LG TV Error 8 — What It Means & How to Fix It

What Does This Error Mean?

Error 8 on an LG Smart TV means a DRM (Digital Rights Management) or content protection error has occurred. The TV cannot decrypt or verify the licence for the content you are trying to watch. This is almost always fixed by signing out and back in to your account, or by restarting the TV.

Affected Models

LG OLED C3
LG QNED85
LG UHD 75UP8770
LG NanoCell 90
LG OLED evo G3

Common Causes

DRM licence has expired or cannot be renewed due to a server communication issue
Your LG account or streaming account session has expired
TV firmware is outdated and the DRM module is no longer accepted by the content provider
System date and time on the TV is incorrect, causing DRM validation to fail
The specific piece of content has had its licence revoked by the publisher

How to Fix It

Sign out of the LG account or streaming service account and sign back in.

An expired session token is the most common cause of Error 8 — signing back in generates a fresh DRM licence request.
Check the TV date and time: Settings → General → Date & Time → set to Automatic.

DRM systems validate licences using timestamps — if your TV clock is wrong by more than a few minutes, DRM validation fails.
Power cycle the TV by unplugging it from the wall for 60 seconds, then restart it.

A full power cycle clears cached DRM tokens and forces a clean licence request on next playback.
Update the TV firmware: Settings → Support → Software Update → Check for Updates.

DRM modules are updated with firmware — an outdated DRM version can be rejected by current content provider systems, triggering Error 8.
Try the same content on a different device (phone, tablet) using the same account.

If the content plays on another device, the issue is specific to the TV DRM. If it fails on all devices, the content licence has been revoked.
Perform a factory reset if all other steps fail: Settings → General → Reset to Initial Settings.

A factory reset reinstalls the DRM module from scratch — this resolves persistent Error 8 caused by corrupted DRM storage.

When to Call a Professional

Error 8 is a DRM software issue — no professional repair is needed. All fixes are software steps involving account sign-outs, firmware updates, or date/time corrections. If Error 8 persists across all content after all fixes, contact LG support to check if your device's DRM certificate needs renewal.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is DRM and why does it cause Error 8 on my LG TV?

DRM (Digital Rights Management) is a system that verifies you have the right to watch a piece of content. Every time you play a protected video, the TV must obtain a digital licence from the content provider's server. If that licence request fails — due to an expired session, wrong clock, or outdated firmware — Error 8 appears.

Error 8 appeared for one specific show but other shows work fine — is the show the problem?

Yes — sometimes a specific piece of content has had its DRM licence revoked or expired by the publisher. Try refreshing the content library by signing out and back in to the streaming service. If the same show plays on another device, the issue is on the LG TV side — a firmware update usually resolves it.

Will a factory reset definitely fix Error 8?

A factory reset resolves Error 8 in most cases where the DRM module on the TV has become corrupted. It erases all your settings and app logins, so you will need to set the TV up again afterwards. If Error 8 persists even after a factory reset, contact LG support — the TV may need a DRM certificate reissue.