Your favorite show is on, the picture looks perfect, but there’s one problem: no sound. It’s frustrating when your Hisense TV suddenly goes silent, especially when you were just settling in for the evening. You can see everything happening on screen, but without audio, you might as well be watching a slideshow.
This issue is more common than you’d think, and the best part is that most audio problems have simple solutions you can handle yourself. You don’t need to be tech-savvy or call a repair person right away. In this article, you’ll learn why your Hisense TV might lose its audio, what typically causes this problem, and how to get your sound back without breaking a sweat.
Why Your TV Goes Silent
When your Hisense TV loses audio, it can happen in different ways. Sometimes the sound cuts out completely, leaving you with nothing but silence. Other times, the audio might work intermittently, coming and going like a bad radio signal. You might even hear distorted or crackling sounds instead of clear dialogue and music.
The tricky thing about TV audio problems is that they can stem from several sources. Your TV itself might be the culprit, but so could your external speakers, soundbar, or even the streaming device you’re using. Sometimes it’s a software glitch that needs a quick reset. Other times, it might be a cable that’s not seated properly or settings that got changed accidentally.
What makes this frustrating is that your TV’s video keeps working fine. Everything looks normal on screen, so you know the TV is getting power and the display is functioning. This actually narrows down the problem areas significantly. You’re dealing with something specific to the audio system, whether that’s internal speakers, audio outputs, or sound settings.
If you ignore audio problems, you’ll obviously miss out on enjoying your content properly. But there’s another reason to fix this quickly. Sometimes what starts as a minor glitch can point to a larger issue developing. Catching and fixing audio problems early means you can continue using your TV without worrying about more serious failures down the line.
Hisense TV Audio Not Working: Common Causes
Audio problems don’t just happen out of nowhere. There are usually clear reasons behind them. Let’s look at what typically causes your Hisense TV to lose sound so you can better understand what you’re dealing with.
1. Muted or Low Volume Settings
This might sound obvious, but it’s the most common reason people think their TV audio isn’t working. You’d be surprised how often the volume gets muted accidentally. Maybe someone sat on the remote, or a child was playing with the buttons. The mute function can activate without you noticing, especially if you were distracted.
Your TV might also have its volume turned down so low that you can’t hear anything. This can happen if you were listening through headphones earlier and forgot to turn the volume back up. Some Hisense models also have separate volume controls for different input sources, so switching from your cable box to a streaming stick might land you on a source with zero volume.
2. Incorrect Audio Output Settings
Your Hisense TV gives you options for where sound should come from. You can use the built-in speakers, send audio to an external soundbar, or output through an AV receiver. The problem starts when your TV thinks it should send sound somewhere other than where you want it.
If your audio output is set to external speakers but nothing’s connected, you won’t hear anything. The TV is faithfully sending the signal out, but there’s nobody home to receive it. This happens a lot after you’ve disconnected a soundbar or home theater system. The TV remembers the last setting and keeps trying to use those external speakers even though they’re gone.
Sometimes a firmware update or power surge can reset these settings without warning. Your TV might switch from internal speakers to optical output or HDMI ARC, and suddenly you’re left wondering where your sound went. The picture looks great, but the audio is being beamed into the void.
3. Loose or Damaged Cables
Physical connections matter more than people realize. HDMI cables carry both video and audio, so if your cable is loose, damaged, or just not quite making proper contact, you might lose sound while keeping the picture. Audio signals are often the first thing to fail when a cable starts going bad.
This becomes even more likely if you have external devices connected. Your cable box, gaming console, or streaming stick all rely on good cable connections. Even a slight wiggle or a bent pin inside the connector can disrupt the audio signal. Cables also degrade over time, especially if they’ve been plugged and unplugged frequently or if they’ve been bent at sharp angles.
4. Software Glitches and Temporary Bugs
Like any smart device, your Hisense TV runs on software that occasionally hiccups. A temporary bug in the system can freeze the audio processing while everything else continues normally. These glitches can happen after an app crashes, after streaming for extended periods, or sometimes for no apparent reason at all.
Your TV’s operating system juggles many tasks simultaneously: processing video, handling audio, managing apps, and maintaining network connections. When something in this digital juggling act gets out of sync, audio can be the casualty. The good news is that software glitches are usually temporary and don’t indicate hardware damage.
5. Faulty Internal Speakers or Audio Hardware
This is the scenario nobody wants, but it happens. The speakers inside your TV can fail, especially as the TV ages. Speakers are physical components with moving parts, and they can wear out or get damaged. You might have a blown speaker, a loose connection on the circuit board, or a failed audio amplifier chip.
Hardware failures often come with warning signs. You might have heard crackling, popping, or distortion before the sound cut out completely. Or maybe the audio only works at certain volume levels. Physical damage can also occur if your TV took a hit or fell, even if the screen didn’t crack. The delicate components inside can get jostled loose.
Hisense TV Audio Not Working: DIY Fixes
Getting your audio back is usually easier than you think. Most of these solutions take just a few minutes and require nothing more than your remote control. Let’s start with the simplest fixes and work our way up.
1. Check Volume and Mute Settings
Grab your remote and look at the volume level on screen. Press the volume up button several times and watch what happens. If you see a mute icon, press the mute button to toggle it off. Some remotes have a dedicated mute button, while others require you to press a combination of buttons.
While you’re at it, make sure the volume is set to a reasonable level. Try pushing it up to at least 30 or 40 percent. If you start hearing sound, you’ve found your problem.
Also check if your TV has different volume settings for different inputs. Switch between your HDMI ports and see if the volume level changes. If one input has sound but another doesn’t, you might need to adjust each one individually. This is particularly common when switching between a cable box and a streaming device.
2. Power Cycle Your TV
Turn off your TV using the remote, then unplug the power cable from the wall outlet. Wait for a full 60 seconds. This might seem like overkill, but it gives the TV’s capacitors time to fully discharge and the system to reset completely.
Plug the power cable back in and turn on your TV. This simple reset clears the temporary memory and gives all the software components a fresh start. You’d be amazed how many electronic issues get resolved just by cutting power completely for a minute. It’s like giving your TV a chance to forget whatever confused it in the first place.
When the TV powers back on, test the audio right away. Try different channels or apps to make sure the sound is working consistently. If you’re using external devices, test those too. This power cycle fix works for about half of all audio problems, especially those caused by software glitches.
3. Verify Audio Output Settings
Press the Settings button on your remote and look for Audio or Sound options. You need to find where your TV is sending its audio signal. Look for a setting called Audio Output, Speaker Output, or Sound Out.
Make sure it’s set to TV Speakers or Internal Speakers if you want sound from the TV itself. If you see options like External Speakers, Optical, HDMI ARC, or Audio Out, and you don’t have anything connected to those ports, switch back to the TV speakers. Your Hisense TV might be trying to send sound to a device that isn’t there.
Some models have an auto-detect feature that tries to figure out where you want the sound to go. This can cause problems if it guesses wrong. Turn off any automatic audio settings and manually select your TV speakers. Save the settings and test the audio. If you do use a soundbar or receiver, make sure those devices are powered on and properly connected before selecting them as your audio output.
4. Check and Reseat Cable Connections
Turn off your TV and any connected devices. Look at every cable plugged into your TV, especially HDMI cables. Unplug each one, inspect the connectors for damage or debris, then plug them back in firmly. You should feel a solid click when an HDMI cable seats properly.
Check both ends of each cable. The problem could be at the TV’s port or at your streaming device or cable box. While you’re at it, look for any obvious damage to the cables themselves. Frayed wires, kinked sections, or crushed areas can all cause audio problems.
If you have extra HDMI cables lying around, try swapping them out. Sometimes a cable that looks fine has internal damage you can’t see. Testing with a different cable takes just a minute and can quickly tell you if the cable was your problem. Make sure any cable you use is rated for the signals you’re sending. Older HDMI cables might not handle newer audio formats properly.
5. Update Your TV’s Software
Press the Menu or Settings button and look for System or Support options. Find Software Update, Firmware Update, or System Update. If an update is available, install it. Make sure your TV stays connected to the internet and doesn’t lose power during the update process.
Manufacturers release updates to fix bugs, including audio issues. Your TV might be suffering from a known problem that’s already been solved. The update process usually takes 10 to 20 minutes, and your TV might restart a few times.
After the update completes, test your audio immediately. Check different apps and inputs to make sure everything works. Software updates sometimes reset certain settings, so you might need to adjust your audio preferences again. If your TV isn’t connected to the internet, you can usually download updates to a USB drive from Hisense’s website and install them manually.
6. Perform a Factory Reset
This is your last resort before calling for help. A factory reset wipes all your settings and returns the TV to how it was when you first bought it. Before you do this, make note of your picture settings, Wi-Fi password, and any custom configurations you want to restore later.
Go to Settings, then System or Support, and look for Reset or Factory Reset. You might need to enter a PIN (usually 0000 or 1234 by default). Confirm that you want to reset everything. The TV will restart and take you through the initial setup process again.
Once the reset completes, test the audio before changing any settings. If sound works now, you know it was a software configuration issue. You can start reconnecting your accounts and adjusting settings. If audio still doesn’t work after a factory reset, the problem is likely hardware-related and needs professional attention.
7. Contact a Professional Technician
If none of these fixes work, you’re dealing with a hardware problem that requires expert repair. Blown speakers, failed audio circuit boards, or damaged internal components need someone with the right tools and parts to fix them properly.
Before calling, make note of your TV’s exact model number, when you bought it, and whether it’s still under warranty. Describe what you’ve already tried so the technician doesn’t repeat the same steps. If your TV is still under warranty, contact Hisense support directly first. They might offer free repairs or replacement.
Wrapping Up
Audio problems with your Hisense TV can be annoying, but they’re often fixable without professional help. Most issues come down to simple settings, loose cables, or software glitches that respond well to basic troubleshooting. Working through these fixes systematically usually gets your sound back quickly.
The key is to start with the easiest solutions first and work your way up to more involved fixes. Don’t skip the simple stuff like checking if the TV is muted or if cables are plugged in properly. These quick checks solve more problems than you’d expect and save you from unnecessary stress and expense.