A soundbar is an affordable, high-quality audio system for your TV, perfect for smaller spaces due to its compact size. However, connection issues with your Vizio soundbar and TV are common.
Luckily, most of these issues can be resolved with some simple steps, as long as they are not related to hardware.
If your Vizio Soundbar is not connecting with your TV, you should first make sure the connection through both devices is working. These connections can be made using an HDMI cable, an RCA cable, or even a Bluetooth cable.
If you’re using a cable to connect both devices, make sure you connect to the specified ports and that the correct input is selected on the soundbar.
If you’re experiencing other issues and your soundbar has no audio or intermittent audio, then I have provided more detailed information that explains how to fix connection issues on your Vizio soundbar in the next section.
How to Fix a Vizio Soundbar That is Not Connecting to a TV
There are ways to troubleshoot connection issues with your soundbar, and this section will cover the different steps to fix the problem and get both devices synced together.
1. Check Cable Connections
The most common methods for connecting your soundbar to your TV are via HDMI or digital audio ports via an RCA cable.
If you’re using any of these cables to connect both devices, you should make sure they are properly connected to their specified ports.
What you should do is check the ports and make sure you have plugged in the cable the right way.
You should also make sure you have selected the correct input on your soundbar for the connection to work. These devices have input buttons on their remotes that you can use to change your input based on the cable connection you are using.
You should also check for any physical damages on the cable, and if any are found, it should be replaced immediately.
If you are connecting your Vizio soundbar to a TV with HDMI, make sure you are connecting the HDMI cable to the HDMI ARC (HDMI 1) port on the back of your TV.
2. Check Bluetooth Connection
Modern Vizio soundbar models can be connected to your TV with Bluetooth if both devices are paired correctly.
Press and hold the Bluetooth button on the soundbar to enable pairing mode, and from your TV, navigate to Bluetooth settings and connect to the soundbar.
The soundbar should play audio from your TV if it is connected successfully. The Bluetooth option will not work if your soundbar or TV doesn’t support Bluetooth connections, so you’ll need to make sure both devices are compatible with Bluetooth before trying to pair them.
3. Check TV and Soundbar Settings
Most of the time, after connecting a soundbar to your TV, you’ll need to adjust additional settings on the TV and soundbar for the connection to work perfectly.
On the Soundbar
You’ll mainly need to change your input options depending on the method of connection you’re using.
If you have connected the soundbar to your TV with HDMI, then the input on your soundbar should be set to HDMI, and if you’re using an RCA cable, the input should be set to AUX.
This also applies to any other input sources available on the soundbar, like SPDIF.
On the TV
You’ll also need to make some changes to your TV’s audio settings, like changing the Audio Out option to Digital or Bitstream for cable connections.
This audio-out setting is needed to fix the no audio or intermittent audio issues that you might face even after correctly connecting to your TV.
4. Check the Soundbar Power
You should make sure the soundbar is powered on. When your Vizio soundbar is turned on, a light will appear on either the left-hand side or the center of the bar.
If there is no sign that the soundbar is on, you can try to reseat the power cord on the soundbar and power outlet.
6. Factory Reset The Soundbar
You can perform a factory reset on the soundbar to clear all the settings you have made and return it to its factory settings. This means you’ll have to reset every connection again, just like when you first purchased the device.
Before you perform a factory reset on any device, first, do a soft reset also known as a power cycle to see if the issue you’re facing is fixed. Here’s how:
Soft Reset Vizio Soundbar
- First, power off the soundbar and unplug it from the outlet.
- Next, press and hold the power button on the soundbar for 30 seconds.
- Plug the soundbar back into the outlet.
Turn on the soundbar to see if any issue you’re facing has been fixed, if not then you can factory reset the soundbar. Here’s how:
Hard Reset Vizio Soundbar
- First, power on your Vizio Soundbar.
- Next, press and hold the Bluetooth and Volume Down buttons simultaneously for 5 seconds.
- The LED lights on the soundbar will flash three times.
That’s all. This step will erase all your settings and preferences so you’ll have to restart all settings afresh.
You’ll need to check your Vizio soundbar manual for the method to factory reset it since the method might not be the same for all models.
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6. Contact Vizio
If you have tried the troubleshooting tips above and the issue is still not fixed, you can contact Vizio customer support for assistance in situations where the device needs repair.
Final Thoughts
Most of the time, issues with your Vizio soundbar can be resolved by checking your connection to the TV.
In other cases, the problem might be that your volume is not high enough for you to hear the sound, which leaves you to assume that it doesn’t work.
You should check the TV to make sure the remote hasn’t been set to mute.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I reset my Vizio sound bar?
You can completely reset your Vizio soundbar when you press and hold the Bluetooth and Volume Down buttons simultaneously for five seconds.
Why is my Vizio sound bar not working?
If your Vizio soundbar is not working, first, makes sure the power is on. Then make sure you have not muted the soundbar with the remote.
Another reason why your soundbar might not work is that you have not selected the correct input. Use the Vizio soundbar remote to switch to the correct input depending on how you connected the soundbar to the TV.
Why is there no sound coming from my soundbar?
If there is no sound coming from your soundbar, first, make sure the soundbar and TV volumes are turned up. Then, change the audio output settings on your TV to Digital or Bitstream.
If you can’t still hear sound from the soundbar, then you’ll need to make sure your cables are connected properly to the TV and soundbar.
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Hey! I’m Louis, a Java Developer and Mobile App Developer who has an interest in smart home automation.
