ABC is not on a single, fixed channel for every regular TV antenna; the channel number varies by your location. To find what channel ABC is on a regular TV antenna in your area, you must run a channel scan on your television.
Before you start: check your antenna connection
Before scanning, ensure your digital antenna is securely connected to the Antenna/Cable In port on the back of your TV. A loose or incorrect connection will prevent any channels from being found, making it impossible to locate ABC.
How to scan for ABC on an LG TV
- Press the Settings button (gear icon) on your LG remote.
- Select "Channel Tuning" or "Auto Tuning."
- Select "Start" or "Next" to begin the channel scan.
Once the scan completes, your LG TV will display all detected channels, including ABC. If you want to watch A&E, a similar scan will add that channel to your lineup as well.
How to scan for ABC on a Samsung TV
- Set your TV's source to Live TV. The "Broadcasting" menu is only available when the source is set to live TV, not when using a cable box, satellite receiver, or Smart Hub apps.
- Press the Home button on your remote control.
- Go to "Broadcasting" or "Channel settings" (menu name varies by model).
- Choose "Auto Program" or "Auto Tuning."
- Select "Air" as the signal type, not "Cable," since you are using an antenna.
- Select "Start" to begin scanning for available channels.
- Wait for the process to complete; the TV will automatically save detected channels.
If your Samsung TV is not saving channels, ensure it is set to "Home Mode" and not "Retail" or "Demo Mode." For 2022-2023 models, go to Settings > All Settings > General & Privacy > System Manager > Usage Mode > Home Mode. For 2017-2021 models, navigate to Settings > General > System Manager > Usage Mode > Home Mode. For 2025 Samsung Smart TVs, the path is Settings > All Settings > General & Privacy > Broadcasting > Auto Program > Start.
How to scan for ABC on a Sony TV
Multiple menu paths exist for Sony TVs, depending on your model. Start by pressing the HOME button on the remote control. Then access the Settings screen by pressing the Quick Settings (gear icon) button and selecting "Settings," or by pressing HOME and then selecting "Settings."
From Settings, choose one of these paths:
- Select "Channels & Inputs" → "Channels" → "Channel setup" → "Auto tuning" → "Digital."
- Select "Watching TV" → "Channel setup" → "Auto tuning" → "Digital."
- Select "Watching TV" → "Channels" → "Channel setup" → "Auto tuning" → "Digital."
- Select "Watching TV" → "Channels" → "Channel setup" → "Digital setup" → "Digital tuning" → "Digital auto tuning."
- Select "Channel setup" → "Digital setup" → "Digital tuning" → "Digital auto tuning."
After selecting the correct path, choose "Start" to begin the digital auto tuning scan.
How to scan for ABC on a Vizio TV
- Select "Settings."
- Select "Channel."
- Select "Signal Type."
- Select "Antenna."
- Initiate a channel scan from this menu.
Your Vizio TV will then scan for all over-the-air channels, including ABC.
No ABC channel found? Try these fixes
If no channels are found, check the antenna cable connection, reconnect it, and try scanning again. If certain channels are still missing, adjust the antenna direction slightly and run "Auto Tuning" again. For Samsung TVs, if you see 'Weak' or 'No Signal', check the antenna connection, adjust the antenna position to improve signal reception, and rerun the auto-tuning process. Also, ensure your Samsung TV is in Home Mode, as Retail or Demo Mode can prevent channels from saving. The Auto Program function will delete any existing channel list and save the newly scanned channels, so running it again after adjusting your antenna can resolve missing channels.
