I recently bought an LG UHD AI ThinQ 86 TV and I’m struggling with some setup steps and features not working as expected. Looking for help from anyone with experience, tips, or troubleshooting advice to get everything running smoothly.
Ah, the joys of setting up a giant modern TV that’s smarter than all of us put together… I’ve been in the exact same boat with the LG UHD AI ThinQ 86, and let me tell you, it’s a wild ride, not always in a good way. Here’s a rundown of what tripped me up (maybe you’ve hit some of these snags too):
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WiFi/Network Setup: Out of the box, it sometimes refused to find or stay connected to my network. Turns out, the TV’s WiFi adapter hates crowded networks—if you’ve got more than 10 devices connected, it starts acting like a toddler. I reset my router, only had the TV and my phone connected, and THEN it finally cooperated.
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Remote & Voice Stuff: The “AI” in AI ThinQ is apparently for “Artificially Inept.” The voice assistant rarely understood me, even after I tried every single accent and yelling like a maniac. Make sure you update the firmware (Settings > All Settings > Support > Software Update) first; after the update, things got… slightly better.
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Inputs Not Detecting: Sometimes HDMI devices just wouldn’t show up. I unplugged everything, replugged, and also switched HDMI ports. In some cases, I had to power-cycle the TV (seriously—full unplug for like 60 secs). That woke it up.
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App Download Fail: LG’s webOS app store usually works, but sometimes it’d get stuck or say “not available in your region.” VPN on my phone was interfering with the WiFi, so I disabled it—and magically, the apps downloaded.
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Picture Settings Meh-ness: Out-of-box settings are pretty garbage IMO. Vivid mode makes everything neon, and Standard looks washed out. I stuck with Cinema Home and manually toned down TruMotion (Settings > Picture > Picture Mode). That made movies less “soap opera-y.”
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ThinQ Integration: If you’re trying to connect the TV to Alexa, Google, or your smart home, brace yourself. The LG ThinQ app is pretty unreliable. Sometimes it works, sometimes it asks me to re-sign in, sometimes it sobs quietly in the corner without letting me add devices. Patience—and a few uninstalls/reinstalls—have been my only solution here.
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Software Updates: The TV can come with ancient firmware, so checking for an update first thing is key, but the process can be slow, and sometimes it claims “no update available” when there totally is. I had better luck connected via Ethernet than WiFi.
Bottom line: It’s a nice TV when it works, but setup can be a circus of “why isn’t this working” moments. If you want flawless plug-and-play, you might be in for a rude awakening. Stick with it—most issues seem fixable with patience, restarts, and the occasional mild swearing. If you hit something really bizarre, let me know the step where you’re stuck and I (or all of us here) can try to untangle it!
Honestly, @suenodelbosque pretty much covered the three-ring circus that is LG ThinQ TV setup, but I’ve got a few alternate takes. For one, I didn’t find the network setup quite as hellish—I used the WPS button on my router and it just sailed through. Maybe I got lucky, or maybe LG’s stuff just hates certain routers. Also, IMO, Cinema Home is still too dim if you’re in a bright room. I went with Standard, killed all the “enhancement” features (especially TruMotion and all that so-called “clarity” junk), and manually upped the backlight and contrast. It’s a bit less “cinematic,” sure, but at least I can see what the heck is going on during day scenes.
As for ThinQ integration—call me crazy, but I never bothered with Alexa/G Assistant stuff because I had a feeling LG’s own app would try to eat my soul and then freeze anyway. I actually prefer just using my universal remote and not giving the TV another app to mess up.
Something I didn’t see mentioned: Check your HDMI cables! Seriously, these new LGs are picky as heck with cheap/old HDMI. My soundbar wouldn’t output properly until I swapped in an actual certified 2.1 cable. Same for the PS5—random resolution errors until I replaced the cable.
One thing I’ll (sorta) disagree on—software updates can be more trouble than they’re worth. After updating, I had to re-log into all my streaming apps (Netflix, Prime, etc.) because the update nuked my logins. So, update, yes, but be ready for some “forgot my password” adventures.
And last, if you’re fiddling w/ LG’s “Home Dashboard” and getting connection errors, kill the Quick Start+ feature in Settings > General. Sounds counterintuitive but it’s been known to cause issues with device detection.
TLDR: Don’t expect Apple-like plug-and-play, but once you untangle its quirks and downgrade your expectations a notch, it’s a beast of a screen for sports and movies.