Why Is Samsung TV Not Recognizing Sound Bar?

If a Samsung TV not recognizing sound bar, it could be because the pairing mode is not activated. There should be a button on your soundbar that will activate pairing mode and allow other devices to discover your soundbar.

If you have already done that and your soundbar is still not being recognized, in this post we will discuss why and possible ways to resolve the issue.

It is important to understand that not all soundbars support Bluetooth connectivity. Older models must be directly connected via HDMI or AUX to your Samsung TV so check your soundbar model only to put this possibility aside.

In case your Soundbar is paired, and you are still not able to hear an output through it, keep reading as we are fixing this issue as well.

How To Fix Samsung TV Not Recognizing Sound Bar?

Before you start applying the steps below, there is one thing that you need to make sure of. Go online and check the type of connection your soundbar supports.

It could be Bluetooth, HDMI, or AUX. Once you find out it is time to connect your soundbar from scratch and hopefully, the issue will be gone.

Solution #1 Different Ways to Connect

As we have mentioned above there are three ways that you can connect a soundbar depending on what type of connection is supported (some soundbars support all three).

Let’s take a look at how to establish a connection in any case scenario.

Connect With Bluetooth

To connect your Soundbar using Bluetooth, first press the pairing button located somewhere on your soundbar panel.

Pressing the pairing button, the soundbar will not be discoverable by other devices. It is now time to pair it with your TV.

Navigate to your Samsung’s TV Settings, then go to Sound and choose Sound Output. Select the soundbar you’re trying to pair and wait until the connection is established.

If your soundbar does not appear in the list, navigate to Settings then go to Sound, next choose Speaker Settings. In that menu select TV SoundConnect and choose Add New Device.

Lastly, select your speaker as your primary sound device.

Pro Tip:

If you manage to connect successfully using Bluetooth, you will be able to control your soundbar with your remote, considering that it uses Bluetooth as well.

Connect Using HDMI

If connecting via Bluetooth does not work for you, go ahead and check your soundbar for the HDMI port.

You’re lucky if there is because, with an HDMI connection, there is a lot less that can go wrong.

To exclude possible issues, firstly make sure that your TV’s HDMI port is working by testing with another device. If possible, test your HDMI cable with another device to justify its proper performance.

Lastly, connect your soundbar to your Samsung TV using the proven-to-work HDMI and TV port.

If everything is supported, your TV should now be using the soundbar as a primary audio output device.

Connect Using AUX

While this is the oldest way to connect an audio device, it remains the most reliable solution.

If both your Samsung TV and soundbar support AUX connection, feel free to get an AUX cable and wire them up.

Note that, when using AUX, it should be connected to the headphones input of your Samsung TV.

That means that you should select headphones as a primary audio output on your TV in order for your soundbar to get working.

Note:

If you don’t turn your TV’s inbuilt speakers’ volume down, you might hear lipsync or more specifically double sound.

A universal method to change the sound output is by pressing either of the volume buttons on your remote and clicking the left or right arrow to switch between modes. Then adjust the volume.

Solution #2 Power Cycle Devices

If your Samsung TV not recognizing sound bar, regardless of the way you are using it to connect, you might need to perform some troubleshooting.

We will start with executing a power cycle in order to refresh the power flow and cleanly boot all services. For best results, we recommend power cycling both your Samsung TV and soundbar.

Here is how to perform a power cycle rightfully:

1. Disconnect your devices from the power supply.
2. Plug out any 3rd party devices connected to your TV and soundbar.
3. Wait for about 3 to 5 minutes before plugging them back in.
4. Once ready, check if your soundbar is recognized.

If you have performed the power cycle rightfully, and you were patient enough to wait the time that is required, there is a high chance that the issue is now gone.

In that regard, you can confidently scroll up and try connecting your soundbar using one of the three ways we have described in the first solution.

Solution #3 Update TV Firmware

Some people with the same exact issue as yours reported that they have managed to get their soundbar discovered and paired.

This was possible only after they have updated the Samsung TV firmware to the latest possible version.

Go in your TV menu, by pressing the home button on your remote and navigate to the Update Tab. Check if there are available/pending updates, download and install them now.

Once ready, scroll up to solution #2 and perform a power cycle again.

Once done, test if your soundbar is now working as intended.

Solution #4 Reset Samsung TV

Sometimes the issue could be because of an internal software issue with your Samsung TV.

To justify this, this solution will teach you how to perform a factory reset on your Samsung TV.

It is important to understand that a factory reset will permanently erase all data and personal configuration, reverting your TV as it was when started for the very first time.

Here is how to reset your TV to default settings:

1. Open the TV menu by pressing the menu button on your remote.
2. Select Support and press the Enter button.
3. Choose Self Diagnosis and then select Reset.
4. Confirm the reset by inserting your PIN (if needed).
5. Wait until the software is reset.

Test if your soundbar is now discoverable.

Solution #5 Contact Samsung Support

If nothing so far managed to help and your soundbar is still not recognizable, feel free to contact Samsung and ask for additional help.

Don’t forget to mention what you’ve tried in this post so you can avoid applying the same troubleshooting steps over again.

Read Next: Why is my Samsung TV Volume too Low?

Why Samsung TV Not Recognizing Vizio Sound Bar?

So, what’s specific with Vizio soundbars is that they use an optical cable to establish a connection with your Samsung TV.

If your settings are not configured the right way you might be able to hear sound coming out of your Vizio soundbar.

Go to your Samsung TV Sound Settings and change the output to Audio Out/Optical. While still in the Sound Settings, scroll down until you find Expert Settings.

From there change both your Digital and HDMI output to PCM. If this does not help, try changing the input port of your Vizio soundbar on the top by pressing the button on the top panel.

Note:

Each time you change sources, two separate green lights should appear as an indication.

Final Thoughts

Now when you know why Samsung TV is not recognizing sound bar, you should be able to perform effective troubleshooting at home.

We wish you no more trouble in the future and good luck with all your tech workflow configurations.

If you are experiencing issues with any other piece of tech in your smart home, there is a high chance that you will find a solution in our blog.

So, if you haven’t checked it yet, you’re missing out!