The three ways soundbars connect to TVs

A soundbar connects to your TV in one of three ways: HDMI, optical cable, or Bluetooth wireless. HDMI is the most common and usually the best choice because it carries both picture and sound through one cable and lets your TV remote control the soundbar's volume. Optical cable (also called TOSLINK) works on almost any TV made in the last 15 years and is reliable, but requires a separate cable. Bluetooth is wireless and convenient, but can occasionally drop the connection or have a slight delay between what you see and what you hear.

Most soundbars support all three methods, so you can pick whichever works best for your setup. The method you choose depends on what ports your TV has, how far the soundbar sits from the TV, and whether you want to use one remote for everything.

Key Takeaways

  • HDMI is the best choice for most people because one cable carries both picture and sound, and your TV remote controls the volume.
  • Optical cable works on older TVs and is very reliable, but you need a separate cable and cannot control volume from your TV remote.
  • Bluetooth is wireless and convenient, but may have occasional connection drops or a slight delay between picture and sound.
  • Check your TV's ports on the back or side before buying a soundbar to make sure you have at least one compatible connection type.

Connecting with HDMI

HDMI is the fastest and easiest connection for most TVs made after 2010. Look on the back of your TV for a port labeled HDMI or HDMI ARC (the ARC stands for Audio Return Channel, which means sound can travel back from the TV to the soundbar). Plug one end of an HDMI cable into that port and the other end into the HDMI port on the back of your soundbar.

Turn on both devices. Your TV should automatically detect the soundbar and route sound to it. If the sound still comes from the TV speakers, go into your TV's settings menu (usually under Audio or Sound), find the output option, and select the soundbar or HDMI port. From that point on, your TV remote's volume buttons will control the soundbar volume, and you will not need a separate remote.

HDMI ARC is better than regular HDMI because it lets sound travel both directions through the same cable. If your TV has an HDMI ARC port, use that one. If it does not, regular HDMI still works fine — you just cannot control the soundbar volume from your TV remote, and you may need to adjust it on the soundbar itself or with its remote.

Connecting with an optical cable

An optical cable (also called a TOSLINK cable or digital optical cable) is a thin cable with a small square connector on each end. It carries sound only, not picture. Look on the back of your TV for a port labeled Optical Out, Digital Out, or TOSLINK. Plug one end of the optical cable into that port and the other end into the optical port on the soundbar.

Turn on both devices. Your TV should automatically send sound to the soundbar. If it does not, go into your TV's settings menu, find Audio or Sound settings, and select Optical Out or Digital Out as the audio output. The soundbar will now play all the sound from your TV.

Optical cables are very reliable and work on almost any TV made in the last 15 years. The main drawback is that your TV remote will not control the soundbar volume — you will need to use the soundbar's remote or buttons. Optical also does not carry picture, so if you want to use your TV remote for everything, HDMI is a better choice.

Connecting with Bluetooth

Bluetooth is wireless, so you do not need any cables. On your soundbar, look for a Bluetooth button or switch, usually on the back or bottom. Press and hold it until you see a light blink or hear a sound indicating the soundbar is in pairing mode. This usually lasts about 30 seconds to two minutes.

On your TV, go to Settings, then look for Bluetooth or Wireless Devices. Select your soundbar from the list of available devices. Once your TV shows "Connected," sound should play through the soundbar. You may need to go into your TV's Audio settings and select Bluetooth as the output device.

Bluetooth is convenient because there are no cables to run, but it has two potential problems. First, the connection can occasionally drop, especially if something blocks the signal between the TV and soundbar. Second, there can be a slight delay (usually less than a second) between what you see on screen and what you hear — this is most noticeable during action scenes or sports. If either of these bothers you, use HDMI or optical instead.

Checking your TV for the right ports

Before you buy a soundbar, check what ports your TV actually has. Look at the back and sides of your TV. You are looking for HDMI ports (rectangular slots), an optical port (a small square hole with a light-blocking cover), or Bluetooth capability (listed in your TV's settings or manual).

Most TVs made after 2015 have at least one HDMI ARC port and an optical port. Older TVs may have only optical. Very new TVs sometimes have only HDMI and Bluetooth, with no optical port. Write down what you find, or take a photo of the back of your TV. This information will help you pick a soundbar that works with your setup and decide which connection method to use.

Troubleshooting when sound does not come through

If you have connected the soundbar but sound still comes from your TV speakers, the most common cause is that your TV is not set to send sound to the soundbar. Go into your TV's settings menu and look for Audio, Sound, or Speaker settings. Find the option for audio output or speaker selection and change it from Internal Speakers or TV Speakers to the soundbar, HDMI, or Optical (depending on which cable you used).

If you used HDMI and the soundbar is not showing up in your TV's audio settings, try unplugging the HDMI cable, waiting 10 seconds, and plugging it back in. If you used optical, make sure the cable is pushed all the way into both ports — optical connections need to be fully seated or they will not work. If you used Bluetooth and the connection keeps dropping, move the soundbar closer to the TV or remove any large metal objects between them.

If the soundbar is connected but very quiet, check the volume on the soundbar itself (usually buttons on the back or a remote). Many soundbars ship with the volume set low. Also check your TV's volume — if your TV volume is muted or very low, the soundbar will be quiet too.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a special HDMI cable for a soundbar?

No. Any standard HDMI cable works fine. You do not need to buy an expensive cable — a basic HDMI cable from any electronics store will work just as well. Make sure it is long enough to reach from your TV to the soundbar.

Can I use more than one connection method at the same time?

You can connect the soundbar using multiple methods, but your TV will only send sound through one at a time. Pick whichever method works best for you and ignore the others. Switching between them is usually just a matter of changing your TV's audio output setting.

Why is there a delay between the picture and sound when I use Bluetooth?

Bluetooth has a small built-in delay because it takes time to send the sound wirelessly. This is usually less noticeable with dialogue but more obvious during action scenes or sports. If this bothers you, switch to HDMI or optical, which have no delay.

Will my TV remote control the soundbar volume if I use an optical cable?

No. Optical cables carry only sound, not the control signals your TV remote sends. You will need to use the soundbar's remote or buttons to adjust volume. If you want one remote for everything, use HDMI ARC instead.

What if my TV does not have any of these ports?

Very few modern TVs lack all three options, but if yours does, check whether it has a headphone jack or USB port. Some soundbars can connect through these, though it is less common. Check your soundbar's manual to see what connection types it supports.