Nvidia Shield Not Turning On [Quick Ways to Fix]

Your Nvidia Shield is your loyal companion. It keeps you entertained on lonely days and makes you smile in the toughest moments. So, if the device refuses to turn on, you might feel like your world has stopped.

But there’s a solution. In this post, I’ll show you how to get your Nvidia Shield back on. If that sounds like what you’re looking for, let’s head right into it!

If your Nvidia Shield is not turning on, you can quickly fix the device by power cycling it. Replacing the faulty cables on your Shield TV and changing the batteries in your Nvidia Remote might also resolve the problem. Another solution is to factory reset the Shield TV.

Keep reading for s step-by-step guide on how to resolve this problem.

Table of Contents

How to Fix Nvidia Shield Not Turning On

Power Cycle the Nvidia Shield

Like most electronic devices, the Nvidia Shield develops faults occasionally. When this happens, the device won’t work properly.

A failure to turn on is just one of the myriad issues that can occur when the Nvidia Shield malfunctions. Another issue that results from faults in the Shield TV is the device getting stuck on the Android logo.

The easiest way to fix the functional issues in your Nvidia Shield is to power cycle the device.

Here’s how to power-cycle your Nvidia Shield Tv:

Disconnect the power cable attached to the device from your power outlet.
Wait 15 seconds. Then, reconnect the power cord to the outlet.

If your Nvidia Shield doesn’t turn on after you’ve power cycled the device, move on to the next tip.

Connect the Device to Another Outlet

Your Nvidia Shield may not power up because it is connected to a faulty power outlet.

It doesn’t matter if you’ve always used the outlet to power up the device. A power outlet can suddenly stop working after several years of usage.

You can resolve this problem by connecting your Shield TV to a new outlet. But first, you should confirm that the outlet has stopped working.

To check if your power outlet is working, plug your phone charger into the outlet. Then, try charging your phone with it. If the charger doesn’t charge your phone, the power outlet is problematic.

Find another outlet close to your TV and plug your Nvidia Shield there.

Replace Faulty Cables

Another likely culprit behind your Shield TV’s failure to power on is a faulty power or HDMI cable. Your power cable transmits power from your power outlet to the Nvidia Shield.

So, if the power cable is broken, your Shield TV won’t get any power. As a result, it will stay off.

On the other hand, the HDMI cable sends video signals from your Nvidia Shield to your TV. Even if the Nvidia Shield turns on, your TV won’t play any videos without a functional HDMI cable. This might make you wrongly assume that your Shield device is still off.

Ensure that the power and HDMI cables are properly connected to their respective ports. Then, inspect both cables for damaged insulation or loose wiring.

If any of the cables are defective, replace them.

Once you’ve connected working cables to your Nvidia Shield, the device should turn on.

But if the device remains off, go to the next tip.

Change the Batteries in Your Nvidia Remote

Your Nvidia Shield may also fail to turn on because your Nvidia Remote/Controller batteries are weak.

Your Remote needs a decent amount of battery power to signal the Shield tv to turn on. So, if the batteries in the Controller are weak, the Controller won’t power up the device.

Remove the cover on the back of your Nvidia Remote and inspect its batteries. If the batteries look rusty, it’s time to change them.

Keep in mind that not all weak batteries show tell-tale signs of depletion. If your Remote batteries look healthy, but you’ve been using them for over three months, you should change them.

If you still can’t turn on your Nvidia Shield after replacing the Remote’s batteries, move on to the next step.

Use Your Nvidia Shield App to Turn on the Device

Pressing the SELECT button on your Nvidia Shield Remote isn’t the only way to turn on your Shield TV. If your Remote won’t power up the device, you can use the Nvidia Shield mobile app to switch it on instead.

Follow these steps to use your Nvidia Shield App to turn on your Shield TV:

First, connect your phone to the same Wi-Fi network as your Shield TV.
Go to the Google Play Store or Appstore.
Search for Nvidia Shield TV app.
Then, click on the app.
Tap on the Download to download the app.
Open the app.
You’ll be asked to create an account.
After creating the account, the app will automatically turn on Bluetooth.
Pair the app with your tv.
Next, tap the 3-dot icon at the upper right corner of the app.
Then, click Find My Remote.
Use the Remote Control tool in the app to turn on your Shield device.

Were you able to power up your Nvidia Shield with the Shield TV app? If not, try the next tip.

Factory Reset the Device

If your Nvidia Shield fails to turn on after you’ve tried all the tips above, the device might be faulty. Factory resetting your Shield TV may eliminate the issues in the device.

Please note that a factory reset will remove all the apps and settings you’ve added to the device.

The usual method for factory resetting the Shield TV is to use the Reset option under the Settings tab. But since you can’t turn on your device, you’ll have to find another way to factory reset the system.

You can factory reset a powered-off Shield TV using the Fast Boot Mode.

The steps required to access the Fast Boot Mode differ across the various Shield TV models. We’ll show you how to use the Fast Boot mode to factory reset all Nvidia Shield models.

How to Factory Reset a Powered-Off Nvidia Shield TV (2019 model)

Unplug your Shield TV from its power supply.
Search for the remote locator button beside the HDMI port on the TV.
Press and hold this button for a few seconds.
Then, re-plug the TV into your power outlet.
You’ll be directed to the Fast Boot Mode.
Press and hold the remote locator button on your TV to select the Factory Data Reset option.
Tap Confirm.
This will take you to your Shield TV home screen.
The factory reset is complete.

How to Factory Reset a Powered Off Nvidia Shield TV Pro (2019) and Shield TV (2017 model)

Disconnect your Nvidia Shield TV from the power outlet.
Insert a USB cable into the port beside your HDMI port on the TV.
Connect the USB cable to your Shield Controller.
If you don’t have a Shield Controller, insert the other end of the USB cord into a USB keyboard.
Press and hold the A and B keys on your Controller or USB keyboard.
While still holding these keys, plug your Shield TV back into the power outlet.
You are now in Fast Boot Mode.
Press the X and Y keys on your Controller or keyboard to scroll to the Boot recovery kernel option.
Use the A key to select an option.
A dead Android robot may appear on the screen.
Press the B key to leave this screen.
The Android Recovery Menu will appear now.
Press the X and Y keys to scroll to the Wipe Data/Factory Reset option.
Tap the A key to select the option.
Then, click Reboot System Now.
You’ll be directed to your home screen.

How to Factory Reset a Powered Off Nvidia Shield TV Pro (2015/2017) and Shield TV (2015)

Unplug your Shield TV from your power outlet.
Insert a micro USB cable into the micro USB port on your Shield TV.
Connect the other end of the cable to a PC.
Plug the Shield TV back into power.
Wait three seconds. Now, press and hold the power button on your Nvidia Shield TV until the fast boot menu appears on the screen.
Tap the NVIDIA button on the TV to go to Boot Recovery Kernel.
Then, press and hold the NVIDIA button for four seconds to select the Boot Recovery Kernel option.
If you see the dead robot, don’t panic.
Press and hold the NVIDIA button for four seconds to move to the Recovery menu.
You might need to press and hold the NVIDIA button several times to proceed to the Recovery menu.
Tap the NVIDIA button to scroll to Wipe Data/Factory Reset.
Hold this button for 6 seconds to select the Wipe Data/Factory Reset option.
Finally, select Reboot System Now.
This will take you to your Shield TV home screen.

Wrapping Up

Your Nvidia Shield TV should turn on after you’ve tried all tips here. However, if the TV does not turn on after you’ve tried all these tips, contact the NVIDIA Customer Support.