Compatibility & scope
Based on Samsung's EU English e-manuals for M- to H-series TVs, as listed on Samsung UK support pages. Manuals are shared by many models; the covers don't list every model. The checks are Samsung's troubleshooting list for 'The picture is good but there is no sound'; the manuals don't rank them or say which one fixes a given case. The 2017–2021 manuals put the Sound Test first and say a clean test melody points to an external device or the broadcast signal; the 2022–2026 manuals list the Sound Test under odd sounds instead. No sound from a soundbar or receiver on HDMI ARC/eARC, or from a Bluetooth device, is covered by separate guides; optical connections are not covered here. The manuals give no further step if the Sound Test itself is silent. The 2011 pre-Smart-Hub manual is not covered. Documentation reviewed; no TV tested for this article.
In this guide
Check where the TV is sending its sound
When a Samsung TV shows a picture but plays no sound from its own speakers, first check the Sound Output setting. It decides which speakers the TV uses: if it’s set to a soundbar, a receiver or a Bluetooth device, the TV’s own speakers stay silent.
- Sound Output is set to something other than TV Speaker, and you want sound from the TV: select TV Speaker.
- You want the sound from that soundbar, receiver or headphones and they’re silent: that’s a different problem. See Samsung TV HDMI ARC or eARC has no sound or Bluetooth headphones and speakers on a Samsung TV.
- Sound Output is already TV Speaker: check the volume, then continue with the checks below.
| Your TV’s menu | Path to Sound Output |
|---|---|
| Settings on the Home screen leads straight to its sections, with no All Settings step (2017–2021 TVs: M, N, R, T and A series) | Home → Settings → Sound → Sound Output |
| Home shows a Menu item (2022 B-series TVs) | Home → Menu → Settings → All Settings → Sound → Sound Output |
| Left directional button opens the menu (later TVs) | Home → left directional button → Settings → All Settings → Sound → Sound Output |
Work through Samsung’s checks
Samsung lists these for “the picture is good but there is no sound”. Go through them in order; each one is quick.
- Check both volumes. Turn up the TV’s volume, then check the volume on the device you’re watching through, such as a cable box, satellite box or Blu-ray player.
- Check the headphone jack. If your TV has one, make sure nothing is plugged into it.
- Check the device’s own audio setting. If you’re watching a cable box or other device connected by HDMI, its audio output may need to be set to HDMI. Samsung gives the cable box as its example; the setting is in that device’s menu, not the TV’s.
- Check the cable between the device and the TV, and reconnect it.
- Restart the device. Unplug its power cable, plug it back in and try again. With a set-top or cable box, check its cable connection too. If it still has no sound, contact your cable or satellite provider.
Sound from a computer: Samsung’s manuals say to connect external speakers to the computer’s own audio output to hear computer sound.
A quick way to narrow it down (our suggestion, not a step from the manuals): switch to a different source, such as a TV channel or an app. If that has sound and only one HDMI device is silent, the problem is more likely with that device or its settings.
Run the Sound Test
The TV’s Sound Test plays a test melody so you can check the TV’s sound.
| Your TV’s menu | Path to the Sound Test |
|---|---|
| Settings → Support has no Device Care item (2017–2019 TVs: M, N and R series) | Home → Settings → Support → Self Diagnosis → Start Sound Test |
| Settings → Support → Device Care (2020–2021 TVs: T and A series) | Home → Settings → Support → Device Care → Self Diagnosis → Sound Test |
| Home shows a Menu item (2022 B-series TVs) | Home → Menu → Settings → Support → Device Care → Self Diagnosis → Sound Test |
| Left directional button opens the menu (later TVs) | Home → left directional button → Settings → Support → Device Care → Self Diagnosis → Sound Test |
Note that the Sound Test is under Support, not under All Settings.
- You hear the melody clearly: the TV’s speakers are working. Samsung’s 2017–2021 manuals say the problem may then be an external device or the strength of the broadcast signal. Go back to the device checks above.
- You hear the melody, but it’s distorted or noisy: check the audio cable connections between external devices and the TV. For aerial or cable TV, a weak signal can cause sound distortion; Samsung’s manuals put a signal check in the same Self Diagnosis menu.
- You hear nothing from the test: the manuals don’t give a further step for this case. Contact Samsung support for your model.
If the problem is something else
- The TV speaks menu items or describes scenes aloud: that’s Voice Guide, not a sound fault. See Turn Samsung TV Voice Guide on or off.
- No sound only from a soundbar or receiver on HDMI ARC or eARC: Samsung’s main fix there is the Digital Output Audio Format setting. It’s covered in Samsung TV HDMI ARC or eARC has no sound.
Common questions
Some sound menus are missing. Is that related?
It can be. Samsung notes that when an external speaker is selected in Sound Output, some sound menus aren’t supported, and the TV remote may not control that speaker. If you want sound from the TV’s own speakers, select TV Speaker.
Sources & scope
Pages 170, 277–278, 304
View sourceSamsung UK download listed for the QE65QN70HAU and other H-series TVs. Consulted: Selecting speakers (Sound Output), Sound and Noise Issues (The picture is good but there is no sound; The speakers are making an odd sound) and the Self Diagnosis list. Path icons checked visually on page 277.
Pages 171, 262–263
View sourceSamsung UK download listed for C-series TVs such as the UE85CU7110K. Same Sound Output path and no-sound checks. The manual Samsung UK lists for D- and F-series TVs (BN81-27185C-660, pages 169 and 260) gives the same path and checks.
Pages 155, 235–236
View sourceSamsung UK download listed for small and budget models such as the UE32H5000FK, UE24F6000FK and QE40Q5FAA. Path icons checked visually on page 235.
Pages 154, 223–224
View sourceSamsung UK download listed for B-series TVs such as the QE50LS03BGU. Paths start Home → Menu. Path icons checked visually on page 223.
Pages 129, 191–192
View sourceSamsung UK download listed for A-series TVs such as the UE50AU9070U. Testing the sound (Sound Test melody), then: set Sound Output to TV Speaker.
Pages 111, 166–167
View sourceSamsung UK download listed for T-series TVs such as the QE55Q90TAT. The budget T-series manual (KT2DVBEUT-2.4.0, page 132) has the same checks. Path icons checked visually on page 166.
Pages 113, 138
View sourceSamsung UK download listed for R-series TVs such as the UE50RU7410U. The test is called Start Sound Test, with no Device Care step.
Pages 112, 137
View sourceSamsung UK download listed for N-series TVs such as the QE65Q7FNAT. The small N-series manual (KSFDVBEUN-1.2.0, page 96) has the same checks.
Pages 83, 104
View sourceSamsung UK download listed for M-series and some N-series TVs. PDF page numbers; the printed page numbers are 6 lower (77, 98). Path icons checked visually on page 104.
These instructions are based on manufacturer documentation. They have not been device-tested for this guide.
Based on Samsung's EU English e-manuals for M- to H-series TVs, as listed on Samsung UK support pages. Manuals are shared by many models; the covers don't list every model. The checks are Samsung's troubleshooting list for 'The picture is good but there is no sound'; the manuals don't rank them or say which one fixes a given case. The 2017–2021 manuals put the Sound Test first and say a clean test melody points to an external device or the broadcast signal; the 2022–2026 manuals list the Sound Test under odd sounds instead. No sound from a soundbar or receiver on HDMI ARC/eARC, or from a Bluetooth device, is covered by separate guides; optical connections are not covered here. The manuals give no further step if the Sound Test itself is silent. The 2011 pre-Smart-Hub manual is not covered. Documentation reviewed; no TV tested for this article.
