Series S Issues - Gray Flickering Screen, Sound Loss, Display Resolution Resets - Intermittent

Hugo J Stiglitz · Mar 18, 2025

Hi all,

Per the subject line, we have a newish Series S purchased in December that we are having intermittent issues with. Every once in a while the screen will flicker all gray, then eventually cuts to gray snow. Typically when this happens, the sound will go out too. Unplugging the power cable usually works but sometimes not immediately, and we have to leave it to sit longer before the issue goes away. Aside from that, sometimes the display will reset to 480p randomly after powering it on. We've tried different TVs, different cables, different inputs on the TV. Starting to think the it might be the console? It's a smokeless house, has reasonable ventilation. Any ideas on what to look for?

Thanks

:)

SmartLace1968

Hi there! This is Virginia O.

I understand that you are experiencing issues with gray flickering screen, sound Loss and display resolution Resets on the Xbox Series S.

I apologize for the inconvenienced this has caused you. I will do my best to help you.

Kindly perform a full power cycle by holding the power button on the console for 10 seconds until it shuts down. Unplug the power cable for a few minutes before restarting.

Make sure that your Xbox Series S is running the latest system software. Go to Settings > System > Updates and check for updates.

And then adjust display settings. To do this, navigate to Settings > General > TV & Display Options. Set the resolution to 1080p or lower to see if it stabilizes the display. Also, disable features like Allow 4K and HDR10 under Advanced Video Modes to test if these settings are causing the issue.

Next is to inspect HDMI ports and cables because even though you've tried different cables and inputs, ensure the HDMI ports on the console and TV are clean and free of dust or debris. Kindly use a certified high-speed HDMI cable to rule out compatibility issues.

Please make sure that bthe console has adequate ventilation and isn't overheating. Avoid placing it in enclosed spaces or near heat sources.

Thank you for your cooperation.

JCSWW

That's the issue right there, Prezdead! My TV auto detects the resolution being put out by the source and sets it accordingly. There is no way to set my TV's HDMI input to display a certain resolution regardless of what the source is putting out. My Android
box and Roku 4 put out a 4k signal when I enable the resolution they should output is 4k. Unfortunately, The XBOX One S doesn't seem to do that.

When I do the video test on the XBOX One. My TV doesn't even flicker. It just pops up that it failed everything, which is incorrect. If I change the resolution on the XBOX One S to 720p, then it flickers and my TV changes the display to 720p. If I change
the XBOX One S to display 1080p, then the TV flickers and changes the resolution to 1080p. If I try to change the XBOX One S to display UHD, it does nothing other than go instantly to the failed screen, which states none of the options are supported. Under
Advanced Video Settings though, I have 24Hz, 50Hz, and UHD 4k checked. the problem is, the XBOX One S is putting out the 4k signal because the test says the TV fails everything and the TV will not disaply in 4k until the TV receives a signal from the XBOX
One S to display in 4k.

That Rick Guy

Could be a number of things.

Your Display(TV) may be intermittently refusing to produce the resolution preset in the xbox settings

when it happens again try turning the console on with the controller while holding Y+right trigger. continue to hold until you notice the console reset itself. this will reset the display setting in the xbox. it will also make it easy to see if it is in fact
a intermittent issue with your display(TV)
If the above does not resolve the issue try a new display cable. are you running HDMI, component or SD?

Obsessive Power

Hi Firstly, confirm if your cable is actually HDMI to VGA. If it's the other way around (VGA to HDMI) it won't work. These cables are not bi-directional, you need the correct adaptor. Even then, it might not even work.

Secondly, confirm what the max resolution of your VGA monitor is. Monitors with VGA ports are quite old, and it's very likely that your old monitor's maximum resolution is only standard HD (1280x720). While this should still work for a Series S, the Series S is a 1080P console. Using an old 720P monitor with it will degrade the experience somewhat.

Finally, If you've used your Series S on TV at 4K or even 1080P, and your monitor does not support these resolutions, you would need to reset the Xbox display settings.

307a255a-107a-4dcd-b

Hey there, the old tv might not support the resolution for the Xbox series s so I'm sorry about that but if it does you could check this Xbox support article. And thanks for posting on the forums <3

Series S Issues - Gray Flickering Screen, Sound Loss, Display Resolution Resets - Intermittent