TV Has No Sound But Not Muted? (Do This!)

Nick Durante
by Nick Durante

Modern TVs are more advanced than ever, but that doesn’t always mean that they work as intended. Everything from frame rate problems to your sound cutting out can ruin your viewing experience. So, what should you do when your TV has no sound but is not muted?

Unplug your TV for a moment and plug it back in if your TV has no sound but is not muted. Check your TV for a system update and install it to improve your sound and picture quality. Otherwise, you may need to plug your HDMI cable back in or perform a factory reset to restore your sound.

In some cases, you may need to replace your TV, especially if it is over 7 years old. Even old smart TVs can experience picture and volume problems towards the end of their lives. Follow along as we explore what you should do if your TV has no sound but is not muted.

Why Does My TV Suddenly Have No Sound?

Your TV can suddenly lose sound if your software is outdated or internal components are damaged. This can also happen if your TV is 7 years old or older. Modern smart TV s last for an average of 7 years, but they can suffer from performance issues in as little as 5 years.

Otherwise, it could be as simple as a problem with your audio settings. Always open your TV’s settings menus and select “Audio” before you try anything else. You may simply need to increase your volume or unmute your TV through the settings menu.

The worst-case scenario is that your TV’s speakers are broken. In that case, your best bet is to replace your TV because it is expensive and often impossible to replace just the speakers.

How Do I Restore The Sound On My TV?

Everything from updating your software to performing a factory reset can restore the sound on your TV. It’s worth trying several solutions because the right repair for you varies based on the cause of the problem. Let’s take a look at how to restore the sound on your TV.

1. Reconnect The HDMI Cable

You may simply need to tighten your HDMI cable if your TV has no sound but isn’t muted. Check the HDMI cable connection on the back of your TV. Push it deeper into the socket to tighten the cable if it is loose.

Otherwise, you can unplug the cable, wait a moment, and plug it back in. Put on a show or open an app to see if the volume returns. If not, you will need to continue troubleshooting your TV.

2. Restart Your TV

Sometimes, all that you need to do is restart your TV if there is no sound. You can restart most modern smart TVs with the remote. Press and hold the power button and wait for two options to appear: power off, and restart.

Select restart and wait a moment while your TV turns off and back on. If this isn’t an option, then you will need to open your TV’s menu and settings. Scroll over to the “Power” settings and select restart. This can solve everything from app crashes and Wi-Fi problems to your sound cutting out.

3. Reset Your TV

Resetting your TV is also known as power cycling, and it is a great solution if your TV has no sound but is not muted. You can easily do this if you simply unplug your TV. Leave your TV unplugged for at least 1-2 minutes before you plug it back in.

You can repeat this process several times to see if it works. It is a sign that you need to try something else if this doesn’t work. Luckily, this process works for several electronic devices such as TVs, Wi-Fi routers, and even gaming consoles.

4. Perform a Factory Reset

This can be a frustrating solution, but it usually works. The reason why factory resets are annoying is that you will lose all of the data on your TV. This means that you will have to sign back into each of your apps and reconnect to your Wi-Fi network.

Every TV is unique, but you can generally perform a factory reset through the settings. Open the settings menu on your TV and look for “Software”, “Device”, or “System”. Select either of these options and scroll down to “Factory Reset”.

It is useful to write down all of your login information for each app before you do this. This will save you time and frustration when you have to sign back into each of your apps. Test out your TV after you perform the factory reset to see if your sound works.

5. Update Your Software

You may simply need to update the software on your TV if it has no sound but is not muted. Outdated software can affect everything from your picture and sound quality to what apps you can run. Generally, you will see a prompt appear on your TV that a system update is available.

Confirm the update when you see this notification appear so that it will install right away. Otherwise, you can open your TV’s settings and find the update. The update will typically appear under the “General” heading. You may need to delete some apps and data to free enough space to download the update.

6. Replace Your TV

Unfortunately, you may need to replace your TV if the problem continues. This is especially true if something is wrong with your TV’s software and speakers. It often costs more money to repair a smart TV than to replace it.

Smart TVs only last for an average of 7 years before they start to fail. However, your TV’s performance may suffer long before then, especially if you use it frequently. Smart TVs cost between $300 and $1,200, but their prices are constantly going down as they become more common.

7. Change Inputs

In some cases, all that you need to do is change the input that you are on. Use your remote to switch to another input and see if your TV still has no sound. If your TV has no sound when you use a game console, then you simply need to use your console’s settings to increase the volume.

You can tell that this is the problem if the other inputs have volume.

8. Increase The Volume

It may sound obvious, but you should increase the volume if your TV has no sound but is not muted. You can accidentally turn down the volume if you sit on your remote. Your TV isn’t technically muted in this scenario, but the volume is turned down.

Turn the volume up and test a show or app to see if your TV produces sound. You may even need to put new batteries in your remote to increase the volume. If this doesn’t work, then you should reset or restart your TV.

9. Adjust Your Connected Device

Is there a device connected to your TV via Bluetooth? If so, that could be the reason why your TV has no volume when it’s not muted. You can take over your TV’s volume controls if your phone, computer, or tablet is connected to it.

Use the device connected to your TV to increase the volume. Be careful when you do this because the volume may increase more drastically if you use your phone than if you used your TV’s standard remote. Always keep this in mind anytime you connect a device to your TV with Bluetooth.

Summing It Up

Check your HDMI cable to make sure that it is secure if your TV has no sound but is not muted. Update your system software if the problem continues. Open your TV’s settings, go to “General”, and select the latest update to restore sound.

You can also fix the sound if you power cycle your TV. To do this, you need to unplug your TV for 1-2 minutes then plug it back in. In extreme cases, you need to perform a factory reset which will log you out of your apps.

Replace your TV if the problem continues, especially if it is outdated. Older TVs experience volume problems frequently. You can expect to spend $300-$1,200 to replace your smart TV.

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Nick Durante
Nick Durante

Nick Durante is a professional writer with a primary focus on home improvement. When he is not writing about home improvement or taking on projects around the house, he likes to read and create art. He is always looking towards the newest trends in home improvement.

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