How to Turn Off Wide Mode on a Sony TV

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 words on the bottom of the screen are cut off, the wide mode may have been activated.

This article will show you how to turn off this setting and enjoy your TV picture in its original quality.

How to Turn Off Wide Mode on a Sony TV

Sony has always been one of the most innovative companies in electronics, and just like other Sony products, their TVs have set the standard in the world of television.

From their intuitive user interface, crystal clear picture quality, and sleek design lines, Sony TVs embody everything we love about modern TV sets.

Notably, most Sony TV models come with 4k technology, an “ultra-high-definition” feature that gives your TV quadruple the number of pixels of traditional high-definition TV technologies. It results in images with perceptibly 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 allows you to widen the display, making it look more natural for videos shot with wide-angle lenses. This setting can be particularly good for sporting and other public entertainment events because you’re able to keep up with what’s happening in its entirety.

Sadly, wide mode doesn’t fit all videos or programs. It can cause distortion or pixelation on some screens, particularly those that do not use an overscan setting to compensate for analog material. It may also not work for displays that appear letterboxed when in standard mode but show noticeably different picture geometry and dimensions in wide mode.

Wide mode is a setting that can be turned on, but your TV may also receive a signal that hasn’t been adjusted to the “normal” mode.

Whatever the situation, you’ll be pleased to learn that you can turn off the wide mode setting and enjoy pictures in their original quality without any distortion.

Let’s dive into 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. It’s difficult to miss this button because its icon is rectangular, with arrows in every direction.

To turn the wide mode off, simply press the wide mode button repeatedly. Although this might force you to cycle through the different 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 undoubtedly a convenient tool for adjusting your TV’s display and getting rid of stretched pictures or videos that appear to be zoomed in. Sadly, not all Sony TV models come with one. In this situation, you need to access your TV’s system settings to turn off wide mode.

Follow the steps below:

1. Open your TV’s menu by pressing the Home or Menu button on your remote.
   
2. Click on “System Settings.”
3. Select “Screen” from the resulting submenu. At this point, you should see a list of the different wide mode settings available.
   
4. Click on “Normal.” This will display all 4:3 pictures in their original size.
   

Additional Troubleshooting Tips

Sometimes wide mode won’t go away even after tweaking 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 over each method in more detail.

Method 1: Perform a Power Reset

Before trying anything complex, you might want to perform a simple power reset. But why?

Just like computers, modern Sony TVs rely on a well-choreographed startup sequence to be able to receive signals and convert them into pictures successfully. If one or more of the programs involved doesn’t launch correctly, pictures may appear distorted or abnormally wide.

For the best results, here are the steps to perform a power reset:

1. Turn off your TV.
   
2. Unplug the power code from the electrical outlet and wait for at least 60 seconds.
   
3. Reconnect the power cord and turn the TV on.
   

Method 2: Check the TV Menu

If a power reset doesn’t restore the picture quality desired, you should check your TV’s menu and home screen. All wide mode settings tweak the aspect ratio to expand or otherwise adjust the width and height of your picture, but they don’t 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 a Different Input Source

One of the best things about Sony TVs is that they allow you to connect to other input sources like DVD, Blu-ray, USB, and HDMI, not just cable. These input sources help 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. That means that your screen may appear stretched because of your DVD’s settings, or pictures could be zoomed in due to settings on your gaming console.

To find out whether a particular input source is the culprit, simply switch to a different source and check whether the screen still appears stretched. Once you’ve identified the device with problems, you should check its settings rather than your TV’s.

Method 4: Turn Off Closed Captioning

Closed Captions provide a range of benefits, from access to service for deaf and hard of hearing viewers to more understandable narratives or explanations. But they can also make the picture stretched, cut, or distorted. As such, turning them off may restore the original picture quality on your screen.

Method 5: Check the Content

Sometimes a stretched or distorted screen may result from the content you’re watching. For example, films recorded in 21:9 cinema format and other widescreen ratios will be distorted when on a widescreen (16:9) TV.

In addition, some TV programs feature 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 TV?

Wide mode is a feature that allows you to watch your content in a wider picture format. It can be activated from the settings menu or through the “Wide” button on your remote.

Turning off this feature will allow you to enjoy your TV picture in its original quality, with no stretching and without words being cut off at the bottom of your screen.

Restore Your Picture Quality

Sony’s wide mode feature is a great way to fully utilize large screens and lock in a more cinematic experience. However, the feature can also ruin your watching experience because the picture might appear stretched or distorted.

Luckily, the wide mode setting can be turned off by tweaking your TV’s screen settings or pressing the “Wide” button on your remote.

Disabling this feature can help you enjoy your favorite show or program in its original aspect ratio without any stretching or distortion.

Do you enjoy the wide mode feature on your Sony TV? What do you like to use it for?

Let us know in the comments section below.