmmaker mode, which is tuned for accuracy.

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These modes use a hotter shade temperature, extra lifelike distinction, and fewer processing total. Filmmaker mode goes a step additional by routinely disabling movement smoothing and utilizing stricter requirements for body fee, shade, and facet ratio so content material is displayed because the director meant. Whenever you change to both mode, the picture might look yellow or heat at first, however that’s regular.

Your eyes are simply adjusting from the overly blue default.

1. Go to Settings.
2. Open Image or Image settings.
3. Choose Image Preset or Image Mode.
4. Select Film or Filmmaker (on 2025 and newer fashions).

Word: In case you have an older Roku-powered TCL TV, press the * (asterisk) button on the Roku TV distant, then go to Image settings > Image Mode. You will note HDR Darkish, HDR Customary, and HDR Brilliant choices. HDR Darkish is designed for dim rooms and presents essentially the most correct shade and shadow element. HDR Customary balances brightness for on a regular basis viewing, whereas HDR Brilliant will increase brightness for well-lit rooms. I desire HDR Darkish since I have a tendency to look at films at evening.

2. Flip off Movement Readability (or movement smoothing)

Ever hear of the dreaded “cleaning soap opera” impact on TVs? Its technical title is movement smoothing, though TCL calls it Movement Readability on TCL Google TVs. No matter you need to name it, it does the identical factor: It inserts synthetic frames to make movement seem smoother. Really, films and exhibits find yourself trying low-cost and unnatural, particularly throughout fast-paced motion scenes.

Additionally: flip off movement smoothing in your TV (and why it makes such an enormous distinction)

Some individuals like movement smoothing for reside sports activities, however for many content material, it’s not superb. I like to recommend turning it off.

1. Go to Settings.
2. Open Image or Image settings.
3. Open Superior Image Settings.
4. Select Movement.
5. Flip Movement Readability off.

3. Flip off Dynamic Distinction

Newer TCL Google TVs embrace a Dynamic Distinction characteristic that auto-boosts brightness and distinction based mostly on every scene within the film or TV present you might be watching. I discover, nonetheless, that it typically causes highlights to blow out and shadow element to vanish throughout loads of content material. I desire to show it off to maintain brightness and distinction constant from scene to scene and to protect high-quality element.

1. Open Settings.
2. Open Image or Image settings.
3. Choose Superior Image Settings.
4. Flip Dynamic Distinction off.

Word: In case you have an older Roku-powered TCL TV, press the * (asterisk) button on the Roku TV distant, then go to Image settings > Customise image > Knowledgeable settings > Dynamic distinction to show it off.

4. Flip off Dynamic Shade

Newer TCL Google TVs have one other dynamic characteristic that routinely adjusts what you see, however as an alternative of toying with distinction, it performs with shade. Known as Dynamic Shade, it exaggerates saturation to make colours actually pop in your show. It appears nice on a showroom flooring, however at residence, it may possibly make pores and skin tones look orange or unnatural and trigger colours to shift relying on what’s taking part in.

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In order for you extra correct, lifelike colours relatively than dramatic ones, flip it off.

1. Go to Settings.
2. Open Image.
3. Choose Superior Image Settings.
4. Flip Dynamic Shade off.

5. Flip off Adaptive Shade Temperature

Right here is one other newer TCL Google TV characteristic you may disable: Adaptive Shade Temperature. It auto-adjusts white stability based mostly in your room lighting or the content material. Whereas that sounds useful, it causes seen shade shifts mid-scene. Want consistency? Flip it off.

1. Go to Settings.
2. Open Image or Image settings.
3. Choose Superior Image Settings.
4. Flip Adaptive Shade Temperature off.

6. Flip off Black Stretch

You aren’t performed shutting issues off simply but. Newer TCL TVs embrace a Black Stretch characteristic that adjusts shadow element by deepening or lifting blacks. If you’re noticing a sample right here, I’m not a fan of most automated tweaks. On this case, it may possibly crush element in darkish scenes or make shadows look grey. Turning it off preserves the unique distinction of the content material. I all the time select authentic over synthetic.

1. Go to Settings.
2. Open Image or Image settings.
3. Choose Superior Image Settings.
4. Flip Black Stretch off.

7. Flip off Adaptive Brightness

Newer TCL TVs use a light-weight sensor to auto-adjust display brightness based mostly in your room. This characteristic is named Adaptive Brightness, and in my expertise, it may possibly trigger noticeable brightness fluctuations that appear like flickering, particularly throughout the day. Flip it off.

1. Go to Settings.
2. Go to Show and Sound.
3. Choose Clever Settings.
4. Select Clever Image.
5. Flip Adaptive Brightness off.

Word: This setting may seem underneath Eye Well being.

8. Change the Black Degree (brightness)

Allow us to get into some guide tweaks you are able to do now that you’ve disabled lots of the automated options in your TCL TV. First up is brightness, which is perhaps labeled Black Degree on some Google TV fashions. This setting controls how darkish the darkest components of the picture seem. Whether it is set too low, shadow element disappears. Whether it is set too excessive, blacks look washed out.

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There is no such thing as a excellent advice right here. All of it will depend on your choice and your room lighting, so mess around with it.

1. Go to Settings.
2. Open Image or Image settings.
3. Choose Superior Settings or Brightness Settings.
4. Alter Black Degree or brightness utilizing darkish scenes.

Word: On older Roku-powered TCL TVs, press the * (asterisk) button on the Roku TV distant, then go to Image settings > Show brightness. You will note Darker, Darkish, Regular, and Brilliant choices based mostly in your room’s ambient gentle. Use Darker or Darkish for dim rooms or nighttime viewing, Brilliant for well-lit rooms, and Regular for on a regular basis viewing. I usually use Darkish for watching films at evening.

9. Change the distinction

When you disabled Dynamic Distinction however nonetheless need to management the depth of the intense highlights you might be seeing, you may manually regulate your TV’s distinction. I discover that, whether it is set too excessive, vibrant areas can lose element and turn into featureless. That stated, I personal a few TCL TVs, and each had been very near appropriate out of the field. Nonetheless, it’s value checking and altering yours if wanted.

1. Go to Settings.
2. Open Image or Image settings.
3. Choose Superior Settings.
4. Alter Distinction utilizing vibrant scenes.

Word: In case you have an older Roku-powered TCL TV, press the * (asterisk) button on the Roku TV distant, then go to Image settings > Customise image to regulate the distinction manually.

10. Decrease the sharpness

Here’s a setting I’ve not talked about but: Sharpness. Sadly, it doesn’t add actual element. As a substitute, it applies one thing generally known as synthetic edge enhancement, creating halos and visual noise. Decreasing the sharpness provides you a extra pure image and texture.

1. Go to Settings.
2. Open Image or Image settings.
3. Discover Sharpness.
4. Decrease it till edges look clear.

Word: In case you have an older Roku-powered TCL TV, press the * (asterisk) button on the Roku TV distant, then go to Image settings > Customise image to regulate the sharpness manually.

11. Flip off Noise Discount

So that you thought I used to be performed with the automated stuff? Assume once more. TCL features a Noise Discount characteristic that tries to clean out noise grain and compression, but it surely typically removes element within the course of. Until you might be watching very low-quality content material, flip it off.

1. Go to Settings.
2. Open Image or Image settings.
3. Choose Superior Image Settings.
4. Flip Noise Discount.
5. You may additionally a Digital Noise Discount possibility, which you can too regulate or disable.

Word: In case you have an older Roku-powered TCL TV, press the * (asterisk) button on the Roku TV distant, then go to Image settings > Customise image > Knowledgeable settings > Noise discount to show it off.

12. Strive Gradation Clear

Gradation Clear is a more moderen, automated characteristic it’s possible you’ll not want, however I truly don’t thoughts it and have discovered it helpful. It reduces shade banding, also called posterization, leading to smoother, extra refined shade gradients. Noticeable in scenes with sunsets, smoke, or underwater photographs, I lately tried it whereas watching La La Land and The Princess Bride and thought it seemed good.

1. Go to Settings.
2. Open Image or Image settings.
3. Choose Superior Image Settings.
4. Allow Gradation Clear, if wanted.

13. Strive LED Movement Clear

Not all newer, automated options are dangerous, and a few might even be value making an attempt, like LED Movement Clear on Google TVs.

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It inserts black frames to darken the picture, sharpen movement, and enhance readability. I attempted it whereas watching Midsommar, a horror movie that intentionally makes use of relentless, high-key daylight, and located that it added shadows and helped heighten the uneasy temper. This setting is non-compulsory and fully preference-based, however it may be enjoyable to experiment with on totally different films and exhibits.

1. Go to Settings.
2. Open Image or Image settings.
3. Choose Superior Image Settings.
4. Toggle LED Movement Clear.

14. Flip off ‘Use Data from TV Inputs’ and ACR

OK, I’m performed with image settings, however there are a number of privateness settings I need to cowl subsequent. For instance, if you happen to personal a wise TCL TV, both Roku or Google TV, do you know it may possibly observe what you watch by means of cable bins or sport consoles? This characteristic is named “Use Data from TV Inputs,” and I like to recommend turning it off to restrict pointless information assortment about your viewing habits.

TCL TVs additionally use ACR, or automated content material recognition, a data-tracking know-how that identifies what you might be watching throughout streaming apps, cable, and HDMI-connected gadgets to measure viewing habits and serve focused adverts. Disable this setting, too.

1. Go to Settings.
2. Choose Privateness.
3. Select Sensible TV Expertise.
4. Flip off Use Data from TV Inputs.
5. Flip off ACR.

15. Flip off customized adverts

Right here is one other one for these of you with a wise TCL TV, reminiscent of Roku or Google TV. By default, it makes use of your viewing information to personalize adverts, however you may cut back this with out breaking something. By disabling “Customized adverts” in settings, you may forestall adverts from being focused or overly tailor-made to you. Some fashions may have a “Restrict advert monitoring” characteristic. Allow that, if that’s the case.

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1. Go to Settings.
2. Open Privateness.
3. Choose Promoting.
4. Flip off Customized adverts.
5. Allow Restrict advert monitoring, if accessible.

16. Evaluate microphone entry and permissions

Final however not least, in case your TCL TV or distant features a microphone, streaming apps you may have put in might request entry to it. You may already know that, however did you additionally know you may overview and limit this entry at any time? Right here is how.

1. Open Settings.
2. Go to Privateness.
3. Choose Voice or Microphone.
4. Alter microphone entry and permissions.