Table of Contents
HDMI audio not working is one of the most common TV frustrations I’ve seen — and fixed. The short answer: your TV is probably outputting sound to the wrong device, or the ARC handshake between your TV and soundbar/receiver failed. Here’s how to fix it, step by step, for Samsung, LG, and most generic smart TVs.
Why Is There No Sound Through HDMI on My TV?
Nine times out of ten, the problem is a mismatched audio output setting rather than a broken cable. When you plug in a soundbar or AV receiver via HDMI ARC, the TV defaults to its internal speakers unless you tell it otherwise. On my Samsung QN85B in 2023, the first thing I do after connecting any audio device is change the Sound Output setting — otherwise the TV just ignores the external device entirely.
A few other causes:
- The HDMI cable is plugged into a regular port, not the ARC port
- CEC (Consumer Electronics Control) is disabled on the TV or the soundbar
- The soundbar or receiver isn’t set to accept ARC input
- Firmware mismatch — older TVs sometimes need a firmware update to handle HDMI 2.0 ARC correctly
How Do I Set My TV to Output Sound Through HDMI?
Start with the Sound Output setting. The exact path varies by brand, but these are the exact steps for the most common TVs I’ve worked with:
Samsung (Tizen OS, 2019–2024 models):
Home → Settings → Sound → Sound Output → select “Receiver (HDMI)” or “Audio Return Channel”
If you see “TV Speaker” still selected after connecting your soundbar, that’s your culprit.
LG (webOS 6.0 and later):
Settings (gear icon) → Sound → Sound Out → “HDMI ARC”
Note: LG’s webOS 6.0 moved the Sound menu compared to webOS 5.0 — look under “All Settings” if you can’t find it in the main Settings bar.
Sony (Google TV / Android TV):
Settings → Display and Sound → Audio Output → switch from “TV Speakers” to “HDMI ARC”
On older Sony Bravia XR models running Android TV 9, this setting is buried under Settings → Sound → Digital Audio Out instead.
Generic smart TVs (Hisense, TCL, Vizio):
Most follow Samsung’s layout roughly. Look for Settings → Audio or Sound → then “Speaker Output” or “Sound Output.” Hisense Roku TVs handle this differently — you select the soundbar as a default device from the Roku home screen under Settings → Audio.
Does HDMI Carry Audio Automatically?
Yes — HDMI cables carry both video and audio in a single cable. You don’t need a separate audio cable when using HDMI. A standard HDMI 1.4 cable supports up to 8 channels of audio, including 7.1 surround. HDMI 2.0 and 2.1 added support for Dolby Atmos and DTS:X object-based audio, which older HDMI versions can’t pass through.
One important distinction: regular HDMI carries audio to a display. HDMI ARC (Audio Return Channel) sends audio back from the TV to a soundbar or receiver. You need ARC specifically if you want to control a soundbar with your TV remote, or if your streaming box is connected to the TV and you want its audio routed to external speakers without extra cables.
What Is HDMI ARC and Which Port Is It?
HDMI ARC is a specific port — usually labeled “HDMI (ARC)” or “HDMI 1 (ARC)” on the back of the TV. Look for the port with the ARC label. On most Samsung TVs it’s HDMI 2; on LG models it’s often HDMI 2 as well. Plug your soundbar’s HDMI cable into that port specifically, not into HDMI 1 or HDMI 3.
If your TV and soundbar both support HDMI eARC (enhanced ARC, introduced with HDMI 2.1), you get uncompressed Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio passthrough. eARC also requires an HDMI 2.1 cable — a cheap HDMI 1.4 cable will physically fit but won’t support eARC bandwidth.
Samsung TV HDMI Audio Settings: Step-by-Step Fix
Samsung is the most common brand I troubleshoot, so here’s the full process:
- Connect your soundbar’s HDMI OUT (TV-ARC) to your Samsung TV’s HDMI IN (ARC) port
- Press Home on your Samsung remote → Settings → Sound → Sound Output
- Select “Receiver (HDMI)” from the list
- While still in Sound settings, go to Expert Settings → HDMI Sound → check it’s set to “ARC”
- Enable Anynet+ (HDMI-CEC): Settings → General → External Device Manager → Anynet+ (HDMI-CEC) → ON
- Power cycle both the TV and soundbar
If the sound still doesn’t come through: go to Settings → Support → Self Diagnosis → Start Sound Test. This plays a Samsung test tone directly through the TV’s hardware. If you hear it, the TV is fine and the issue is the HDMI ARC connection or CEC setting. If you don’t hear it, the TV’s audio hardware has a problem unrelated to HDMI.
Resetting sound settings: Settings → Sound → Expert Settings → Reset Sound. This won’t factory-reset the TV — it only resets audio configuration to defaults. I’ve done this on three Samsung TVs after firmware updates scrambled the audio routing, and it fixed the issue each time.
HDMI ARC vs. Optical: Which Is Better for Audio?
HDMI ARC is better in most situations. Optical (Toslink) maxes out at Dolby Digital 5.1 or DTS 5.1 — it can’t carry Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby Atmos, or any uncompressed audio. HDMI ARC supports Dolby Digital Plus and up to 7.1 channels. HDMI eARC goes further, supporting full Dolby TrueHD Atmos and DTS-HD Master Audio at up to 37 Mbps bandwidth — compared to optical’s 3 Mbps limit.
The one case where optical makes sense: your TV has no ARC port (typically pre-2009 models), or your soundbar only has an optical input. If you have both options available, use HDMI ARC. For a detailed breakdown of audio cable types and their formats, see our guide to SPDIF vs. Optical.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Does HDMI carry 5.1 audio?
Yes. Even a basic HDMI 1.4 cable supports Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS 5.1 pass-through. HDMI ARC and eARC also support Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, and uncompressed 7.1 audio depending on your TV and receiver firmware.
Q: My TV shows “No Signal” on the HDMI ARC port — what’s wrong?
“No Signal” on the ARC port usually means CEC isn’t enabled. Enable Anynet+ on Samsung, SIMPLINK on LG, or Bravia Sync on Sony. Also check that you’re using the correct HDMI ARC port and not a standard HDMI port.
Q: Can I use any HDMI cable for ARC?
Yes, for regular HDMI ARC — any HDMI 1.4 or higher cable works. For eARC, you need a High Speed or Ultra High Speed HDMI cable (HDMI 2.0 or 2.1 rated). Check the packaging or the cable’s label.
Q: How do I reset HDMI audio on my Samsung TV?
Go to Settings → Sound → Expert Settings → Reset Sound. Then re-select your preferred audio output device under Sound Output. If the problem persists, power cycle the TV by unplugging it from the wall for 30 seconds.
Q: Is HDMI ARC the same as regular HDMI?
The cable is the same — it’s a standard HDMI cable. The difference is in the port: an ARC-capable port has extra pins enabled for bidirectional audio. Your soundbar also needs to support ARC on its end, otherwise the return audio channel does nothing.
For more on how HDMI compares with older audio formats, see Dolby Digital vs. Dolby Atmos — understanding the format differences helps you set your TV’s audio output correctly.
Updated June 2026 · By Levi Alston
Related posts
