The fastest way: HDMI with ARC or eARC
Most Samsung soundbars connect to your TV through a single HDMI cable plugged into the HDMI port labeled ARC or eARC on the back of your TV. This is the simplest route because one cable carries both the picture signal and the sound, and your TV handles switching the audio to the soundbar automatically when you turn it on.
Find the HDMI port on your TV marked ARC (Audio Return Channel) or eARC (enhanced Audio Return Channel). If your TV has both, use eARC — it supports better sound formats. Plug one end of an HDMI cable into that port and the other end into the HDMI In port on the back of your soundbar. Turn on both devices. Your TV should recognize the soundbar within a few seconds, and sound will play through the soundbar instead of the TV speakers.
If sound does not come through the soundbar, go into your TV's settings menu, find the sound or audio output section, and select the soundbar from the list of available devices. The exact menu path varies by TV brand, but it is usually under Settings > Sound > Speaker Settings or Audio Output.
Key Takeaways
- HDMI ARC or eARC is the simplest connection method because one cable carries both picture and sound, and requires no separate setup.
- If your TV does not have ARC or eARC, you can use an optical cable instead, though you will lose some advanced sound features.
- Bluetooth connection works for streaming music but does not work for TV sound, so it is not a replacement for HDMI or optical.
- After connecting the cable, you may need to manually select the soundbar as your audio output in the TV's sound settings menu.
- If the soundbar still produces no sound, restart both devices and check that the cable is fully inserted into both the TV and soundbar ports.
Using an optical cable if your TV has no HDMI ARC
Older Samsung TVs and some budget models do not have an ARC port. If yours does not, you can use a digital optical cable instead. This cable carries sound from the TV to the soundbar, though it does not support the newest sound formats like Dolby Atmos.
Locate the optical port on the back of your TV — it is a small square opening, usually labeled Optical Out or S/PDIF. Plug one end of a digital optical cable into that port and the other end into the Optical In port on the back of your soundbar. Turn on both devices and go into your TV's sound settings to select the soundbar as the audio output, just as you would with HDMI ARC.
Optical cables are inexpensive and widely available at electronics retailers. They are also more durable than HDMI cables if your setup is in a tight space where cables get bent frequently.
Bluetooth: what it does and does not do
Samsung soundbars have Bluetooth built in, which lets you stream music from your phone or tablet directly to the soundbar. This is useful for playing Spotify, YouTube Music, or podcasts without turning on your TV. However, Bluetooth does not work for TV sound — the TV cannot send its audio to the soundbar over Bluetooth while you are watching.
To use Bluetooth, press the Bluetooth button on your soundbar remote or the soundbar itself until the light blinks. On your phone or tablet, go to Settings > Bluetooth, find your soundbar in the list of available devices, and tap it to connect. Once paired, your device will reconnect automatically when you turn on the soundbar.
Think of Bluetooth as a bonus feature for music, not as a replacement for HDMI or optical. You still need one of those cables to hear TV sound through the soundbar.
Connecting a Samsung soundbar without a remote
If you lost the remote or it is not working, you can still connect the soundbar using the buttons on the soundbar itself. On most Samsung soundbars, there is a small button on the back or side labeled Input or Source. Press and hold it for a few seconds until the light on the front blinks, then release. This puts the soundbar into pairing mode for Bluetooth.
For HDMI or optical connections, you do not need the remote at all — just plug in the cable and the soundbar will work. If the TV does not automatically send sound to the soundbar, you will need to access your TV's settings menu using the TV remote to select the soundbar as the audio output.
If you want to replace the remote, Samsung sells replacement remotes for most soundbar models. Check the model number on the back of your soundbar and search for that number plus "remote" to find the correct one.
Troubleshooting when the soundbar produces no sound
Start by checking the cable connection. Unplug the HDMI or optical cable from both the TV and soundbar, wait 10 seconds, and plug it back in firmly. Make sure the cable is pushed all the way in — a loose connection is the most common reason sound does not work.
Next, restart both devices. Turn off the soundbar and TV completely, wait 30 seconds, and turn them back on. This clears temporary glitches that prevent the TV from recognizing the soundbar.
If sound still does not come through, open your TV's settings menu and check the audio output. Navigate to Settings > Sound or Audio Output and look for a list of available speakers. Select your Samsung soundbar from the list. If the soundbar does not appear in the list, the TV is not detecting it — this usually means the cable is not fully inserted or the port on the TV is damaged.
As a final check, make sure the soundbar itself is not muted. Look at the front of the soundbar for a mute indicator light, and press the mute button on the remote or soundbar to turn it off. Some soundbars also have a volume dial on the back — make sure it is not turned all the way down.
Connecting multiple devices to the same soundbar
Your TV will use HDMI or optical to send sound to the soundbar whenever it is on. At the same time, you can pair your phone or tablet over Bluetooth for music. The soundbar automatically switches between them — when you turn on the TV, it stops playing Bluetooth audio and plays TV sound instead. When you turn off the TV, Bluetooth becomes active again.
If you have a cable box, streaming device, or gaming console connected to your TV, their sound will also go through the soundbar automatically because they are all connected to the same TV. You do not need separate cables for each device.
Some Samsung soundbars also have their own HDMI input port, which lets you plug a device directly into the soundbar instead of the TV. This is useful if your TV does not have enough HDMI ports. Check your soundbar's manual to see if it has this feature.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a special HDMI cable for ARC?
No. Any standard HDMI cable works with ARC and eARC. You do not need to buy a cable labeled "ARC" — the feature is built into the port, not the cable. A cable you already have will work fine.
Can I use both HDMI and optical cables at the same time?
You can plug both cables in, but the TV will only send sound through one of them. Most TVs default to HDMI if both are connected. If you want to switch between them, you will need to go into the TV's audio settings and manually select which port to use.
Why does the soundbar work for some apps but not others?
Some streaming apps like Netflix and YouTube send sound through HDMI, while others may use a different audio path. If sound works for TV channels but not for a specific app, try restarting the app or checking the app's audio settings. If the problem persists, restart the soundbar and TV together.
Will the soundbar work if my TV is very old?
If your TV has an optical port, yes — use an optical cable. If it has neither optical nor HDMI ARC, the soundbar cannot receive sound from the TV through any cable. In that case, you would need to use the soundbar only for Bluetooth music from your phone, not for TV sound.
What if the soundbar is in a different room from the TV?
HDMI and optical cables have distance limits — they work reliably up to about 50 feet, but longer runs may lose signal. For a soundbar in another room, Bluetooth is your only option, though it only works for music from your phone, not TV sound. If you need TV sound in another room, you would need a second soundbar or a wireless speaker system designed for whole-home audio.