The fastest way to connect a soundbar to your TV

Most soundbars connect to your TV using a single cable — either HDMI, optical audio, or a 3.5mm aux cord. HDMI is the best choice if your soundbar has it, because one cable carries both picture and sound, and the soundbar can turn on and off with your TV automatically. If your TV and soundbar both have HDMI ports labeled ARC or eARC, use those ports specifically; they let the TV send sound back to the soundbar without a second cable running the other direction.

If HDMI is not an option, optical audio (the square port that looks like a small mailbox) is the next best choice — it carries high-quality sound and works with almost every TV made in the last 15 years. A 3.5mm aux cable (the thin headphone-style jack) works too, but it is the least reliable of the three and should only be your choice if the other two are not available on your equipment.

Key Takeaways

  • HDMI ARC or eARC is the single best connection method because one cable handles both video and audio, and devices sync automatically.
  • Optical audio is a reliable second choice that works with older TVs and soundbars that lack HDMI.
  • After plugging in the cable, you must tell your TV to send sound to the soundbar through the settings menu, not to its built-in speakers.
  • Wireless connections like Bluetooth and WiFi are useful for playing music from your phone, but they should not replace your main TV-to-soundbar cable.
  • If you hear sound from both the TV and soundbar at the same time, the TV speakers are still on — turn them off in the audio settings.

Connecting with HDMI ARC or eARC

Look at the back of your TV for an HDMI port labeled ARC or eARC. If you see one, plug one end of an HDMI cable into that port and the other end into the HDMI ARC or eARC port on your soundbar. If your soundbar does not have a labeled ARC port, check the manual — some soundbars use a specific HDMI input for this purpose, often HDMI 1 or HDMI 2.

Once the cable is connected, turn on both devices and pick up your TV remote. Go to Settings, then Sound or Audio, and look for an option called HDMI ARC, eARC, or Digital Audio Out. Turn it on. Your TV should now send all sound to the soundbar instead of its own speakers. If you see an option to turn off the TV speakers entirely, do that too — it prevents sound from coming out of both places at once.

The advantage of ARC or eARC is that your soundbar will turn on automatically when you turn on the TV, and the volume control on your TV remote will adjust the soundbar volume. This setup requires no extra steps and is the reason HDMI ARC is the preferred method.

Connecting with optical audio cable

If your TV and soundbar both have optical ports (small square openings, usually labeled S/PDIF or Optical), use an optical audio cable. Plug one end into the optical port on the back of your TV and the other end into the optical port on the soundbar. The cable is directional — the end going into the TV is the output, and the end going into the soundbar is the input, though the cable itself looks the same on both ends.

Go to your TV settings, find Sound or Audio, and select Optical or S/PDIF as the audio output. Your TV should now send sound through the cable to the soundbar. Unlike HDMI ARC, the soundbar will not turn on automatically with the TV, and your TV remote volume button may not control the soundbar — you may need to use the soundbar remote to adjust volume instead.

Optical audio is rock-solid and works with nearly every TV made since 2005. It is a good choice if your TV is older or if HDMI ARC is not available.

Connecting with a 3.5mm aux cable

A standard headphone-style 3.5mm cable can connect your TV to a soundbar if neither HDMI ARC nor optical audio is available. Plug one end into the headphone jack or audio-out port on your TV (sometimes labeled Audio Out, Line Out, or Aux Out) and the other end into the 3.5mm input on the soundbar.

Go to your TV settings, find Sound or Audio, and choose Headphone Jack or Aux Out as the audio output. The soundbar should now receive sound from the TV. This method works, but the audio quality is lower than optical or HDMI, and you will definitely need to use the soundbar remote to control volume — the TV remote will not adjust it.

Use this method only if your TV and soundbar lack both HDMI ARC and optical ports. It is the least reliable of the three wired options.

Turning off the TV speakers so you hear only the soundbar

After you connect the cable and set the audio output, test the sound. Play something on your TV — a streaming app, a cable channel, anything with sound. If you hear sound coming from both the soundbar and the TV at the same time, the TV speakers are still on.

Go back to Settings, then Sound or Audio. Look for an option called Speaker, Audio Output, Sound Output, or TV Speaker. Change it from TV Speaker or On to Off or External Speaker. Now only the soundbar should produce sound. If you still hear the TV speakers, check that you selected the correct audio output port in the previous step — sometimes TVs have multiple audio outputs, and you may have chosen the wrong one.

Adding wireless connections for music and apps

Once your soundbar is wired to the TV, you can add wireless connections for convenience. Most soundbars support Bluetooth, which lets you play music from your phone, tablet, or laptop without running a cable. Press the Bluetooth button on the soundbar remote or look for a Bluetooth option in the soundbar settings menu. Your phone or device should then see the soundbar in its Bluetooth list — select it and confirm the pairing.

Some soundbars also support WiFi or proprietary wireless systems that work better for streaming music apps like Spotify or Apple Music. Check your soundbar manual to see which wireless options it has. Wireless is great for flexibility, but it should not replace your main wired connection to the TV — keep the HDMI, optical, or aux cable plugged in so the TV always sends sound to the soundbar automatically.

Troubleshooting common connection problems

If you plugged in the cable but hear no sound from the soundbar, first check that the soundbar is turned on — look for a power light on the front. Then go back to your TV settings and confirm you selected the correct audio output port. If you chose HDMI ARC but your TV does not have an ARC port, switch to optical or aux. If the soundbar has a volume knob or remote, make sure the volume is not turned all the way down.

If sound comes from both the TV and the soundbar, the TV speakers are still active. Return to the Sound settings and turn off the TV speaker output. If you see a menu option for Audio Format or Dolby Digital, leave it on — that is normal and does not cause double sound.

If the soundbar turns on and off with the TV but the volume control on your TV remote does not adjust the soundbar, you are using optical or aux instead of HDMI ARC. This is normal — use the soundbar remote to change volume, or check your soundbar manual to see if it has a setting to sync with the TV remote.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to use HDMI ARC, or will any HDMI port work?

Regular HDMI ports do not send sound from the TV back to the soundbar — they only receive it. You must use the port labeled ARC or eARC, or the connection will not work. If your TV has no ARC port, use optical audio or aux instead.

Can I use both HDMI and optical cables at the same time?

You can plug both cables in, but your TV will only send sound through one of them. Go to the audio settings and choose which one you want to use. Having both connected will not hurt anything, but it is unnecessary.

My soundbar has WiFi but no HDMI ARC. Should I use WiFi instead of optical?

No. WiFi is useful for streaming music from apps on your phone, but it is not reliable for TV sound because it can drop the connection or add delay. Use optical audio or aux for the TV, and keep WiFi or Bluetooth for playing music from your devices.

Why does my soundbar remote not control the TV volume?

Soundbar remotes are designed to control the soundbar only. Your TV remote controls the TV. If you want the TV remote to adjust soundbar volume, you must use HDMI ARC — with optical or aux, you will always need the soundbar remote to change volume.

What if my TV has no audio output ports at all?

Some very new TVs have only HDMI ports and no optical or aux jacks. In that case, HDMI ARC is your only wired option. If your TV has no ARC port either, you can use a small adapter box that converts HDMI to optical audio, though this adds cost and complexity.