Troubleshooting Vizio TV: How to Resolve the “Searching for Available Updates” Issue

If you’ve encountered an endless loop of your Vizio smart TV “searching for available updates,” you’re not alone. Many users have reported facing this frustrating issue, which can interrupt your viewing experience and render the TV nearly unusable while connected to the internet.

What Happened?

Recently, I was streaming content from my computer on my 32″ E-series Vizio smart TV when it suddenly began a continuous cycle of “searching for available updates” followed by “loading.” This cycle would reset every few seconds, causing significant disruption. Although the video continued for some time, it eventually stopped, plunging me into an endless update search. I’ve attempted various troubleshooting steps, including restarting the TV and my modem/router, as well as scouring the settings for an option to disable automatic updates—none of which resolved the issue.

This situation has rendered my TV nearly worthless when connected to the internet, as the persistent search interferes with navigating menus and prevents the proper functioning of apps.

Seeking Solutions

In light of these ongoing troubles, I’m reaching out to others who may have faced similar challenges. If you have any insights or suggestions, your input would be greatly appreciated.

Alternative Workarounds

While I continue to investigate this issue, I wanted to share some potential solutions that have emerged from the community and could help alleviate this problem:

For Wireless Connections:
1. Navigate to Menu > Network > WPS on your TV.
2. Begin the WPS connection process and then cancel it. This action should disconnect your TV from the network.
3. Now, reconnect to your desired network by re-entering your Wi-Fi password. This method has reportedly worked for several users, including myself.

For Wired Connections:
Though I haven’t personally tried this method, other users have found success using the following steps:
1. Disconnect the Ethernet cable from your TV.
2. Attempt to connect to a wireless network, then cancel out of the connection process.
3. Reconnect the Ethernet cable once again.

These solutions have been shared by helpful community members such as unstoppablenow and ChiefDarunia, who have provided valuable assistance in resolving this persistent issue.

Final Thoughts

Experiencing technical difficulties with your television can be incredibly frustrating, especially during your favorite shows or movies. If you’re facing the relentless “searching for available updates” problem on your