Denon Receiver Turns On By Itself? Complete Fix Guide

Does it spook you when your Denon receiver turns on by itself? We have the solution, and it’s definitely not ghosts!

It can absolutely scare you the first time you encounter this issue. Your receiver turns on in the middle of the night and starts playing.

It’s simply a matter that your Denon receiver is detecting other devices around it from which it can get a signal. It can be on the sensitive side. That’s why it unexpectedly turns on.

If your Denon receiver turns on by itself, you want to disconnect the HDMI cable between it and your TV. When both devices are in standby mode, they can turn on. Switching off the CEC settings is also helpful, especially if you have multiple devices connecting to your Denon receiver.

Let’s take a deeper look at why your receiver turns on or off by itself. We can then move on to the troubleshooting guide so you can resolve the issue as quickly as possible.

Why Denon Receiver Turns On and Off By Itself

The source of the issue could come from unwanted signals from networked devices like your smartphone.

If the receiver detects a paired Bluetooth device nearby, it tends to power up. Certain settings like HDMI control can also cause this issue.

Here are the problems that you’ll likely face as you start to troubleshoot your Denon receiver:

1. Power Issues And Shorts

Adequate power is an integral part of the operation of any AV receiver. If there are issues like a speaker is shorted, the device can power on to let you know there’s something wrong.

2. Unwanted Signals

Devices that are linked to your receiver through Bluetooth and other connections can affect it. The receiver can detect if a linked smartphone is near it, and it can automatically turn on, ready for use.

3. CEC Settings

This is a setting on your receiver that allows it to be controlled by other devices. The downside is that different devices linked to it can turn it on, especially if both are on standby.

4. Damaged Connections

Whether it’s HDMI cables or speaker wires, any connectivity issue can cause your receiver to power on.

These issues can impact the performance of your Denon receiver. At least it’s not ghosts, and you should be able to fix it by following the troubleshooting guide.

How to Fix Denon Receiver Turns On By Itself

You can get excited and jump on to the first solution. However, before that, we recommend restarting your Denon receiver.

Turn it off, unplug it for 30 seconds, and turn it back on. Doing this step should flush out any temporary sources of this problem.

Make sure to observe if it turns on by itself. If it does, there’s a deeper cause you want to rule out.

Here are the next steps you need to take:

Solution #1: Shut Down Your Smart TV

One of the first things you need to do when you experience this issue is to shut your TV off completely.

For the most part, when you press the power button on your TV’s remote, you simply put it in standby mode.

It won’t take a lot to power it back up again, which can turn on your receiver simultaneously.

Here’s how to shut down your Smart TV:

1. Press the power button on your TV’s remote.
2. Push your TV’s power button.
3. Unplug your TV if possible.
4. Or turn off the power strip switch it’s connected to.

Not turning off your TV’s power button only puts it into sleep mode.

Tip: You must switch off your TV using the remote first, so it shuts down cleanly.

Solution #2: Force Close the Denon App on Your Smartphone

Another way that can “wake up” your Denon receiver is whenever it detects a connected device near it.

It could be a smartphone or other devices that connect to it wirelessly. The most common cause is the Denon app on your phone.

Your receiver will be able to detect it, especially if both devices are connected to the internet.

To stop this from happening, make sure that the Denon app on your phone is not running in the background.

Here’s how to force close the Denon app on your phone:

On an iOS device:

1. Swipe from the bottom of the screen to open your app cards.
2. Select the Denon app from the list of background apps.
3. Swipe it up or down out of the screen to close it.
4. For best results, restart your device.

On an Android device:

1. Open the Settings app on your phone.
2. Choose Apps or Apps & Notifications.
3. Select the Denon app from the list.
4. Tap on it to go into more options.
5. Click on Force Stop.

Pro Tip: You also want to turn off the Bluetooth on your phone or other devices connected to your Denon receiver, as it can also detect that signal.

Solution #3: Turn Off the CEC Settings on Your Receiver

Your Denon receiver comes with a CEC or Consumer Electronics Control that allows it to control devices via HDMI.

Other devices can have this capability, like your TV, game consoles, cable boxes, and others. If you leave it on, other devices can turn on your receiver.

Here’s how to turn off CEC settings:

1. Go to your receiver’s Setup menu.
2. Select Video.
3. Navigate to HDMI Setup.
4. Turn OFF HDMI Control.

Tip: You will also need to turn CEC off on your TV by going to Settings > System > HDMI-CEC to OFF.

Solution #4: Check for Malfunctioning Speakers

Denon AV receivers come with a feature named Protect Mode that detects problems and gets your attention.

For example, if speakers are shorting out, the receiver can power on and play a sound so you can hear the static.

It will also display “Protect” on it, so you know exactly something is wrong.

Here’s how to check for malfunctioning speakers using Denon Protect Mode:

1. Turn off the receiver to restart it.
2. Check all the wire connections, especially to each speaker.
3. Turn on the receiver.
4. Check if the “Protect” notification comes up.
5. If it does, consider replacing your speaker wires or speakers.

Note: Sometimes, the Denon Protect Mode can activate if the system is too hot, you can also turn it off and allow it to cool down.

Solution #5: Reset Your Denon Receiver

In a few cases where your Denon receiver turns on by itself, you will need to consider resetting it even after working on the other troubleshooting steps.

Performing a factory reset can solve many issues, but it does take time to set up your receiver again.

Here’s how to reset your Denon receiver to factory settings.

1. Turn off your receiver by pressing the Power button.
2. Press and hold the Power button together with CH+ and CH-.
3. Wait for the “Initialized” notification to appear on the screen.
4. Remove your fingers from the CH+ and CH- buttons.
5. Test your receiver after the setup process is complete.

Note: You can use the Save & Load function on the menu to save certain configurations.

If a factory reset does not solve the problem and you’re still experiencing your receiver turning on randomly, consider contacting Denon support.

They will be able to offer more advanced assistance so you can continue to enjoy your equipment.

Read Next: Why Is Denon Airplay Not Working?

Bottom Line

Now that you know why your Denon receiver turns on by itself and the steps to fix it, what are you waiting for?

Follow these solutions so you can resolve the problem in no time. You’ll be able to do it even if you don’t have any technical experience.