I totally get it.
It’s deeply annoying when you’re trying to watch something on TV and the sound doesn’t line up with the video. How can you fully immerse yourself in your favorite show when the audio and visual are playing an offbeat duet?
Just the other day, this exact issue happened to me while I was watching an NHL game. The players were in one scene, and the commentators were discussing a sequence that already passed. It was more than a tad frustrating.
I found myself spending a good chunk of my day trying to figure out why my TV was having this sound delay. I watched YouTube tutorials, read articles, and even reached out to the customer support folks who made my TV. I wanted to know why this was happening and how to fix it.
At last, I managed to correct the audio delay on my TV.
In the process, I discovered that this issue isn’t as rare as one might think.
More and more people are facing sound delays because they’re using external devices like streaming sticks or set-top boxes and external speakers like soundbars or home theater systems with their TVs.
So, I thought why not share what I learned? Hence, I decided to put together this guide to share the handy fixes I came across for resolving a sound delay on your TV.
The Clever Fix
Simply plug your external device (like a Firestick) into your external speakers first, and then connect those speakers to your TV using an HDMI cable.
What causes the sound to be out of sync on a TV?
Typically, it happens when a TV is hooked up to additional speakers like a soundbar or a home theater system. It’s even more likely to occur if you’ve got an external device like a Blu-ray player or a streaming stick connected to your TV.
When your TV gets an audio signal from an external device, it’s usually coded in a specific format like Dolby Digital or DTS. The TV then has to decode this signal so it can play through your speakers, and that takes a moment.
Even though we’re only talking milliseconds here, when it comes to syncing the picture and sound on your TV, every millisecond counts. You’ll notice even the tiniest delays.
Now, if you’re using your TV’s internal speakers, odds are you won’t notice a delay. That’s because your TV is handling both the video and audio signals, so it can coordinate to make sure they’re both in sync.
However, when you bring external speakers into the mix, things get a little more complicated. In this case, your TV is left to handle the video signal while the speakers decode the audio.
Here, your TV has to guess the time it will take for your speakers to decode the sound so it can try to match the video and audio timing.
More often than not, this guesswork is the culprit behind audio delays on your TV.
There are, of course, other possible causes like issues with your TV’s operating system, certain audio or video settings, a wonky connection with your external device, a buildup of cache in your apps, too many unused apps, or outdated software.
How do I troubleshoot a sound delay on my TV?
Before going straight to the fixes, try these basic troubleshooting steps first to confirm a sound delay issue on your TV:
First, try to change TV channels. Check if the sound delay is also happening on other channels. If it isn’t, the problem is only with the specific channel. Report it to your local cable provider.
Next, if you’re watching on a streaming app, try watching on other apps. If the delay only happens with a specific streaming app, report the problem to the streaming app.
Finally, check your internet connection. A slow internet connection can cause sound delays and other glitches while watching on a streaming app.
If you confirm that your TV is really experiencing a sound delay (not just on the streaming app but also on all TV channels, despite a fast internet connection), don’t worry.
I’ll walk you through the proven fixes below, one step at a time.
How do I fix a sound delay on my TV?
1. Plug your external device into your external speakers
A straightforward way to resolve a sound delay on your TV is to directly connect your external device (like a Firestick) to your external speakers and then hook up the speakers to your TV using an HDMI cable.
This way, both video and audio signals pass through your external speakers and arrive at your TV in perfect sync.
Let me give you an example. If you’re using a Firestick along with external speakers with your TV, instead of connecting the Firestick directly to your TV, plug it into your speakers. Next, connect the speakers to the TV using an HDMI cable.
This setup effectively eliminates the sound delay since both the video and audio signals go through your speakers first.
The speakers decode both signals and then relay them simultaneously to your TV.
The only hitch here is that external speakers usually come with just one input port.
So, if you have several external devices, you have to plug them in one at a time. But really, that bit of extra effort beats dealing with a frustrating sound delay.
This method typically works about 90% of the time. For the remaining 10%, the sound delay on your TV may have a different cause.
But not to worry, I’ve got solutions for other potential causes as well.
2. Adjust audio sync/delay settings
Many TVs and external speakers come with audio sync or audio delay settings that you can adjust to solve sound delay problems.
For instance, if you have a Samsung TV, you can tweak the audio delay by navigating to Settings > Sound > Expert Settings > Digital Output Audio Delay. From there, use the slider to sync the audio with the video.
If you’re using a Samsung soundbar, you can use the Sound Control button on the remote to adjust the delay. Simply press this button and use the Left and Right buttons until the audio syncs up.
But let’s say you have an LG TV. Here’s how you can sync the audio:
- Press your remote’s Menu button.
- Go to All Settings > Sound.
- Select AV Sync Adjustment.
- Turn the AV Sync Adjustment toggle on.
- Use the slider to remove the delay.
Every TV and external speaker set-up will have different settings for adjusting audio delay, but you’ll typically find these under the Sound or Audio Settings.
Even some streaming devices and Blu-ray players provide options to adjust audio synchronization.
It mainly involves a bit of trial and error until you get the sound and picture perfectly aligned.
3. Change the audio format
If you’re using a soundbar or a home theater system that only has a couple of channels (or speakers), switching the audio format on your TV could be the answer to eliminating the sound delay.
Rather than opting for Auto, Dolby Digital, or Bitstream, choose PCM as the audio format.
PCM, which stands for Pulse-code Modulation, is a high-quality, uncompressed audio signal.
By choosing PCM, your TV doesn’t have to compress the audio signal before sending it off to your external speakers. This avoids any sound delay.
The only drawback is that you won’t be able to use your speaker’s surround sound features when you select PCM. That’s why it’s an ideal fix if your sound system is a two-channel setup like a soundbar or a certain home theater systems.
If you’re rocking a Samsung TV, you can alter the audio format by following these steps:
- Press your remote’s Home button.
- Go to Settings > Sound > Expert Settings.
- Navigate to Digital Output Audio Format.
- Select PCM.
Once you’ve set the audio format to PCM, say goodbye to those annoying sound delays on your soundbar or home theater system.
4. Disable video or audio processing settings
Have you turned on any video or audio enhancement features?
Most modern TVs and external speakers come loaded with these.
These cool features can do things like smooth out your video or offer presets like sport or movie modes. Some can even boost dialogue clarity or create a surround sound effect.
While these features can greatly improve your viewing experience, they might also be the reason you’re dealing with a sound delay on your TV.
Just think about it — these enhancements require your TV or speakers to process signals, adding those crucial extra milliseconds!
If you turn these features off, you’ll effectively remove that processing time and, therefore, the delay.
An excellent example is the Game Mode found on Sony or Samsung TVs. Ideally, Game Mode should be on when you’re playing video games and off when you’re just watching regular TV.
When in Game Mode, your TV bypasses certain video signal processes, which lets it respond to input signals more swiftly, minimizing input lag.
Say you’re playing a video game and press the jump button. With Game Mode off, there might be a slight delay between when you push the button and when your character leaps on-screen. But with Game Mode on, you should experience no noticeable delay.
However, enabling Game Mode when you’re not playing video games can cause the video and sound of your TV to be out of sync.
For those times when you’re not gaming, it’s best to switch off Game Mode. Here’s how you can do it on a Samsung TV:
- Press your remote’s Menu button.
- Go to Settings > Quick Settings.
- Go to Game Mode.
- Turn Game Mode off.
While you’re in the Game Mode Settings, consider turning off Surround Sound too, just to make sure it’s not contributing to the audio delay.
Once you’ve disabled all these video or audio enhancement features, your TV’s sound should sync up neatly with the video.
5. Reconnect your external device to your TV
Believe it or not, sometimes you can banish a TV sound delay just by reconnecting your external device to your TV.
A shaky connection between your TV and an external device, like a streaming stick or a Blu-ray player, could be the reason your video and audio aren’t hitting their marks together.
A bad connection could be caused by several things:
- a loose connection
- a broken HDMI cable
- a faulty HDMI port
Take a moment to inspect the connection between your TV and the external device. Is it loose? Unplug your device from the TV and leave it unplugged for at least a minute.
While it’s unplugged, give your HDMI cable a once-over. Look for any signs of damage, like exposed wires or unusual bending. If everything looks okay, go ahead and plug it back into your TV.
If the issue was simply a loose connection, this should resolve the sound delay. If not, try using a different HDMI port or swapping out your HDMI cable.
6. Reset your TV’s sound settings
Some TV brands, like Samsung, offer an option to reset their sound settings.
This can be a lifesaver for audio issues like sound delay, weak sound, or even echoing.
To reset the sound settings on a Samsung TV:
- Press your remote’s Menu button.
- Go to Settings > Sound > Expert Settings.
- Scroll down and select Reset Sound.
- Select Reset again to confirm.
Choosing this option will restore the sound settings on your Samsung TV back to their factory defaults.
After the reset, you’re free to configure the sound settings to your liking.
7. Power cycle your TV
It might surprise you, but system bugs or glitches can also lead to lagging sound on your TV.
Bugs and glitches building up over time is a common issue with most modern TVs.
That’s because when you switch off your TV, it doesn’t power down entirely. Instead, it goes into standby mode, ready for you to turn it back on quickly.
Unfortunately, this can lead to a pile-up of leftover electrical charges and system bugs, especially if the TV hasn’t been fully rebooted for a while. This accumulation can trigger strange behavior, like a delay in sound or the TV not turning on.
A power cycle is a highly effective way to purge these bugs and residual charges, fixing common glitches.
Disconnect your TV from the power socket for about a minute. As you wait, keep the power button on your TV pressed down for around 30 seconds. After a minute has passed, plug your TV back in and power it up.
Power cycling drains out the leftover electrical charge and resets your TV’s main board. It’s like a fresh start for your TV, clearing out any bugs and glitches that might be causing the sound delay.
Once you’ve done the power cycle, turn your TV on again to check if the sound delay issue is resolved.
8. Clear cache
If you notice the sound delay while using streaming apps, the problem might be due to a build-up of cache.
Cache is a component of your TV’s memory where it temporarily stores data.
It holds onto temporary data to make it faster to retrieve the next time it’s needed. In simpler terms, cache helps apps or websites load quicker.
The catch is that over time, this cache can become congested. When this happens, it can lead to issues like unresponsive apps or, in your case, sound delays.
To prevent this, consider clearing the cache of the streaming app you’re using.
If you have a Samsung TV, here’s how you can clear an app’s cache:
- Press your remote’s Home button.
- Go to Settings > Support.
- Select Device Care.
- Go to Manage Storage.
Once you’re in Manage Storage, select the streaming app with sound delays. Select View Details, and then Clear Cache.
(Note: Clearing your streaming app’s cache isn’t something you need to do daily or even weekly. Caching actually makes your apps run faster, which is a good thing. Only do this every few months, or when you start to notice issues.)
9. Delete unused apps on your TV
Having a bunch of unused apps on your TV can clog up its memory.
When your TV’s memory is stuffed, you might start to see problems like sound lag or freezing video.
Often, your TV comes preloaded with a host of apps or gets additional apps during system updates.
To resolve a sound delay caused by overloaded TV memory, get rid of any apps on your TV that you’re not using. As a general rule, I suggest deleting any app you haven’t used in the last month.
If you have an LG TV, you can delete apps by doing the following:
- Press your remote’s Home button.
- Scroll to the right until you see a pencil icon.
- Select the pencil icon to enter Edit Mode.
- In Edit Mode, scroll to the app you want to delete.
- Press the Up arrow button and select the “X” on top of the app.
- Select Yes to confirm the action.
You’ll need to repeat this process until all your unused apps are removed.
Once you’ve decluttered your TV’s memory, check if the sound delay issue has been resolved.
10. Update your TV’s firmware
If your TV is running on outdated firmware, it could also be the reason for your sound delay issues.
TV manufacturers regularly release firmware updates to enhance your TV’s performance, add new features, and squash bugs.
So if it’s been a while since your last update, any bugs causing sound delay might still be lurking in the system.
Generally, firmware updates should happen automatically as long as your TV is connected to the internet. But sometimes, this doesn’t happen and you’ll need to manually update your TV’s firmware.
For Samsung TV owners, follow these steps to update the firmware:
- Press your remote’s Menu button.
- Go to Settings > Support > Software Update.
- Select Update Now.
For LG TV owners:
- Press your remote’s Home button.
- Navigate to Settings > All Settings > Support.
- Select Software Update, then Check for Updates.
- Select Download and Install if there’s an update available.
Or if you have a Vizio TV:
- Press the Menu button on your Vizio remote.
- Go to System > Check For Updates.
Your TV will likely reboot automatically once the firmware update process begins.
Once the update is complete, check to see if the sound delay issue has been resolved.
11. Factory reset your TV
A factory reset should be one of the last options you explore if your TV continues to exhibit sound delay.
A factory reset, also known as a hard reset, restores your TV to its original settings—it’s like turning on a brand-new TV.
This should be a measure of last resort because it removes all the changes you’ve made to your TV’s settings. Any apps you’ve downloaded and your personal data stored on the TV will also be deleted.
Samsung TV owners can carry out a factory reset by following these steps:
- Press your remote’s Menu button.
- Go to Settings > General.
- Select Reset.
- Enter your PIN (0000 is the default).
- Select Reset again to confirm.
For LG TV owners, you can carry out a factory reset by going to General > Reset to Initial Settings.
During this process, your TV will restart automatically. Don’t unplug it mid-process as it can cause permanent damage.
Once your TV powers back on, set it up again and check if the sound delay issue has been resolved.
Final thoughts
Sound delays on TVs have become more common lately, especially as people connect additional devices and external speakers to their TVs.
The process of decoding and transmitting video and audio signals does not always occur simultaneously, leading to a misalignment of picture and sound.
But don’t fret. There are plenty of proven fixes for TV sound delays.
If you’re dealing with a sound delay on your TV, try connecting your external device directly to your external speakers, and then connect these speakers to your TV using an HDMI cable.
This arrangement ensures that both video and audio signals sync up in your external speakers before being transmitted to your TV.
If adjusting the connection between your external devices and speakers doesn’t solve the problem, consider these other fixes:
- Adjust the audio sync/delay settings of your TV and speakers.
- Change the audio format to PCM if your speakers only have two channels.
- Disable all video and audio processing or enhancing features.
- Reconnect your external device to your TV.
- Reset your TV’s sound settings.
- Power cycle your TV.
- Clear the cache of the streaming app you’re using.
- Delete unused apps on your TV.
- Update your TV’s firmware.
- Factory reset your TV.
By trying these methods, you should be able to resolve your TV’s sound delay issue.
However, if none of these solutions work, reach out to your TV manufacturer’s customer support team.
They’ll likely run you through some basic troubleshooting first before determining whether your TV needs repair or replacement.