Do you have a Sony TV and want to know how to turn off wide mode? You're not alone. If your screen is zoomed, stretched, or has words at the bottom of the screen cut off, wide mode may have been activated.
This article will show you how to disable this setting and enjoy your TV picture in its original quality.
How to Disable Wide Mode on a Sony TV
Sony has always been one of the most innovative companies when it comes to electronics and, like other Sony products, its televisions have set the standard in the television world.
With their intuitive user interface, crystal-clear picture quality and sleek lines, Sony TVs embody everything we love about modern televisions.
Notably, most Sony TV models come with 4k technology, an “ultra-high definition” feature that gives your TV four times more pixels than traditional high-definition TV technologies. This results in images with noticeably better detail and picture quality than many other TV brands on the market.
But that's not all. Sony TVs come with a wide mode setting that lets you enlarge the display, making it more natural for videos shot with wide-angle lenses. This framework can be particularly suitable for sporting events and other public entertainment events, because you can follow everything that is happening.
Unfortunately, wide mode is not suitable for all videos or programs. This can cause distortion or pixelation on some displays, especially those that don't use an overscan setting to compensate for analog hardware. It may also not work for screens that appear letterboxed in standard mode, but display significantly different geometry and image dimensions in wide mode.
Wide mode is a setting that can be turned on, but your TV may also be receiving a signal that has not been set to 'normal' mode.
Whatever the situation, you'll be pleased to know that you can turn off the wide mode setting and enjoy images in their original quality without any distortion.
Let's see how:
Method 1: Using the Wide Mode button on your remote
Some Sony TV models that offer the wide mode setting come with a wide or zoom button on the remote control. Hard to miss this button because its icon is rectangular, with arrows in all directions.
To turn wide mode off, simply press the wide mode button repeatedly. While this may require you to wade through the various wide mode settings available on your TV, you'll be able to choose the display setting you're most comfortable with.
Method 2: Using System Settings
The wide mode button is definitely a handy tool to adjust your TV display and get rid of stretched images or videos that look zoomed in. Unfortunately, not all Sony TV models have it. In this situation, you need to go to your TV's system settings to disable wide mode.
Follow the steps below:
- Open your TV's menu by pressing the Home or Menu button on your remote.
- Click on “System Settings”.
- Select "Screen" from the resulting submenu. At this point, you should see a list of the various wide mode settings available.
- Click on “Normally”. This will display all 4:3 images in their original size.
Additional troubleshooting tips
Sometimes wide mode won't go away even after changing settings or repeatedly pressing the wide mode button on your remote. If this happens, there are additional troubleshooting methods that can help you identify the source of the problem.
Let's go through each method in more detail.
Method 1: Perform a power reset
Before you try anything complex, you might want to perform a simple power reset. But why?
Much like computers, modern Sony TVs rely on a well-choreographed startup sequence to successfully receive signals and convert them to images. If one or more of the affected programs does not launch properly, images may appear distorted or unusually wide.
For best results, here are the steps to perform a power reset:
- Turn off your TV.
- Unplug the power code from the electrical outlet and wait at least 60 seconds.
- Reconnect the power cord and turn on the TV.
Method 2: Check the TV menu
If a power reset does not restore the picture quality you want, you should check your TV's menu and home screen. All wide mode settings change the aspect ratio to enlarge or adjust the width and height of your image, but they do not interfere with your menu or home screen.
If your menu is also distorted or stretched, there may be a technical issue that can only be resolved by a Sony technician.
Method 3: Switch to another input source
One of the best things about Sony TVs is that they allow you to connect to other input sources such as DVD, Blu-ray, USB, and HDMI, not just cable. These input sources allow you to enjoy different types of content on your TV, including music, movies, and video games.
However, these devices also come with their own display settings. This means that your screen may appear stretched due to your DVD settings or the images may be enlarged due to your game console settings.
To find out if a particular input source is the culprit, just switch to a different source and check if the screen still appears stretched. Once you identify the problematic device, you should check its settings rather than your TV's.
Method 4: Disable Closed Captioning
Subtitles provide a range of benefits, from providing service access for deaf and hard of hearing viewers to more understandable narratives or explanations. But they can also stretch, cut or distort the image. As such, disabling them can restore the original image quality to your screen.
Method 5: Check content
Sometimes a stretched or distorted screen can result from the content you are watching. For example, movies recorded in 21:9 cinema format and other widescreen formats will be distorted when viewed on a widescreen (16:9) TV.
Also, some TV programs have banners or tickers at the bottom of the screen.
All of these aspects are part of the broadcast signal and therefore cannot be changed.
Additional FAQ
What is wide mode on Sony TVs?
Wide mode is a feature that allows you to watch your content in a wider aspect ratio. It can be activated from the settings menu or via the "Wide" button on your remote.
Disabling this feature will allow you to enjoy your TV's picture in its original quality, without stretching and without words being cut off at the bottom of your screen.
Restore your image quality
Sony's wide mode feature is a great way to make full use of large screens and lock in a more cinematic experience. However, this feature can also spoil your viewing experience as the image may look stretched or distorted.
Fortunately, the wide mode setting can be turned off by adjusting your TV's screen settings or pressing the "Wide" button on your remote.
Turning this feature off can help you enjoy your favorite show or program in its original aspect ratio without stretching or distortion.
Do you like the wide mode feature of your Sony TV? What do you like to use it for?
Let us know in the comments section below.
