
One of Apple TV’s best shows is “For All Mankind.”
It’s a story about reaching the moon.
And you know what they say about outer space?
Sound can’t travel there.
But sometimes, sound from an Apple TV device won’t work on Earth either.
Thankfully, you won’t need a rocket scientist to engineer this issue.
Keep reading to discover:
- 9 reliable steps to eliminate your audio issues on an Apple TV.
- 5 outstanding speakers for your TV to help Apple TV get its sound back.
- Which of the 3 audio formats on Apple TV can get rid of your audio problems.
- And so much more…
How to fix the no sound issue on Apple TV – 9 steps
Step #1: Troubleshoot the problem
If you’re having issues with any of your devices…
The first step is always to diagnose it. This is called troubleshooting.
This process helps you pinpoint the source of your issue.
Or, at least, be sure that there’s a problem.
After all, you don’t go to the doctor’s office and announce that you have an illness…
Instead, you wait for them to tell you after multiple tests.
So, here’s a list of things you need to do to troubleshoot your Apple TV:
- Unmute your device.
- Increase the volume of your device.
- Reseat the HDMI cable of your Apple TV.
Furthermore, smart TVs also have a Sound Test. This can also tell you if the TV itself has an audio problem.
And to perform a Sound Test on mainstream TV brands, you need to:
For Samsung TVs
- Press the Home button on the Samsung TV remote.
- Go to the Settings page.
- Head to Self Diagnosis.
- Tap Sound Test.
If your Samsung TV detects a problem, follow these directions to reset its sound:
Settings > Sound > Expert Settings > Reset Sound.
For Sony TVs
- Press the Help button on your Sony TV remote.
- Go to Status & Diagnostics.
- Choose Picture or Sound Symptoms.
- Select Start to begin the Sound Test.
For LG TVs
- Press the Settings button on the LG TV remote.
- Go to All Settings.
- Head to Sound.
- Select Sound Test.
You may also be interested in: Do You Need Apple TV With A Smart TV?
Step #2: Perform a power cycle

If troubleshooting is the first step to getting rid of your audio problem…
Then, power cycling is the first aid. This is a restart process that gets rid of all residual charges on your device.
And it’s pretty easy too. You can quickly power cycle your Apple TV using these instructions:
- Switch to a different input.
- Turn your TV off.
- Unplug the Apple TV from the outlet and the TV itself.
- Wait 30 seconds.
- Return everything.
As you might’ve noticed, there’s a 30-second wait time in the middle of the directions. It might not seem like it, but this is actually the most essential part of the process.
You see, when you turn your device off, it often just goes to Sleep Mode.
On the other hand, 30 seconds is enough time to get rid of all power in your device. This means that it’ll be forced to shut down instead of going to sleep.
And, with your Apple TV completely shut down, all stuck processes on it can also restart.
Step #3: Check your audio output
Try to play anything on your Apple TV again.
Now, stay still and keep quiet.
Do you hear the faintest sounds of your show coming from somewhere else in your home?
Then, the problem might be that you’re not outputting your audio to the right source. To fix this, you must:
- Go to your Apple TV’s Settings page.
- Head to Video and Audio.
- Tap Audio Output.
- Select the right speaker for your audio.
Step #4: Change your audio format
Sometimes, your audio won’t play because it’s incompatible with your sound system.
What do I mean by that?
You see, Apple TVs have 3 main audio formats:
- Auto: Lossless & best quality.
- Dolby Digital 5.1: Medium quality.
- Stereo 2.0: Worst quality.
While Auto seems like the most optimal…
The problem is it’s incompatible with some speakers and soundbars.
In that case, you can try either the Dolby or Stereo option. This is possible through these steps:
- Go to your Apple TV’s Settings page.
- Head to Video and Audio.
- Tap Audio Format.
- Select either “Dolby Digital 5.1” or “Stereo 2.0.”
Step #5: Change the HDMI cable
Next, inspect the HDMI cable that came with your Apple TV.
Is it broken? Or perhaps already starting to show some exposed wires?
If so, that’s the reason why you’re having audio problems. And you can only fix this by replacing your cable entirely.
Now, there are far too many cables available in the market today.
You need one that’s compatible with your Apple TV.
So, check the specs of your Apple TV device. Then, use this table to see which HDMI cable is best for you:
Category | Cable Name | Maximum Resolution | Refresh Rate |
Category 1 | Standard | 1080p | 30 Hz |
Category 2 | High Speed | 4K | 60 Hz for 1080p, 30 Hz for 4K |
Category 3 | 4K | 4K | 60 Hz |
Category 3 | 8K | 8K | 120 Hz for 4K, 60 Hz for 8K |
Step #6: Update your Apple TV
Another possible culprit of your issue might be outdated firmware. This could usually manifest as:
- Wi-Fi issues.
- Screen flickering.
- Malfunctioning apps.
- Microstutters and lag.
And, of course, audio issues as well.
The fix for this is to simply update your Apple TV. And this is how you can do that in minutes:
- Go to your Apple TV’s Settings page.
- Head to the System tab.
- Tap Software Updates.
- Choose Update Software.
- Once your Apple TV finds an update, select Download & Install.
Warning: Do not unplug your Apple TV if the progress bar is stuck. Doing so can brick your entire system. Wait for it to finish.
Step #7: Reset your Apple TV
Still no sound? There must be errors and glitches lingering on your system.
If it’s hard to pinpoint what exactly is the cause of your problem…
The easiest fix is to simply factory reset your Apple TV. Doing this will remove all your:
- Accounts.
- Settings changes.
- Data and preferences.
- Downloaded movies and shows.
But this can also rid your device of all errors.
To factory reset your Apple TV, all you have to do is:
- Go to your Apple TV’s Settings page.
- Head to the System tab.
- Choose Reset.
- Select Reset All Settings.
After this, your Apple TV will restart and return to setup mode.
Now, you might get lost somewhere in the reset process…
In that case, you can watch this video instead:
Step #8: Get an external sound system
Do you use your TV’s speakers as the audio output of your Apple TV?
If so, the problem might not be with your streaming device…
But the smart TV itself.
In this case, you can get a new pair of speakers for your Apple TV’s audio.
The question is, which one should you get? Well, I recommend the following:
Now, if you already have one, there’s one more thing left to do:
Switching your audio output.
How to switch to wired speakers
- Go to your Apple TV’s Settings page.
- Head to Video and Audio.
- Tap Audio Output.
- Choose your speaker from the list of devices.
How to switch to wireless speakers
- Put your device on Pairing Mode.
- Go to your Apple TV’s Settings page.
- Head to Remotes & Devices.
- Choose Bluetooth.
- Select your speaker from the list of devices.
Alternatively, if you want to use AirPods with your Apple TV, check out this article.

Step #9: Contact Apple
When all else fails, don’t lose hope for your Apple TV.
I might not be able to help, but I know someone who can:
You can get in touch with Apple here and request a personal consultation.
What causes the no sound issue?
The cause of the “No Sound” issue on your Apple TV could be any of the following:
- Broken speakers.
- Outdated firmware.
- Loose HDMI connection.
- Errors, glitches, or malware.
- Wrong audio output or format.
You can quickly fix any of these by browsing through our section above titled:
“How to fix the no sound issue on Apple TV – 9 steps”.
Is the no sound issue normal on Apple TVs?
The “No Sound” issue on Apple TVs isn’t normal, but it isn’t uncommon. However, that doesn’t mean you should just brush it off when it happens to your Apple TV.
Instead, contact Apple immediately to prevent any further damage.