When an Xfinity X1 cable box or Xfinity Flex streaming box turns on, it briefly shows the multilingual “Welcome. Bienvenido. Bienvenue.” as part of its normal startup.
If it stays stuck on this screen, it almost always means the problem lies with the box or its setup, not the TV itself.
The first checks you should make to fix these issues are to ensure the box connections are plugged in and fully seated. A quick reset of the box can also fix the issue of the TV stuck on ‘Welcome. Bienvenido. Bienvenue screen.’
Causes and solutions to the TV stuck on ‘Welcome. Bienvenido. Bienvenue screen’
Below are all the common causes of this issue, together with beginner-friendly explanations and fixes:
1. Loose or unplugged cable connections
A very common cause of your TV being stuck on the ‘Welcome. Bienvenido. Bienvenue’ screen is simply a loose or disconnected cable. This could be the box’s power cable, the HDMI cable to the TV, or, for X1 boxes, the coax cable from the wall.
If a cable is not fully inserted, the box may never complete its boot process. For example, if the HDMI is loose, you might briefly see the welcome screen but then get a black or “no signal” display.
Likewise, a loose power cable can cause the box to flicker its light and hang on the welcome text.
How to fix:
- Unplug and firmly replug each cable on the box. This includes the power cord, HDMI, and coax. Ensure they click or screw in snugly. For HDMI, ensure it’s in a port labeled for video output.
- Check that the TV’s input/source is set to the same HDMI port the box is using.
- After reseating cables, power-cycle your box by unplugging it for 5 to 20 seconds and then plugging it back in. This ensures any loose connection issue is cleared.
- If the problem was a loose cable, the welcome screen should clear, and normal TV programming should resume.
2. Coax or signal connection issues (X1 Box)
Xfinity X1 cable boxes require a good cable signal from the wall. If the coax cable is in the wrong port or the signal is bad, the box can’t tune channels and may stop at the “Welcome. Bienvenido. Bienvenue” screen indefinitely.
A classic mistake is plugging the wall cable into the Coax Out jack, which is meant to feed another device instead of the Coax In.
Another issue is a bad splitter or loose connector on the cable line. These will prevent the box from seeing a cable signal, so it never progresses past the language screen.
How to fix:
- Ensure the coax cable from the wall is screwed into the box’s “Cable In” port which often labeled. Not the “Out” or “TV” port.
- If your home has a splitter or amplifier on the cable, remove it temporarily and connect the box directly to the wall outlet to test the signal.
- If you have another working X1 box or outlet, swap the box and cable between outlets. If the problem follows the box, the box is at fault; if it follows the outlet, the signal line may be bad.
- Check that the coax cable is not damaged. If it looks worn or was recently worked on, try replacing it. If you suspect the cable line from the street is faulty, contact your provider for a line test.
3. Unpaired or non-working remote
A stuck welcome screen can also happen if the box is awaiting a language selection, but your remote isn’t communicating. This typically occurs on a brand-new or reset box: the box shows the language options ( that is, “English – Español – Français”) and waits for you to press OK or select a language.
If the remote isn’t paired or has dead batteries, you’ll see the welcome text, but nothing will happen when you press the buttons. In this case, the box isn’t frozen by an error; it’s just waiting for a working remote.
You would recognize this cause because no remote button. Even power off. has any effect on the screen.
How to fix:
- First, replace the remote’s batteries or try a known-good Xfinity remote.
- To pair or reset an Xfinity Voice Remote, you need to press and hold the A (triangle) and D (diamond) buttons together for about 3 seconds, until the remote’s light turns green.
- Right after the light turns green, press the buttons 9-8-1 on the remote. The remote will flash blue three times to indicate it was reset.
- Point the remote at the box and wait for the pairing. Once paired, try selecting a language or using the remote. The box should advance past the welcome screen.
- If these steps don’t work, you can also try unpairing via the Xfinity app or by using a wired input, then pairing again. Ensure you are within a few feet and have a clear line of sight when pairing.
- Also, if your remote does not have the said buttons in step 2 above, refer to Xfinity’s guide for the specific remote that you have.
4. Software glitch or boot loop
Sometimes the problem is internal to the box’s software. Xfinity boxes often update their software overnight, and occasionally, an update can glitch. In this scenario, the box gets caught in a boot loop: it shows the “Welcome. Bienvenido. Bienvenue screen,” then reboots itself repeatedly.
One Xfinity forum user described this exact problem. Overnight updates corrupted the bootloader, causing an endless reboot loop on the welcome screen. The box blinks its light, usually blue/white, and returns to the welcome screen over and over.
How to fix:
- Try a power reset by unplugging the box’s power cord and waiting for about 2 minutes before plugging it back in. A longer reset can sometimes let the box attempt a clean boot.
- If that fails, you can attempt repeated power cycling. Plug in for about a minute, then unplug for 5 seconds, and repeat this cycle a few times. Probably, one reboot will succeed where others failed.
- Unfortunately, if these do-it-yourself steps don’t break the loop, the box is “bricked.” In that case, it usually requires replacement.
5. Overheating or power supply problems
If a box is left on for many hours, it can overheat, or the power supply can become unstable. An overheating box may fail to complete startup and hang on the “Welcome. Bienvenido. Bienvenue” screen.
You might recognize this cause if the box feels unusually hot or if the status light is erratic during boot. Also, a faulty surge protector or wall outlet could give the box insufficient power, causing a stall.
How to fix:
- Turn off the box and unplug it. Wait for several minutes or half an hour to let it cool down.
- Check the power adapter and cable conditions. If you’re using a surge protector or power strip, try plugging the box directly into the wall outlet.
- Ensure vents on the box are not blocked. Give it space to breathe so it doesn’t overheat.
- After cooling and checking the power, plug the box back in and power it on. If overheating was the issue, the box should now start normally.
6. Network or Internet Issues (Xfinity Flex)
Xfinity Flex is a streaming box that relies on your home internet. During startup, it must connect to Xfinity’s network. If your internet is down or the Wi-Fi is weak, the box will get stuck on the welcome or “connecting” screen.
While the welcome splash typically shows immediately on boot (before network checks), a bad connection can still prevent the process from completing. For example, if the box can’t reach Xfinity’s servers, it may freeze.
How to fix:
- Confirm your home internet is working, and you can stream on your phone. If not, restart your modem or router.
- If on Wi-Fi, try moving the Flex box closer to the router. Or better yet, connect an Ethernet cable from your router directly to the gadget.
- If you have a wireless Flex box, you can also restart your gateway and then press the WPS button on both the gateway and the Flex box to re-link them.
- Once connected, restart the Flex box and see if it completes booting past the welcome screen.
7. Flex box hard reset required
Even after checking connections, the Flex box’s software itself might need a hard reset. When done correctly, the unit will display a “Disaster Recovery” image as it re-flashes its firmware.
After this forced factory reset, the box will update its software and hopefully boot normally without freezing.
How to fix:
- Check that the box is off or unplugged. Then, power it on by plugging it in.
- As soon as it powers on, press and hold the WPS button on the box for about 15 seconds.
- Watch the box’s LED. It should change color to amber/orange. This indicates the recovery process has started.
- Release the button and do not unplug. The box will run a special recovery routine and update its firmware. Wait patiently, as this can take a few minutes.
- Once it finishes, the box should reboot and proceed past the welcome screen.
8. Box hardware failure
If none of the previous work, the streaming or cable box itself may be defective. Electronic components can fail, especially in older equipment or after a power surge.
How to fix:
- If possible, swap in a different Xfinity box with all the same cables to see if it starts normally.
- A telltale sign is that another box works fine when swapped in.
- Consider getting it replaced.
When to Contact Support
If you’ve tried the above steps and the box is still frozen on the “Welcome. Bienvenido. Bienvenue” screen or keeps rebooting, it’s time to reach out to your provider’s support.
Call your cable or streaming TV provider’s help line or use their customer support website app.
For Xfinity customers, you can use the Xfinity My Account app or call chat with their assistant to get a technician or a replacement box. For other providers, Cox, Spectrum, Rogers, etc., check their support channels.
Situations that warrant calling in include:
- The box never leaves the welcome screen even after multiple power cycles.
- The box’s indicator light is off or blinking red/green, and it won’t respond.
- You replaced the box or remote recently, and still can’t complete the setup.
- Multiple TVs or boxes are having similar issues simultaneously. This could indicate a line or network outage.
- Other error messages appear on screen after the “Welcome. Bienvenido. Bienvenue” screen, or if the normal TV never comes back on.