TV picture is cropped, stretched, or the wrong size

These symptoms are related but not identical. Stretching changes proportions: circles look oval or people look unusually wide. Zooming enlarges the frame and removes some edges. A picture that is too small may have black borders because the source is sending a smaller image or preserving a different aspect ratio. Black bars by themselves are not proof of a fault; 4:3 programs and wide cinema films do not have the same shape as a 16:9 television.

1. Open the TV’s own home screen or settings menu while the affected source is playing.

   If the menu also looks stretched or clipped, investigate a TV-wide picture setting or ask the manufacturer about the display.

   If that does not help: If the menu looks normal, the problem is more likely tied to the current program, app, input, or connected device.

2. Compare a built-in app, a broadcast channel, and an HDMI device if available.

   A problem confined to one input points toward that source’s output or its TV input settings. A problem across all sources points toward a shared TV setting.

   If that does not help: If only one program or channel is affected, compare another program in the same app before changing settings.

Manufacturers use different labels for controls that preserve the whole frame, fill the screen, or zoom. Samsung documents Picture Size options including 16:9 Standard, 4:3, Custom, and Fit to Screen; it notes that availability depends on model and selected picture size. LG documents aspect-ratio choices such as 16:9 and Original and explains that a zoomed picture can crop the edges. Sony likewise recommends checking source aspect ratio and the TV’s display settings. These examples show why there is no universal menu path or one correct setting for every program.

1. Use the TV manual or current support page for the exact model to find Picture Size, Aspect Ratio, Screen Fit, Just Scan, or an equivalent control.

   A full-frame/original option may restore edges when the TV has enlarged the image; a standard widescreen option may correct obvious stretching.

   If that does not help: If the option is unavailable, grayed out, or does not affect the symptom, do not force another mode. Apps and input formats can limit available controls.

2. Change only the aspect-ratio or fit control, then compare a familiar scene or an on-screen circle/logo.

   If proportions and edges return to normal, note the setting and whether it applies to this input only.

   If that does not help: Return to the original setting and check the source device. Do not compensate for one channel by distorting every other source.

A film can be wider than the TV, leaving bars above and below when shown without cropping. Older 4:3 material may have bars at the sides on a widescreen set. Cropping or stretching that content to fill every pixel removes image information or changes proportions. Broadcasters may also keep logos or subtitles close to an edge; a small amount of edge loss can be part of the transmitted picture, rather than a defect in the panel.

Streaming apps may control picture framing themselves, and some TVs disable aspect-ratio changes inside apps. LG’s support guidance specifically notes that certain apps lock the picture format. If the setting cannot be changed in an app, compare another title and the TV menu. Do not assume that a setting that fixes an HDMI device will also alter an app’s output.

1. Open the source device’s display settings and check its resolution, screen-size, zoom, and overscan controls using its own manual.

   A source-specific scaling setting can crop edges before the TV receives the image; correcting it there can fix the single affected input.

   If that does not help: If the names differ or the device offers no documented fit control, record the model and ask that device’s manufacturer or service provider.

2. For a computer, use the display resolution recommended for the connected TV and inspect the computer’s scaling controls.

   A matching output mode can make desktop edges and text fit more accurately.

   If that does not help: If only a particular app or game is cropped, check its own display or safe-area settings; do not lower resolution at random.

3. Reconnect the HDMI cable firmly and, if practical, compare another HDMI port or a known-good cable one change at a time.

   If the symptom follows the source across ports, source output settings become the stronger lead; if it stays with one port, note that for support.

   If that does not help: A cable swap cannot prove a panel fault. Stop swapping once the pattern is clear and document the result.

If the TV’s own menu is distorted on every input, or a built-in picture test shows the same geometry problem, follow the model’s support instructions. If the test looks normal and only one external device is affected, take the evidence to that device’s manufacturer or provider. Keep notes about the model, software version, input, app or channel, and which single setting changed the result.

• Adjust picture settings on your Samsung TV — checked 2026-10-24
• LG TV picture does not fit on screen — checked 2026-10-24
• How to fix a zoomed-in picture or cut-off text on your LG TV — checked 2026-10-24
• Black bars appear on the top, bottom, and sides of the TV picture — checked 2026-10-24

Why is my TV picture cut off at the edges?

The TV or source device may be zooming or scaling the image, or the program may use a different format. Compare the TV menu and another input, then check the relevant fit setting for the device that owns the symptom.

Should I always use Fit to Screen or Just Scan?

No. Names and behavior vary by model, and the option may not be available for every signal. Choose a mode that preserves the intended picture for that source; bars can be normal when content has a different aspect ratio.

Why can’t I change picture size in a streaming app?

Some apps control the video framing and disable TV-level aspect-ratio controls. Compare another title or source and consult the TV/app maker if the image itself appears incorrectly framed.