Whispered Screens: Why Your LG TV’s HDMI Has Picture But No Sound (and What I Did to Fix It—Fast)
I’ll never forget the sinking feeling of sitting down for movie night, popcorn ready, only to realize my LG TV greeted me with perfect picture… and stony silence. If this HDMI sound issue sounds all too familiar, you’re not alone. I’ve spent more time tinkering behind my entertainment center than I’d like to admit, and after a few blunders (and maybe a stubbed toe), I’ve cracked the code to restoring sound—fast. Here’s what I wish someone had told me before I considered buying a new cable (or a new TV).
Step Zero: The ‘Did I Just Mute That?’ Principle
Before you start pulling cables or diving into complicated settings menus, let me share something that will save you hours of frustration. I learned this lesson the hard way when I spent twenty minutes troubleshooting my LG TV’s HDMI sound issue, only to discover my cat had somehow stepped on the remote and muted the television. Yes, really.
Here’s the thing about HDMI connections that catches everyone off guard: your TV can display a perfect picture even when the audio is completely silenced. This happens because HDMI carries video and audio as separate signals, so one can work fine while the other appears “broken.”
Check Volume Settings First
The most common LG TV sound problems I encounter aren’t technical glitches at all—they’re simple volume issues. Before you assume something’s wrong with your HDMI connection, grab your remote and check these basics:
- Press the volume up button several times
- Look for the volume bar on your screen
- Make sure the number isn’t at zero
- Check if there’s a mute symbol displayed
I know this sounds obvious, but you’d be amazed how often this clears those HDMI glitches regarding sound. Sometimes we accidentally hit the mute button while reaching for something else, or kids play with remotes when we’re not looking.
The Hidden Mute Functions
Here’s where things get tricky with LG TVs. Many remotes have multiple ways to silence audio, and some aren’t immediately obvious:
- Standard mute button: Usually has a speaker icon with a line through it
- Quick Settings mute: Some LG remotes let you mute through the settings wheel
- Voice command mute: If you have LG’s ThinQ, voice commands might have muted your TV
The volume mute indicator on LG TVs sometimes appears as a small icon in the corner that’s easy to miss when you’re focused on the center of the screen. I’ve seen people stare right at it without noticing because they’re expecting the sound problem to be more complicated.
Why This Happens So Often
Volume settings frequently cause HDMI sound issues on LG TVs because we don’t always realize when we’ve accidentally changed them. Think about it—how many times do you hand the remote to someone else, set it down where pets can reach it, or fumble with it in the dark?
Plus, when you’re troubleshooting technology problems, your brain often jumps to complex solutions first. We assume something must be wrong with the HDMI cable, the input settings, or the connected device. The simple stuff gets overlooked because it feels too easy to be the real problem.
The Two-Minute Volume Check
Here’s my quick routine that takes less than two minutes but catches about 40% of HDMI sound problems:
| Step | Action | What to Look For |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Press Volume Up | Volume bar appears on screen |
| 2 | Check for mute symbol | Speaker icon with line through it |
| 3 | Press mute button twice | Sound returns immediately |
| 4 | Test different volume levels | Audio responds to changes |
Don’t forget some remotes have a separate mute function that works differently than the main volume controls. If pressing the obvious mute button doesn’t work, try holding it down for a few seconds or
Soft Resets, Skewed Cables, and Why Shoving Matters
When your LG TV shows a perfect picture but stays frustratingly silent, the solution often lies in the simplest fixes. I’ve learned this the hard way after countless hours troubleshooting audio issues that could have been resolved in minutes.
The 15-Second Magic: How to Reset HDMI Connection
Before diving into complex settings, start with the most basic fix that works surprisingly often. Unplug your TV from the wall and give it 15 seconds—this refreshes HDMI connections better than a simple on/off. I can’t tell you how many times this simple power cycle has saved me from hours of frustration.
Here’s exactly what I do:
- Turn off the TV completely
- Unplug the power cord from the wall outlet
- Wait a full 15 seconds (I count them out loud)
- Plug it back in and power on
This soft reset clears temporary glitches in the HDMI communication between your TV and connected devices. It’s amazing how often this simple step resolves those stubborn no-sound issues.
The Obvious Fix That’s Not So Obvious
I’m almost embarrassed to mention this, but check if your TV is muted or if the volume is turned down. I once spent thirty minutes troubleshooting a “broken” HDMI connection only to discover I’d accidentally muted the TV while cleaning around it. HDMI can send a perfect picture even when sound is completely muted.
HDMI Cable Connections: Why Every Millimeter Counts
Re-seat every HDMI cable—the tiniest pull can disrupt sound but not video (guilty of jostling mine while dusting!). This happens more often than you’d think. A cable that’s 99% connected might still transmit video while completely losing audio.
Here’s my systematic approach to checking HDMI cable connections:
- Check the back of your TV first
- Examine all console connections (PlayStation, Xbox, Switch)
- Don’t forget Blu-ray players and streaming devices
- Give each cable a gentle but firm push
Don’t be afraid to unplug, inspect, and re-plug cables on the TV and all devices (consoles, Blu-ray players, soundbars). I make it a habit to fully disconnect and reconnect each HDMI cable, ensuring they click securely into place. Even if a cable appears connected, that slight looseness can cause intermittent audio dropout.
The Art of the Gentle Shove
Sometimes what looks like a secure connection isn’t quite there. I’ve found that giving HDMI cables a deliberate push—what I call “the shove test”—often reveals loose connections. The cable might be 95% inserted, showing perfect video but dropping audio completely.
When checking connections, listen for that satisfying click when the cable seats properly. If you don’t hear it, the cable isn’t fully inserted.
HDMI ARC Port Usage: The Port That Rules Them All
If you’re using a soundbar or AV receiver, this next point is crucial.
“You must use the ARC or eARC port on your TV. Usually, this is a specific one.”
On my LG C9, only HDMI 2 supports ARC functionality. Using any other port for my soundbar connection results in no audio return from the TV. This isn’t a defect—it’s by design. Most LG TVs designate one specific HDMI port for Audio Return Channel (ARC) or enhanced Audio Return Channel (eARC).
Check your TV’s manual or look for “ARC” or “eARC” labels near the HDMI ports. For soundbar connections, this port is non-negoti
Invisible Gremlins: Bluetooth, Settings, and the Soundbar Shuffle
Here’s where things get sneaky. Sometimes your TV is working perfectly fine, but it’s sending sound to a device you forgot about entirely. I learned this the hard way when I spent an hour troubleshooting my HDMI connection, only to discover my wireless earbuds were still paired and stealing all the audio.Inspect Audio Output Settings: The Bluetooth Thief
First, I always check for connected Bluetooth headphones or speakers. Your TV may be sending audio somewhere else entirely, leaving your HDMI connection silent. On my LG C9, I can long-press the settings button to bring up the quick menu, then navigate to Sound settings. Bluetooth interference HDMI issues are more common than you’d think. When Bluetooth devices connect, many TVs automatically disable HDMI audio output without giving you any visual warning. I scroll down to “Sound Out” in the settings menu and check the Bluetooth section. If there’s a paired device showing as connected, that’s likely your culprit. The fix is simple: either disconnect the Bluetooth device or manually change your sound output setting back to your preferred option.Soundbar HDMI Connection: Getting the Output Right
Next, I make sure the sound is being sent to the correct device. In the LG TV’s Sound Out settings, you’ll see several options: Internal Speaker, Optical, HDMI ARC, or Bluetooth. This is where many people get stuck. If you’re trying to send sound to an AV receiver or soundbar through HDMI ARC, but the setting is still on “Internal Speaker,” you won’t hear anything from your external device. The TV might auto-switch back to internal speakers if it can’t communicate properly with your soundbar, leaving you confused about where the sound went. I always double-check this setting when troubleshooting. If you want sound from your TV’s built-in speakers, select “Internal Speaker.” For external devices, choose the appropriate HDMI ARC or optical option.Enable HDMI CEC LG TV: The Secret Handshake
Here’s the big one that trips up most people: HDMI CEC settings. For soundbars and AV receivers, you must enable HDMI CEC (called SimpLink on LG TVs) on both your TV and your external device. This allows them to “talk” to each other and properly handle audio switching.If you don’t have HDMI CEC turned on on your soundbar or your AV receiver, you are not going to get sound.On my LG TV, I long-press the settings button, go to Connection, then scroll down to HDMI Devices. There I find “SimpLink” – this is LG’s version of HDMI CEC. This setting must be turned on for proper audio handoff to work. But here’s the crucial part: both devices need this enabled. I’ve seen countless cases where someone enabled it on their TV but forgot to turn on CEC in their soundbar’s settings menu. The result? Picture with no sound, every single time.
Change Audio Format HDMI: The Compatibility Dance
Sometimes the issue isn’t about connections or settings – it’s about the audio format itself. Not all soundbars and receivers can handle every audio format that your TV wants to send over HDMI. When I encounter mysterious compatibility errors, I try changing the audio format from Bitstream to PCM (or vice versa) in the TV’s audio settings. This simple switch has solved more sound problems than I care to count. Some older soundbars struggle with certain Bitstream formats, while others work better with uncompressed PCM audio. It’s worth experimenting with both options when standard troubleshooting doesn’t work. The key insight here is that modern TVs and audio devices are constantly negotiating what formats to use, and sometimes they simply can’t agree. By manually selecting a format, you remove the guesswork and force a compatible connection. These invisible gremlins – Bluetooth interference, incorrect output settings, disabled CEC, and format mismatches – cause more HDMI audio problems than actual hardware failures. The good news? They’re all fixable with a few menu changes and some patience. Once you know where to look, these “mysterious” sound issues become routine fixes that take just minutes to resolve.TL;DR: Got picture but no sound on your LG TV’s HDMI? A quick power cycle, double-checking your volume and cable connections, and hunting for sneaky Bluetooth devices will solve it most of the time. Don’t forget to set your sound output and try switching audio formats if you get stuck. Sound check, and you’re good to go!
A big shoutout to Honest Rob for the amazing content! Take a look here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIJtw1DP4lk.