Samsung Soundbar Turns On by Itself? (Don’t Panic, Easy Fix)

Samsung soundbar turns on by itself and you’re starting to get frustrated? Don’t worry!

This is because you’ve enabled a feature called “Auto Power Link”, which is designed to turn on your soundbar along with your TV.

The feature can work with an Optical (wired) connection or even with a Bluetooth (wireless) connection.

However, the turning on can also be caused by your TV, and more specifically a feature called “HDMI-CEC”.

So, if your Samsung soundbar is turning on by itself, first, disable the Auto Power Link feature, and then verify that your TV’s HDMI-CEC is not enabled.

Additionally, eject your remote batteries to ensure IR interference and reset the soundbar.

That’s only a portion of everything there is to attempt, so continue reading!

Samsung Soundbar Turns on By Itself – Quick Way To Fix!

Tip: Follow the steps in consecutive order!

1. Disable the Auto Power Link

Note: Skip this step if your Samsung soundbar is not connected to your TV via Optical cable.

The “Auto Power Link” is a feature supported by Samsung soundbars, which is intended to turn on the soundbar along with the TV.

This feature only works whenever the Samsung soundbar is connected to the TV via Optical cable, hence when enabled, the soundbar turns on with the TV.

The “Auto Power Link” feature can be disabled through the soundbar’s remote control and on many models the button is labeled in an exact match.

However, if you cannot identify which of the remote control buttons is for the feature on your soundbar model, consult the user manual.

Note: Pressing the button once, alternates between Auto Power Link ON and OFF.

2. Stop the Bluetooth Power On

Note: Skip this step if your soundbar is not connected to your TV wirelessly, via Bluetooth.

If your Samsung soundbar is connected to the TV wirelessly, via Bluetooth, then check whether there is a “Bluetooth Power” button on the remote control.

• Logically, when the Bluetooth Power feature is enabled when your wirelessly connected TV is turned on, the soundbar goes on too.

Pressing the buttons once, cycles between Bluetooth Power on and off, hence, press the button once and turn off both your soundbar and TV.

Then power on only your TV, to see whether the Samsung soundbar will go on, and if not, then the feature has been successfully disabled.

Tip: You can turn on the Bluetooth Power feature anytime, by pressing the button while the Samsung soundbar is working.

3. Turn Off Your TV’s HDMI-CEC

Note: Skip this step if your Samsung soundbar is not connected to your TV via HDMI cable.

If your Samsung soundbar is connected to the HDMI-ARC port on your TV via HDMI cable, then you might have enabled the HDMI-CEC feature.

The HDMI-CEC feature is specifically designed for HDMI-connected devices, and powers them on along with the TV, using only the TV remote.

This feature is not only designed for soundbars. It works also with consoles, other speakers, and devices connected to the TV over HDMI.

The thing is, the option will be named differently on the different TV models, hence we’ve prepared a table, showing what to look for on different brands.

Deactivating HDMI-CEC on Different TV Brands:
TV Brand:	Settings Location/Name:
Samsung	Settings → System → Expert Settings → Anynet+ → HDMI-CEC → OFF
Sony	Home → Settings → BRAVIA Settings → External Inputs → HDMI-CEC → CEC → OFF
LG	Settings → All Settings → General → Devices → HDMI Settings → SIMPLINK → OFF
Hisense	Home → Inputs → HDMI Control → OFF
Philips	Settings → Installation → Preferences → EasyLink → Master EasyLink → OFF
Toshiba	Menu → Options → HDMI-CEC Control Setup → Regza Link → OFF
Panasonic	Menu → Setup → HDMI Control Settings → VIERA Link → OFF
Sharp	Menu → Initial Setup → HDMI Setup → Aquos Link Control → OFF
Vizio	Menu → System → CEC → OFF

Note: If you don’t see your TV brand here, feel free to check how to disable the HDMI-CEC on Google or consult the user manual.

4. Power Cycle your Soundbar and TV

Sometimes, even if rarely, the Samsung soundbar turns on and off by itself after a recent power outage, especially when the power kicks back in.

This primarily happens when your soundbar is not connected to the power outlet directly, and there are external devices such as strips, power dividers, or other smart connectors.

So if you’ve caught your Samsung soundbar powering on by itself once or twice, know that this might be coming from the power connection.

Hence, one of the trusted techniques that you can apply right away is to discharge (power cycle) the soundbar by turning it off for about 60 seconds.

One More Thing – Use Direct Source Connection!

We recommend plugging your Samsung soundbar directly into the outlet (if possible) to try and determine whether the automatic turning on will continue.

In the meantime, continue reading the guide…

5. Eject the Batteries Out of the Remote

Have you considered the possibility of the Samsung soundbar remote sending a false IR signal?

If not, know that if the Power button of the remote is stuck or faulty, your remote control could be constantly sending signals to the soundbar.

This will result in random turning off/on, hence one of the ways to justify whether that’s true instantly, is by removing the remote control batteries.

Also, it’s important to justify that there are no other IR (infrared) remotes in the same room and surroundings of your Samsung soundbar as they could interfere. 

If you have a secondary unit that is being controlled with an IR remote, check whether turning it on will also turn on the Samsung soundbar.

Note: If your Samsung soundbar starts turning on again after reinserting the remote batteries, well that justifies where the problem comes from.

6. Reset Samsung Soundbar to Default

If your Samsung sound bar turns up by itself to no avail, even after trying all of the steps from this guide, it’s time for a factory reset.

You might be encountering a software-related fault, which you might not be able to resolve in any way, except with complete system restoration.

So, different Samsung soundbars reset in different ways, so we’ve prepared two methods to try!

• Method #1 – Hold the Volume (+) and Volume (-) buttons until you see “INT” on the screen of the soundbar.

• Method #2 – Unplug the power cable, and hold the Power button while reconnecting the power cord until you see “INT” on the screen.

Note: If you cannot reset your Samsung soundbar by following these methods, consult the user manual for exact instructions.

Samsung Soundbar Still Turning On By Itself – What’s Next?

If your Samsung soundbar is still turning on by itself without a proper reason, chances are that there is something wrong with the sensor.

It’s not excluded that there is an internal hardware or circuit malfunction, causing the device to power on.

So, the best next step would be to contact Samsung Customer Service or claim the warranty by getting in touch with the local merchant and raising a reclamation.

What Should I Do If My Samsung Soundbar Turns On by Itself and the Display Is Not Working?

If your Samsung soundbar turns on by itself and the display is unresponsive, it’s essential to address the issue promptly. Start by checking all connections and resetting the device. For comprehensive guidance, consider troubleshooting samsung soundbar display issues now to restore functionality and enhance your audio experience.

Wrapping Up

So, whenever the Samsung soundbar turns on by itself, you need to disable the Auto Power Link feature, whether it’s Bluetooth Power or Optical Power.

The next step is to verify that your TV’s HDMI-CEC feature is off and perform a factory reset of the soundbar.

We hope this guide was helpful so follow us for more Samsung guides!