Last updated on February 11th, 2024 at 07:45 am
An HDMI connection is certainly a boon to the AV world. It carries high-definition video and audio on a single cable.
Also, HDMI doesn’t only work with AV equipment. It works with computers, too.
With HDMI, you can turn your generic HDTV into a smart TV by connecting it to your laptop or desktop computer.
Your large TV screen will then act as a replacement for your computer screen,
Despite the convenience of an HDMI connection, it sometimes has issues when it comes to TV connectivity.
One of them is you don’t get sound on your TV when an HDMI connection is made.
In other words, you get a picture but no audio.
Here are ways to fix HDMI sound not working on your TV.
Cable Securely Fitted?
First, you want to ensure the HDMI cable is securely fitted to the source and TV ports.
Pull out the cable and plug it in again. Make sure there isn’t a loose connection.
Try a Working Cable
Use a cable that has been tested to work. Then, you’ll know whether the issue is with the original cable.
Try Switching TV Inputs
Say, you’ve chosen HDMI 1 as your TV input and get a picture but no sound. Try to connect it to HDMI 2 or 3 and see whether it fixes the problem.
Power Off and On TV and HDMI Source
Switch off both your TV and the HDMI source. Unplug your HDMI cable on both ends. Then, plug it in again. Power on the devices again. Check to see whether you get a picture with sound.
Summary Table
Check out the summary table below for quick reference.
| Step | Action | Details |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Perform a power restart: | Turn off both your TV and connected device (e.g., computer, cable box) for at least 10 seconds, then unplug them for 30 seconds before plugging them back in and turning them on. |
| 2 | Check connections: | Ensure the HDMI cable is firmly plugged into both devices and free from damage. Try a different HDMI port on both the TV and device. |
| 3 | Confirm correct input: | Make sure your TV is set to the correct input (HDMI) that corresponds to the connected device. |
| 4 | Adjust volume: | Increase the volume on both the TV and the connected device. |
| 5 | Review audio settings: | On your TV: Check if HDMI audio is enabled and set as the default output. Look for options like “Digital Audio Out” or “Audio Format” and ensure they are set correctly. On your connected device: Verify the audio output is set to HDMI and not internal speakers or another option. |
| 6 | Update software: | Check for and install any software updates available for both your TV and connected device. |
| 7 | Test alternative audio output: | Connect the device to another TV with HDMI to see if the sound works. If it does, the issue might be with your original TV. |
| 8 | Check HDMI signal format: | If your TV has an option for HDMI Signal Format, try changing it from “Enhanced” to “Standard.” |
| 9 | Swap device or cable: | If possible, try using a different device or HDMI cable to rule out hardware issues. |
| 10 | Factory reset: | As a last resort, consider performing a factory reset on your TV, but remember this will erase all settings and data. |
Computer Connected to TV
If you have a computer connected to your TV through HDMI and don’t get sound, try the following fix.
TV Not Recognised as an HDMI Device
When you don’t get sound on your TV when you connect your laptop to your TV, chances are the computer doesn’t recognize your TV as an HDMI device.
Instead, your TV is recognized as a DVI device. If the receptor device is recognized as DVI, only video will be sent to it and not audio.
Connect a Separate Audio Cable
In this instance, you must connect a separate audio cable from your computer’s headphone or speaker port to the TV.
You would want to use a 3.5mm audio to RCA converter for that.
When connecting a separate audio cable, ensure it is connected to the RCA ports next to the HDMI port you have used.
TV Recognised as HDMI Device But No Sound
What if your TV is recognized as an HDMI device by your computer, and yet you get no sound?
You would then have to tweak your computer settings to fix the HDMI sound not working on your TV.
Go to Control Panel
Go to Control Panel in Windows.
Choose Hardware and Sound.
Choose Sound.
Check to see whether your TV appears as a device for sound playback and
is selected for sound playback. If it isn’t, click on it and click OK.
Now see whether you get sound on your TV.
If no sound appears, click on Properties.
Then click on Advanced under TV properties.
You’ll see that the default sound quality is set as DVD quality.
Try setting it to another format from the dropdown menu. Start with the lowest and go up to the highest.
Additional Windows HDMI Audio Troubleshooting Guide
You may also want to check out the additional audio troubleshooting steps as explained in the video below to fix HDMI sound not working on your TV.
No HDMI Audio on TV Connected to Set-Top Box
Here’s how to fix HDMI sound not working on your TV when connected to a set-top box.
If you have connected a set-top box to your TV and get no audio, ensure the audio is not muted in the device itself.
Use your set-top box remote and increase the built-in audio level of the device.
If audio is not muted, go to the box’s settings menu and look for audio settings. Select HDMI as the audio output option.
Also, if you have an older set-top box, update the device firmware.
