Samsung TV No Sound—What to Do?

The South Korean electronics giant, known as Samsung, makes many high-end electronic products, from smartphones to smart TVs. Televisions are one of the most important product lines for Samsung.

Although Samsung electronics have a reputation for high-quality, reliable TVs, they are subject to failure and problems. One of the most common issues reported with Samsung TVs is troubles with the audio.

Often, the cause of such an error is simply glitches or bad connections, but it could also result from a hardware failure. In this article, you’ll learn how to troubleshoot audio problems on your Samsung TV so you can get back to enjoying your favorite streams! Let’s get started!

Samsung TV Audio: Basic Troubleshooting

Step 1: Check the Mute Status

The first things to try are, of course, the simplest ones. If you have a picture on your TV but no sound, the problem might be as simple as having the “Mute” function activated by the remote. Grab your remote and unmute the TV by pressing the “Mute” button again.

Step 2: Check the Current Input Setting

Next, check the input setting on your Samsung TV by hitting “Source” on the remote and cycling through the available inputs. If your Samsung TV’s source gets set to a component you don’t have, there won’t be any audio coming through the speakers.

Step 3: Check for a Connected Headset or Speaker Plugged into the Headphone Jack

Do you ever use a headset on your TV? Gamers, in particular, might be using a wired set of headphones plugged into an audio-out jack. If the headphones get plugged in, any audio gets routed to that equipment, and you might not hear the sound playing through the speakers. If you never use a headset on your TV, check the headset port for debris. Your TV may pick up something in the port which won’t allow the audio to route correctly. If you have kids, this scenario is a common one.

Step 4: Check All Physical Connections

If you still don’t have sound, check all your physical connections between the TV and any hardware associated with it. This list includes gaming consoles, satellite receivers, Blu-Ray players, and cable TV boxes. Ensure all the connectors are plugged in securely to the correct ports.

Step 5: Check the Sound Settings

Finally, check to see what output channel got selected for sound. If external speakers connect to your TV, ensure your audio output goes to them. Conversely, if you’re not using external speakers, ensure the TV’s internal speakers are not disabled. You’ll find that information in the audio section of your TV’s on-screen menu.

Samsung TV Audio: Advanced Troubleshooting

If none of the above suggestions improve the audio problem on your Samsung TV, you’ll need to move on to more advanced techniques.

Step 1: Power Cycle Your Samsung TV

The first thing to try is a standard, old-fashioned power cycle. Turn off your Samsung TV and unplug it from the wall. Give it a minute so any lingering charge in the capacitors or memory can fade. Then, plug the TV back in and turn it back on. As with many other kinds of hardware, turning the TV off and back on often resolves temporary or transient problems that are otherwise hard to diagnose.

Step 2: Check the Current Language/Region Setting

Ensure your TV has the correct language set in the information setup. Press “Menu” on the remote and find the section that deals with setup. Look for the language/location option, and ensure it gets set to “USA.”

Step 3: Run The Built-In Audio Diagnostics Test

The last stage of advanced troubleshooting is to run the built-in sound diagnostic test found in the Samsung TV’s support menu. Depending on the make and model of your Samsung TV, this test may reside in different places within the menu structure. Press “Menu” on the remote, then select the “Support” option. Choose “Self Diagnosis” from the options, and then select “Sound Test.” The TV will play a melody out of the built-in speakers. If you hear the sound, the audio problem (whatever it may be) isn’t in the TV’s components unless the problem resides in the inputs. If you don’t hear the melody, there is most likely a problem with the sound circuitry in the TV, or the built-in speakers are damaged.

Samsung TV Audio: Other Fixes

Several other possibilities affect the sound on a Samsung Smart TV that standard and advanced troubleshooting don’t catch. Other things to troubleshoot or try include the following:

• Ensure that the Settings on the TV get set to “USA” as your home country. By going to Settings and looking for a location or region option. Each TV model will vary, so you may need to look for your model or use the owner’s manual to locate this setting.
• Try using an external speaker or soundbar. Rerouting your sound to another device will bypass whatever issue your TV has. Besides, a soundbar can significantly increase your sound quality.
• Check other HDMI ports. Unplug all your equipment and plug it back into different ports on your TV. Also, ensure that all ports are clean and free of any debris.
  
• Check the “HDMI Input Audio Format” in “Settings.” Toggling between different options may bring your audio back to life.
  
• Check your internet speeds using SpeedTest on a computer, tablet, or smartphone. If you’re streaming movies, or your cable box relies on high-speed internet to function correctly, a slower speed could result in loss of sound to your TV.
• A Bluetooth-compatible device can have trouble routing the audio properly. Call Samsung for assistance with disabling Bluetooth capabilities on your TV. Although you may not use this feature, there could be a glitch in the television that has enabled some degree of Bluetooth functionality.

If you’ve tried all the troubleshooting steps in this article and nothing works to solve your Samsung TV audio problem, or perhaps you don’t have the option to add a soundbar, it’s probably time to take the following steps.

The Next Steps

If your tests indicate the problem is with the TV, you must decide whether to repair the TV or purchase a new one. With TV prices steadily falling to surprisingly low levels, it is hard to justify repairing any TV sets that aren’t brand-new. At the highest end, a replacement is usually cheaper than repairs. However, depending on how old your Samsung TV set is, you may still be under warranty and can get a new TV without any charge.

Contacting Samsung Support can be a hassle, but it may be your only resort to save your television.