How To Fix JBL Soundbar HDMI ARC Not Working? Complete Guide

In case your JBL soundbar HDMI ARC not working, you should know what to do!

Fixing the HDMI ARC of your JBL soundbar involves several simple troubleshooting steps. The issue could either be with the cable itself, the soundbar, or on the end of your TV.

We’ll make sure to cover everything in this post so you can solve the problem today!

To fix the HDMI ARC of your JBL soundbar, power cycle your TV along with the soundbar and reconnect the HDMI cable. Plug the cable into a different input on your TV (if possible) or attempt with a different unit. Lastly, perform a factory reset on your soundbar to determine if that would help.

Why JBL Soundbar No Sound HDMI ARC?

When troubleshooting your JBL soundbar’s cable connections, it’s good to determine whether the TV is in good condition.

Since the audio is shared from your TV to the soundbar, if there’s an issue with the audio, it will reflect on your soundbar as well.

Here are all of the issues that could have impacted the HDMI ARC of your JBL soundbar:

1. Faulty TV Input

An issue with the TV’s output (where you have plugged your HDMI ARC cable) will translate into no sound coming out of your soundbar.

2. Problematic Cable

Fault with the HDMI ARC cable you’re using will also result in issues with the sound output of your soundbar.

3. A problem with the Soundbar

A hardware or software problem with your soundbar could be responsible for the problematic sound output.

4. Not using ARC Inputs

Having one side of your HDMI ARC cable connected to an “ARC” input and the other to a regular HDMI input will result in no sound output.

5. TV Audio Settings

Most of the TVs nowadays will allow you to adjust the sound output device and the soundbar may not be selected in your TV’s options.

Those are the suspects for the issue you’re experiencing and next, we’re about to solve each and every possibility so make sure to keep reading!

How To Fix JBL Soundbar HDMI ARC Not Working?

Before we proceed with any of the solutions below, make sure to reboot your soundbar in an attempt to solve the problem.

The issue could be related to a glitch or bug that can easily be removed with a simple reboot.

If restart didn’t work, here’s how to fix the HDMI ARC of your JBL soundbar:

Solution #1 Hard Reset TV/Soundbar & Reconnect

You should start with a hard resetting your soundbar with your TV and reconnecting the HDMI ARC cable.

This will power cycle all of your devices, including the cable, and possibly solve any power-related glitches preventing the setup from working properly.

Here’s what to do when power cycling your setup:

1. Shut down both your TV and soundbar.
2. Unplug the power adapters of your TV and soundbar along with the HDMI ARC.
3. Standby for 5 minutes.
4. Reconnect the A/C power adapters of your device and then the HDMI ARC.
5. Test.

Note: Ensure that you’re attaching all cables to their respective slots once the hard reset is done to avoid further complications.

Solution #2 Use ARC Inputs On Both Devices

Not using ARC inputs on both your soundbar and TV will result in no output from your soundbar.

You should ensure that the HDMI cable is attached to a respective HDMI ARC slot on both your TV and soundbar.

How To Distinguish HDMI ARC From Regular HDMI?

If you’re having a hard time telling which HDMI input is ARC and which is regular, simply look for the label above the input.

Above HDMI ARC inputs, there is an “(ARC)” written exactly the way we’ve given it to you here.

On your soundbar, there is a regular HDMI input, a USB input, and an HDMI ARC input.

Ensure that the ARC cable is plugged into the ARC input on your soundbar as well, otherwise, no audio will be able to pass through.

Pro Tip: The recommendation here is to restart your TV after re-securing the cables into their respective slots to avoid glitches.

Solution #3 Configure TV Audio Settings

The majority of TVs have audio settings from which you can select the output audio device for your TV.

If your JBL soundbar is not selected in the audio settings of your TV, then it won’t output audio from your television.

Here is a universal guideline to select your JBL soundbar from the settings of any TV:

1. Open the settings of your TV.
2. Head to the audio settings tab and choose “Output device”.
3. If your soundbar is connected, you should see the model of your soundbar as an available choice in the output tab.
4. Press on your soundbar and the device should start outputting sound.

Note: Some changes in the settings may require restarting your TV, so make sure to perform a reboot after selecting your soundbar or changing any settings.

Solution #4 Replace HDMI ARC Cable

You should replace the HDMI ARC cable that connects the soundbar with the TV before continuing any further.

If the cable has gone faulty, the TV will lose connection to the soundbar, therefore it won’t output any sound.

Acquire a brand new HDMI ARC cable (avoid purchasing 2nd hand ARC cables) or take a proven-to-work cable to test with.

Attach the new ARC cable on the ARC inputs both on your TV and soundbar, and test if the audio output problem has been solved now.

Alert: Double-check if you’ve connected the ARC cable’s entries appropriately into the respective slots on your soundbar and TV.

Solution #5 Enable CEC On TV

Almost every TV has the Consumer Electronics Control feature, also called “CEC”.

This allows your TV along with the remote, to control the soundbar’s volume. For your HDMI ARC connection to work, the CEC on your TV must remain active at all times.

You can find the CEC feature in the system settings of your TV:

1. Open the settings of your TV.
2. Go to the “Audio tab” and search for the “CEC” feature there.
3. If not found, exit the audio tab and head to General > System preferences.
4. Access the additional audio configuration and you should be able to locate the CEC there.
5. Enable the feature.
6. Restart your TV.

Once enabled, increase your soundbar’s volume and check if the issue has been solved.

Note: In case you’re not able to locate the CEC feature you can always look up on Google how to find it on your TV model.

Solution #6 Reset Your Soundbar

You should perform a factory reset on your soundbar to solve the problem with the HDMI ARC.

Be informed that a factory reset will erase all system configurations, along with the faulty services/data that is preventing the connection to your TV.

Here’s how to reset your soundbar:

1. On your soundbar, press the Volume + and the Virtual Surround buttons.
2. Hold them down for 5 seconds.
3. Wait for your JBL soundbar to reboot and release the buttons.

Note: Do not unplug your JBL soundbar from the power while the reset is still ongoing to prevent software complications.

Read Next: How To Fix JBL Soundbar Not Connecting To TV?

Bottom Line:

Thus, to fix the HDMI ARC of your JBL soundbar, power cycle both, your soundbar and TV. Next, enable the CEC feature on your TV and replace the HDMI ARC cable. Lastly, re-configure the TV’s audio settings and perform a factory reset on your soundbar.

Now that you know why JBL soundbar HDMI ARC not working and how to solve the problem, execution is up to you.

If you ever hesitate that the problem might be more complicated than you think, feel free to contact JBL customer service for more help.