LG TV USB No Signal — What It Means & How to Fix It

What Does This Error Mean?

USB No Signal on an LG TV means the TV cannot find any playable media on the USB drive you connected. This happens when the drive is empty, formatted incorrectly, or contains files in formats the TV does not support. The fix is usually straightforward — check the file format, the USB format, or use a different input source.

Affected Models

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

Common Causes

USB drive contains no media files, or files are stored in folders the TV cannot navigate to
Video or audio files are in formats not supported by the LG TV media player
USB drive is formatted as NTFS on a model that does not support it for playback
You are on the wrong input — the TV is set to an HDMI or antenna input instead of USB/Media Player
USB drive is powered down or not receiving enough current from the TV USB port

How to Fix It

Press the Home button on the LG remote and open the Media Player or USB app rather than changing the TV input.

USB media on LG TVs is accessed through the Media Player app — not by switching inputs as you would for HDMI.
Confirm the USB drive has media files on it and that they are in a supported format.

LG TVs support MP4, MKV, AVI, MP3, JPEG, and PNG — files in formats like WMV, FLAC, or RAW may not appear.
Try removing the USB drive and plugging it back in, then re-open the Media Player app.

Sometimes the TV scans the drive before it is fully ready — reinserting it gives the TV a fresh chance to read it.
On a Windows PC, check how the USB drive is formatted (right-click it in File Explorer → Properties).

Format the drive as FAT32 (under 32GB) or exFAT (32GB–2TB) if it shows NTFS — these formats guarantee LG TV compatibility.
Convert an unsupported video file to MP4 (H.264) using a free tool like HandBrake before copying it to the USB drive.

H.264 MP4 is the most universally supported video format on all LG TV models — use it when in doubt.
If using a USB hub or extension cable, plug the drive directly into the TV USB port instead.

Hubs and cables can reduce the power or signal quality to the drive, causing the TV to report no signal even with valid files.

When to Call a Professional

USB No Signal is not a hardware fault — no professional help is needed in almost all cases. All solutions involve adjusting how your USB drive is set up or how you access it on the TV. If the USB port physically does not recognise any drive at all, contact LG support to assess a port fault.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my USB drive work on my computer but show no signal on my LG TV?

Your computer supports far more file formats and file systems than your TV. The files on your drive are likely in a format the LG media player does not support (such as WMV or MOV). Convert the files to MP4 (H.264) or copy JPEG/PNG images and the TV should recognise them immediately.

What video formats does an LG Smart TV support from USB?

LG Smart TVs support MP4, MKV, AVI, and TS video formats from USB drives. The most reliable format is MP4 with H.264 video and AAC audio. MKV files with H.265 (HEVC) are supported on newer LG OLED and QNED models — check your model specs at lg.com/us/support.

My LG TV shows the USB icon but still says no media — what is wrong?

If the TV sees the USB drive but finds no media, the files are either in unsupported formats or stored too deep in subfolders. LG TVs can struggle to navigate more than 2–3 folder levels deep. Move your media files to the root folder of the USB drive (not inside nested folders) and try again.