Can You Use a Vizio Smart TV Without Internet? (Yes, but There Is a Catch…)

Vizio smart TVs are among the most popular smart TVs available in the market. Vizio TVs are equipped with essential features such as Airplay 2 that help them integrate with other electronic devices in your home. Since the TVs are smart, they require an internet connection for the user to access all the content available on the Smartcast platform

However, only some people are connected to the internet, and some without a working internet connection might wonder whether they can still use their Vizio TVs. 

Read on as we explore the question and find the appropriate answer. 

Can You Use a Vizio Smart TV Without Internet


KEY TAKEAWAYS

While you can use some features on your VIZIO smart TV without an internet connection, there are certain limitations you should be aware of. 

Without an internet connection, you can connect your VIZIO TV to a cable box or an OTA antenna and scan for channels. Also, you can use your TV as a display device for other connected video sources (gaming consoles, Blu-ray players, etc.).

The list of things you cannot do without an internet connection is much longer. For starters, you cannot use the SmartCast platform and all the other SmartCast-related features without the internet. Also, you can’t update your TV or access streaming services. 


Why Do Vizio Smart TVs Need an Internet Connection?

All Smart TVs are referred to as ‘smart’ thanks to their capability to connect to the internet and perform tasks that older models could not. 

Smart TVs are packed with features and firmware that expose users to unlimited content through streaming services such as Netflix, Hulu, and Disney Plus

Therefore, like any other smart TV, Vizio televisions require the internet so the user can access online content

The internet also allows the TVs to update their firmware as soon as it is made available by the TV manufacturer. Since you can update the firmware, your Vizio can add features and apps on the TV whenever they deem it necessary. 

The internet connectivity on Vizio smart TVs also makes it easy for Vizio to monitor your TV usage and collect any related data. Vizio then uses this data to understand its consumers’ behavior and needs, and some of the data is sold to advertisers and other entities

Can You Use a Vizio Smart TV Without an Internet Connection?

Yes, you can use a Vizio Smart TV without an internet connection; however, you will not access all the TV’s features. 

If you want to use a Vizio smart TV without the internet, you should prevent it from connecting to the internet through Wi-Fi or an Ethernet cable during the initial setup. 

Wi-Fi network

If you have already connected the TV to a Wi-Fi network, you can forget the network(s) by navigating Menu > Network and highlighting a Wi-Fi network, then pressing OK. Next, highlight the Forget option and click OK. You will have to do this for all the Wi-Fi networks saved on the TV.

Wi-Fi network

Alternatively, you can reset the TV to clear all settings, including Wi-Fi passwords. After the reset, the TV will be restored to the default settings, so you can skip connecting it to Wi-Fi once it has restarted. 

You can reset a Vizio TV by following the steps below;

  • Press the Menu key on the remote.
  • Navigate to System > Reset and Admin, and select Reset to Factory defaults, and press OK. 

Reset to Factory defaults

  • The TV will then prompt you to enter a system PIN if you have ever set one; if not, skip to the next step. 
  • Next, the TV will ask if you are sure you want to reset; highlight the Reset option and click OK
  • Wait for the TV to clear all settings and restart.

Remember to unplug the Ethernet cable, if any was connected to the TV, to ensure it is disconnected from the internet completely. 

What Can You Do with a Vizio TV Disconnected from the Internet?

If you disconnect the TV from the internet, some functions can still be accessible. For instance, you can connect the TV to a cable box and access different channels.

You can also connect an antenna to the coaxial port on the back of the TV and scan for channels available in your area. 

The TVs can also work as display devices for connected devices like the Xbox and PlayStation and even streaming gadgets like Roku and Chromecast dongles. 

To use the TV as a display device, you would have to insert the streaming device into one of the HDMI ports and select the corresponding HDMI input on the TV. Other devices like the PlayStation and Xbox require an HDMI cable to connect them to the TV; therefore, ensure you have one. 

Best HDMI Cables

KabelDirekt 8K HDMI Cable

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Monster 4K HDMI Cable

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You can also use the TV to access files in storage devices like a USB stick and external hard drives.

Concerns About Using a Vizio Smart TV Without Internet?

Although the TV will still be functional without an internet connection, some features will be unavailable

For instance, you won’t be able to update the TV’s firmware as it requires an internet connection. That means that even the apps on the TV won’t be updated, but that is not a major concern considering you will not be using them. 

Other features like mirroring from a phone to the TV screen will still work as long as you have a Wi-Fi network, even though it does not have an internet connection. 

The only downside is that to access the screen mirroring features like Chromecast and Airplay 2 are housed on Smartcast, and Smartcast requires the internet to work. 

You will also be unable to create or link your Vizio account to the TV if it does not have an internet connection. That also includes accounts related to any streaming service available on the TV. 

You can ensure the TV’s firmware is up to date by occasionally connecting it to the internet. 

Conclusion

You can still use your Vizio TV even though you do not have an internet connection. With the TV, you can still watch local over-the-air channels and use the TV as a display for other devices like your PlayStation. However, it is advisable to connect the TV to the internet frequently and check whether any firmware updates are available. 


Frequently Asked Questions

Question: Will my Vizio smart TV work without the internet?

Answer: Your Vizio smart TV will still work without an internet connection; however, you will not be able to use some features. Such features include all streaming services and the Smartcast platform since they require an internet connection. 

Also, the TV will not work with the Smartcast mobile app, Airplay 2, and Chromecast as they require both the TV and phone to be on the same Wi-Fi network. However, you can still use these features with a Wi-Fi connection that does not have an internet connection. 

Question: How to Mirror/Cast my iPhone to a VIZIO TV without Wi-Fi?

Answer: A Wi-Fi network is necessary when mirroring your phone to a Vizio TV, as the TV and phone need to be on the same network. If you do not have a Wi-Fi connection, you can use a  Lightning Digital AV Adapter and connect it to the iPhone’s charging port and the TV’s HDMI port.

iPhone AV Adapters

USB-C to AV Multiport

USB-C to AV Multiport

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Lightning to AV Adapter

Lightning to AV Adapter

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Alternatively, you could get an Apple TV device as it can establish peer-to-peer connections with the iPhone. 

Question: Do I need Wi-Fi for Vizio SmartCast?

Answer: You do not need a Wi-Fi network to use Vizio TV’s Smartcast platform; however, the platform requires an internet connection. Therefore, you can connect the Vizio TV to the internet via an Ethernet cable. 

On the other hand, you need a Wi-Fi connection to use the Smartcast mobile app, as the phone uses the Wi-Fi network to connect to the TV.


 

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