How To Stop a Smart TV From Turning On a PS4 or Xbox – Ultimate Guide

Smart TVs have a plethora of amazing features, a few of which may turn out to be a little annoying, such as automatically turning on a PS4 or Xbox when you don’t want it.

Since most smart TVs have many interconnected settings, enabling or disabling any features is a tad tricky.  

Here’s how to stop a smart TV from turning on a PS4 or Xbox:

1. Disable a Smart TV’s HDMI input.
2. Disable a Smart TV’s universal remote access.
3. Disable the HDMI device link.
4. Customize the HDMI-CEC settings on your smart TV.

A smart TV turning on a PS4 or Xbox is a useful feature if you want both devices to start sequentially, so you must restore the link when you need to sync them again.

This guide has all the relevant steps, including disabling only a PS4 or Xbox while keeping other devices synced. 

1. Disable a Smart TV’s HDMI Input

All leading brands have distinct approaches to designing their smart TV features, including the default settings.

Many contemporary smart TVs have an auto-detect feature, which allows you to use different input sources based on how many devices you connect through the HDMI ports.

Generally, a smart TV turns on a PS4 or Xbox because the devices are connected, the gaming console is the current input source, or you have universal remote access to both systems.

You have to disable these settings to prevent the smart TV from turning on your PS4 or Xbox.

Here are the steps to disable a smart TV’s HDMI input from PS4 or Xbox:

1. Check your smart TV remote options. You may press Home, scroll down or navigate the interface to find Settings. Alternatively, you may press Source or Input if your smart TV remote has such buttons.
   
2. In Settings, look for External Inputs or External Device Manager, depending on the smart TV brand and model. Manage the input sources. You will see a list of the connected devices. Turn off the HDMI input from PS4 or Xbox. 

Watch this video guide to access and manage Sony smart TVs’ inputs: 

Watch this video for swift access to Samsung smart TVs’ External Device Manager:

2. Disable a Smart TV’s Universal Remote Access

Smart TV remotes can provide universal access for you to control several settings of multiple devices, including a few of a PS4 or Xbox.

You must disconnect the PS4 or Xbox from the universal remote access to prevent it from turning on with your smart TV. 

Here are the steps to disable a smart TV’s universal remote access to PS4 or Xbox:

1. Press the remote’s Home button.
2. Go to Sources or Universal Remote.
3. Check the devices connected to the Universal Remote.
4. Delete or disconnect the PS4 or Xbox. 

The specific navigation path, how you scroll, and which specific menu or settings section you must select will vary among smart TV brands and models.

Samsung uses Anynet+, LG has Simplink, and Sony works through Bravia Sync.

Disconnect PS4 or Xbox from these systems. 

The following video shows how you can connect a PS4 to a Sony smart TV, among other devices.

Reverse the steps to disable your PS4 or Xbox as one of the smart TVs’ input sources. 

Older smart TVs may not have the latest interfaces or remotes, so their settings can be a bit perplexing.

Also, the features work differently.

For instance, the earlier versions of Samsung’s smart TV remote have fewer buttons, and the Anynet+ interface is somewhat complicated. 

The following video shows you how you can enable or disable the HDMI Device Link for your PS4.

You can use the same steps for Xbox, too. 

3. Disable the HDMI Device Link

PS4 and Xbox consoles have an HDMI Device Link option in their Settings. PS4 lists this feature in Settings > System. Xbox Series X/S has this option in Settings > General > TV & Display Options > Device Control > HDMI-CEC.

Enabling the HDMI Device Link on PS4 or HDMI-CEC on Xbox connects your console to a smart TV, thus allowing you to turn on both systems with the same remote and have the interface or game display on the screen.

Disable this HDMI Device link or HDMI-CEC. 

Watch this video to enable or disable a PS4’s HDMI Device Link:

The HDMI Device Link on PS5 has 2 suboptions: Enable One-Touch Play & Enable Power Off Link.

When you turn on the HDMI Device Link again, you can choose to enable or disable the One-Touch Play and Power Off Link features. 

Here’s a glimpse of these new HDMI settings on PS5:

Watch this video to enable or disable HDMI-CEC on Xbox Series X/S:

As shown in the video, the Xbox HDMI-CEC settings have 4 options.

You can disable or enable the console’s turn on/off features, volume commands, and other devices’ access to turn off the Xbox. 

4. Customize the HDMI-CEC Settings on Your Smart TV

Disconnecting your PS4 or Xbox from the smart TV’s universal remote access or disabling the HDMI link requires you to restore the settings if you want both devices to sync again.

Also, disabling the TV’s HDMI-CEC will disconnect all synced devices, which you may not want to do.

All smart TVs allow users to customize the HDMI-CEC settings.

Refer to your smart TV’s manual, or you can explore the HDMI-CEC options to enable or disable every connected device, be it a PS4, Xbox, Blu-Ray player, or soundbar, among other systems.  

Final Thoughts

PS4 and Xbox have different power settings, including startup and modes.

Check if the instant-on, energy-saving, or rest mode and wake options are an issue. 

For further information, I’ll leave you with some useful video resources. 

Here’s a video guide to PS4’s power settings:

Here’s a video overview of an old Xbox One’s power settings:

Watch this video from ~1:53s for Xbox One’s recent power settings: