Roku Streambar No Sound? (Here’s The Easy Fix!)

If you are facing the Roku Streambar no sound issue, you’re not alone so continue reading! There are a lot of different reasons why the Roku Streambar audio will not work.
The Streambar will send video and audio to your TV, but to play the audio, your TV needs to send the sound back.
Hence, there are a lot of possible culprits:
We know how to fix this, so let’s get started!
What Should You Do If Your Roku Streambar Has No Sound and Is Also Crackling?
If your Roku Streambar has no sound and is also crackling, start by checking all connections and ensuring they’re secure. Restart the device, and try different audio settings. Sometimes, updating the firmware can resolve these issues. For persistent problems, consider researching solutions for fixing roku soundbar crackling.
How to Fix the Roku Streambar No Sound Issue? – 7 Methods!
Note: Have you tried reconnecting the HDMI or Optical cable from your Streambar to the TV?
1. Unmute TV & Increase Volume

If you experience a streambar or Roku soundbar no sound issue, the first step is to ensure that your TV is not muted and the volume is set to an audible level.
This is very important since the Roku Streambar sends a video signal to your TV, but the audio output comes from the television.
Hence, your TV mute state and volume have a direct impact.
Here’s what to do:
- Grab the TV remote (not the Roku remote).
- Then, find and press the Mute button once.
- Play something on the Streambar to test it.
- Press the Volume Up button multiple times.
If you start hearing the audio, your TV was muted or the volume was too low!
2. Verify Wired Audio Connection

The connection between your Roku Streambar and the TV is crucial for both video and audio problems.
If you can see the video transmission, half the problem is solved, but if you cannot hear any audio output, there are a couple of things to check.
So, based on the connection you’re using, read the instructions carefully!
2.1 HDMI Connection
The HDMI connection is the only method of connecting your Streambar to the TV for a video transfer.
However, to get audio from the TV back to the Streambar, you need to ensure that you’re connecting the cable to the HDMI (ARC) of your TV.
The regular non-ARC HDMI port also transfers audio, but only in one direction, so your TV will receive audio but play it through the internal speakers.
What you need to do to hear sound from the Roku Streambar is receive the audio from the TV back, which requires the HDMI ARC port.
Important: If your TV doesn’t have an HDMI ARC port, the only solution is to use an optical connection to deliver the audio from the TV back to the Streambar.
2.2 Optical Connection

If you take a look at the back of your Roku Streambar, you’ll find the Optical input port, which is labeled “OPTICAL”.
This port is intended to transfer the audio that your TV receives from your Roku Streambar, back to the Streambar, but an optical connection does not transfer the video.
- Hence, if your TV doesn’t support HDMI (ARC), you definitely need an optical cable to include in your setup.
This way, you can see both, video (through HDMI) and hear audio (through Optical).
Note: The Optical output of your TV, should be labeled “OPT OUT”.
3. Enable the Dolby Digital (Optical)
Note: If you are using an HDMI cable and your TV supports an HDMI (ARC) port, skip this step!
When using a combination of an HDMI non-ARC for video and an Optical cable for audio return from your TV, the format plays a vital role.
So, you need to reach into the Roku Streambar menu and switch the format from Stereo to Dolby Digital.

Here’s how to set the format to Dolby Digital on Roku Streambar:
- Press the Home button on the Roku remote.
- Then, head to “Settings” and select “Audio”.
- Choose “Digital Output Format” → “Custom.”
- Finally, select “Dolby” and set “Dolby Digital.”
Note: If you still can’t hear the audio, reboot your TV and Roku Streambar and try again!
4. Enable Stereo Format (Surround)

If you have no sound from Roku soundbar only when viewing TV shows or movies with surround sound, then the problem is once again in the format.
This also applies when your Streambar is connected to a Soundbar or AVR, so change the format to “Stereo”.
- On the Roku remote, press the Home button.
- Head to “Settings” and select the “Audio” tab.
- Select “Digital Output Format” and “Stereo.”
Reminder: If you can’t hear the audio output right away, reboot your TV and Roku Streambar!
5. Reset Roku Streambar to Default

If your Roku Streambar is connected properly to your TV, whether you use HDMI ARC or HDMI and Optical, and you still can’t hear sound, it’s probably a system bug.
One of the most effective ways to deal with system-related problems is to perform a factory reset and revert all settings.
Warning: The factory reset will erase all settings from your Roku Streambar permanently!
Method #1 – Reset Through the Menus
- Press the Home button on the Roku remote.
- Go to “Settings” and scroll down to “System.”
- Then, select “Advanced System Settings.”
- Choose “Factory Reset” and insert the PIN.
- Confirm that you want to reset the Streambar.
Method #2 – Reset Through the Button
Another method of resetting your Roku Streambar is via the “RESET” button on the back of the device.
The Streambar must be working, and then you must press and hold the “RESET” button for 10–15 seconds until the Roku logo appears.
This will reset, your Roku Streambar, and you’re ready to test whether the audio will now work!
6. Stream a Different Media or App

A quick thing to try before wrapping things up would be to play content from a different media or application on your Roku Streambar.
Sometimes the media you’re attempting to view may have an unsupported audio format or the audio itself may not be available, causing the entire issue.
So, go to a proven streaming platform such as YouTube, Netflix, Pandora, or Vevo to stream some content with guaranteed audio playback.
If you can’t hear anything, there is one last thing to try!
7. Try Connecting to a Different TV

If nothing works, and the Roku Streambar still has no sound, we strongly recommend trying to connect the device to a different television.
If possible, test the audio playback on a television with proven support for HDMI (ARC) or at least with a proven-to-work Optical cable for audio.
If you’re connecting the Streambar to a Soundbar or AVR, we recommend trying to connect the Streambar directly to the TV, just for testing purposes.
In case you hear no audio, and nothing helps, we recommend seeking assistance from Roku!

Finn Wheatley, a Master’s graduate in Computer Science from UCL, London, honed his skills at small data science consultancies. There, he helped large corporations enhance their data capabilities by deploying cutting-edge machine learning analytics and resolving technical hurdles.