Why does turning it off and on again work

There are some files that remain so that you can pick up where you left off when you turn it back on again. This could include a failing piece of hardware, corrupt files or a virus.

When this occurs, you should speak to a professional so that they can pinpoint what the problem is and prevent you losing important files and applications in the future. A lot of our everyday items are now computers; from your TV to your phone and even your home thermostat. Not all of these problems will require a 10 second discharge, which is why some problems can be solved without the wait.

As with any piece of hardware, there are all sorts of potential reasons your router might crash and require a restart. Here are a few potential reasons:. There are more potential reasons, but these are the most common. And there are a few relatively simple solutions for them. When your computer has persistent bugs, a software solution is often the fix. The same goes for your router: it needs updates too. Give it a shot. Turning off Wi-Fi on your TV should stop any other programs from controlling it.

You can always turn it back on later if you discover a different culprit. Some TVs come with this option, which is intended to reduce energy use. Instead of your television turning off, it goes into a power-saving sleep mode.

To prevent this, disable eco mode in your settings. These updates sometimes called software updates can add new capabilities to your TV or fix known bugs. They're comparable to operating system updates on your phone. Go into your settings and see if any firmware updates are available. Just beware: Sometimes they can introduce new issues depending on the age or model of your TV. If you've tried all these tips and your TV is still turning on and off by itself, you may need to do a factory reset.

This will wipe out any custom settings or app downloads, so only use it as a last resort. Each brand has different steps to perform a factory reset, so if you can't find it in your settings, check the TV owner's manual for directions.

If the issue still doesn't go away, contact the TV's manufacturer or reach out to an expert at uBreakiFix by Asurion for fast help for all your tech care needs.

And why does it work just as well for your glitchy Super Nintendo as it does for your router when the WiFi slows to a crawl? Your computer does a hell of a lot all at once, especially if you're a demanding customer -- constantly streaming on Spotify, opening infinity Chrome tabs, editing in Photoshop, Slacking with coworkers, watching weird webcams.

You risk using up too much RAM, or temporary memory, for everything to run smoothly all the time, especially if one of those programs glitches in any way. Restarting wipes out all that temporarily stored data, giving the software a clean slate to run normally again. And since your smartphone is basically just a pocket-sized computer, the same logic applies. As for the other gadgets you've found yourself rebooting when things go south -- your wireless router, gaming console, Apple TV, etc.

You've also probably heard you're supposed to unplug and wait a few minutes before booting back up.