Nintendo is always pushing the gaming industry in new and different directions, especially in handheld gaming consoles. They launched the Nintendo Wii, a 7th-generation gaming console, in 2006. Although an old console, avid gamers still praise the game console for its variety of games and its light and compact structure.
However, the Nintendo Wii has had one major problem since its launch: displaying black and white but not in color. Several reasons your Wii may have a black and white display include incompatibility of the console and the TV, faulty plug-in port, wrong screen settings, loose plug connections, etc.
This issue will ruin your gaming experience as most games rely on a quality color display. So if you’re wondering why your Nintendo Wii is not in color, below are all the possible reasons and troubleshooting tips for each cause.
Causes and fixes of Wii black and white display
Various factors could be responsible for the black and white display of your Nintendo Wii and Wii U gaming console. This is why diagnosing an issue is essential to perform the right fix.
Weak connections
A loose connection of the Wii AV cable is one of the most common reasons for your Wii display turning black and white. If the cable connection is not secure, then the game video will not transmit correctly, such as incorrect colors and turning black and white.
Solution
- Check all the Nintendo Wii cables plugging into the TV and ensure the connections at the port are secure.
- Next, unplug the Stereo AV cable and reconnect it securely. This should cause the display to change color.
- If the issue persists, use a screwdriver to open the Wii from the back side to check the dial ports.
- Check if all the dial ports are correctly connected, specifically the yellow and pink striped. Most TV requires you to plug the Wii AV cable into the TV’s AV input port by color.
- White: Audio input left (or mono)
- Red: Audio input right
- Yellow: Video input
- But some TVs do not have the general yellow video input called AV connection. That’s why having the most compatible TV for your Wii is essential.
- Alternatively, you can use an HDMI instead of composite cables.
Video cable failure
If all the connections are secure and the display from your Wii is still black and white, your video cable may be damaged. A damaged cable cannot deliver quality images from your console to the TV.
Solution
- You’ll need to contact your Nintendo agent and get a replacement cable.
- Make sure you use a licensed Wii AV cable (model number: RVL-009) if your Wii U is black and white.
Defective ports
If the connections are secure, the cables are in good condition, but if your Wii is still black and white, you likely have faulty plug-in ports. The ports could become damaged from exposure to moisture, factory defects, or physical damage.
Solution
- The only solution is to call your Nintendo agent to replace the ports on your Wii console.
Incompatible TV or faulty TV
The type of TV you connect your Wii to plays an important role in the quality of display and sound you have. The issue could be your TV doesn’t support color display, the problem with your TV, or incorrect TV settings.
Solution
- To troubleshoot this, check your TV manual for color specifications to determine if it is compatible with your Wii. In addition, the TV manual will indicate whether it supports color display.
- If your TV only supports black and white display, you won’t see color on your Wii. If you have a monochrome TV system, you’ll need to replace your TV or connect your Wii to a different TV.
- If your TV supports color display, there may be a problem with the TV’s AV connections.
Wrong component video cable connection
There several ways you connect TV to a receiver. The Nintendo Wii comes with component cables to connect to your TV. So if you’re using the standard three-color Wii AV cable (component cables), you could be plugging them incorrectly, hence the black and white display problem. In addition, some newer smart TV models do not have the yellow video input port, so you’re likely to get confused.
Component cables are color-coded to make connection easier.
- Green, blue and yellow display the video on the TV. Sometimes these cables may be labeled “video.”
- White and red cables are for audio.
There should be a set of 5 colored ports on your TV if it supports component cables. You need to connect the component cables to the corresponding colors for your Wii to work properly. Incorrect connection can affect both audio and display.
Solution
- Plug the yellow end of the Wii AV cable into the green “Y” input.
- Then plug the white end into the audio “L” port and the red cable into the audio “R” port.
- Leave the blue and second red input ports open, and they aren’t necessary.
- Turn on your Wii console and switch on your TV.
- Select the TV’s input select you’re using, then observe if the issue resolves.
- When using a composite video cable for your Wii, set the console to the “Standard 480i TV “option to avoid the black and white display.
Incorrect screen settings
If none of the previous solution work, your screen settings might be wrong. Modern TVs have several feature settings to give you the best watching experience. However, these settings can be overwhelming, and one may not understand how they affect the screen. So if you change the wrong setting, it could trigger the black and white display from your Wii.
If your Wii originally displayed color, you can fix the issue by changing the screen settings.
Solution
- Try changing the setting to the color image using the “Input Select,” “Source,” or “Menu” button on the remote.
- You may also have to change the setting of the input select from a component signal to a standard AV signal using the input select button on your TV remote.
- The component signal is labeled “Video,” while the AV signal is labeled “AV.”
- Your screen will go blank for several seconds while it resets and comes back in color.
- You can also check for the best gaming settings on your television to ensure you make the most of your gaming console.
Most modern TVs use HDMI to connect gaming consoles and other devices to their TV. But the original Nintendo Wii doesn’t have an HDMI port. Therefore, you can use a Wii-HDMI converter to connect your Wii to your TV via HDMI.
It converts the Wii component analog video signal to HDMI, which you can connect to your HD TV. After connecting and the Wii-HDMI converter is black and white, change the input selection to HDMI input.
Your Wii console is dirty.
Sometimes dirt accumulation inside your Wii console can cause a black and white display. Overheating can also cause your Wii to lose color. Dust and lint can accumulate over time on the small vents at the back of your Wii and cause faults.
Bugs can also crawl into the vents and die inside the console, causing display issues. Therefore, cleaning the device should fix your Wii-colored picture.
Solution
- Inspect the back of your Wii console for dust, dirt, and other contaminants. If you notice dirt on the vent, you must use a vacuum cleaner to clean the console.
- Disconnect your Wii from power and unplug the cables.
- Use the brush attachment to brush off dust.
- Alternatively, blow on the vents gently to remove dust particles from the Wii’s internal components.
- Don’t forget to clean the cable plugs to ensure no dirt obstructs the connection.
- Reconnect the cables and power on the console to see if the display changes.
- Ensure your console is well ventilated and cool to prevent recurrent issues and prolong the life of your console.
Incorrect mode
Proper functioning of games on Wii requires a specific TV mode. You will likely have a monochrome display if you don’t have the correct TV mode. Sometimes, the game may not load if you have the incorrect mode.
Solution
- Press and hold the “B” button on the Wii remote control to reset and load the game you want to play.
- Change from scan mode to interleave
- Press OK to change to a TV-compatible mode to load the game.
Wii resolution
The TV resolution plays a significant role in the black and white display. If Wii’s resolution is too high, it won’t show a color picture. Check your resolution settings if Wii is still stuck on black and white images.
Solution
Follow these steps to change your TV resolution.
- Turn on your console and click on the device icon on the screen’s left corner.
- Select the screen option and navigate down to the TV resolution setting.
- Change the mode to “Standard TV” and confirm the change.
- This change will improve the resolution of the Wii and make the color display compatible with the TV.
Game color output
Another reason is that your game is in black and white instead of color. Try playing different games to see if they are in color. If other games are in color, the problem could be with the game itself.
Conclusion
The Nintendo Wii lacks the technological advancements that newer consoles have. So it’s no surprise that Wii users complain about several issues, including black and white display.
Hopefully, our troubleshooting guide will help you resolve this issue and enjoy a colorful display of the Wii game console. If none of the solutions work, you’ll have to contact Nintendo customer service for further assistance.