26 Easy Ways to Fix Firestick Not Playing Sound

Is your Firestick not playing sound?

Then fix it with this easy step-by-step Firestick no sound fix guide.

If you’re asking yourself “How do I fix the sound on my Amazon Firestick”, then read through the troubleshooting steps below to fix it quickly.

Why is there No Sound on my Amazon FireStick?

We know how inconvenient it can be when you’re expecting to watch a show or movie, but for some reason, the audio is not working on your FireStick. There can be a multitude of reasons for this, but luckily there are good solutions to follow. 

Sometimes, the problem can be a result of the FireStick itself. These kinds of issues include faulty output connections, broken hardware, old connection cables, or volume software issues. 

In other cases, the problem is much more easily fixable: maybe it could be that the volume isn’t turned up manually, some settings were set up incorrectly, or your internet connection is causing the issue. 

No matter what, this problem can be fixed in a few ways and your sound should be up and running again in no time.

Below, we’ll detail a few methods that can help you get back to watching your favorite shows, movies, and more!

Guaranteed Ways to Fix Firestick No Sound Issue

The Firestick not playing sound solutions below are ordered from “most likely to fix your issue” to “least likely to fix your issue”. So try the fixes at the top of this list first and try them one-by-one from the top of this troubleshooting guide all the way to the end until your Firestick not playing sound issue is fixed.

Stuck wondering “Why is there no sound on my Amazon Fire Stick”? Wonder no more and solve your audio issue once and for all. Read on!

Plug the Firestick Power Supply Directly Into Electrical Outlet

Many, many people plug their Firestick’s USB power cord into the back of their TV. Little do they know that their TV doesn’t output enough POWER through the USB port to power the Firestick video and audio.

To fix this low-power issue, just plug the Firestick power supply directly into the (electrical) wall outlet.

Restart Your Firestick

We recommend you restart your Fire Stick first to see if the Firestick not playing sound problem you’re having is just a fluke. This is just like how when your computer or phone has an issue, the solution in many cases is to just power off your device and power it back on. So try this with your Firestick to see if it fixes your No Sound issue.

• To restart your Firestick, unplug the power cord from the back of the Firestick, leave it unplugged for 60 seconds, and plug it in again.

Important Firestick Safety Note

When you’ve solved your Firestick not playing sound issues and are ready to get back to streaming, it important that you’re browsing safely. Important steps you can take are to make sure that your WiFi router password is strong and that you’re using a safe, fast VPN.

There are already companies and government agencies collecting your browsing data, and it’s not as difficult as you’d think for hackers to do the same. You can make your browsing safe and anonymous through a VPN, which means you can be sure that no one is looking in on your activity.

As a bonus, there are tons of side benefits to using a VPN, like unlocking region restricted content on streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, and YouTube. Watch anything from anywhere! Check out our how to install a VPN on anything guide for a little extra help on the technical end of things.

No Sound in Only Some Movies

Some Firestick users experience Firestick not playing sound only in some specific movies. Many users fix this by restarting their Firestick / Fire TV.

If that doesn’t work for you, try to contact Amazon support by going to the Firestick Home Screen, then Settings, then Help, then Contact Us, then Watch & Play, then Streaming Issues. After you do this, Amazon customer support should call you within minutes.

Check your TV for Muted Audio to Fix Firestick Not Playing Sound

Many times your Firestick not playing sound problems are simply because your TV audio is simply muted. Double check your TV to make sure the audio is not muted.

• To check your TV audio for muting, grab the remote control for your TV and press the MUTE button. If this solves your issue, then your Firestick should be good to go!

Audio Receiver is Powered Off

Some people use an “AV receiver” to push the Firestick’s audio through external speakers (for example, a surround sound home theater system). If you use an external device for your home theater system’s audio, then first make sure the AV receiver is powered on.

• To see if your AV receiver is powered on, look at the AV receiver to see if any lights on it are lit up. If not, press the POWER button to turn on the AV receiver. On the other hand, if your AV receiver is powered on and your Firestick has no sound still, then continue with the rest of the solutions in this troubleshooting guide.

Turn Off Dolby Digital Output on Firestick

There’s a setting on Firestick that can cause Firestick not playing sound issues.

To try this solution, follow these steps:

1. First go to the Firestick Home Screen using the Firestick remote.
2. Then go to Settings
3. Now select Display & Sounds
4. Then choose Dolby Digital Output and be sure that it’s turned OFF.

TIP: For Dolby audio to work properly, your surround sound receiver needs to specifically support Dolby Digital Plus audio.

What is Dolby Digital Plus audio technology? Dolby Digital + is an audio output format which is based on the Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound method of playing back audio.

Re-attach the HDMI Connection to Your Firestick

Many times the Firestick not playing sound issue is caused by the HDMI cable not being completely connected. I personally had this issue several times (because my dog ran into the HDMI extension cord and it caused the HDMI connection to become partially disconnected).

To fix this, simply unplug the HDMI connection completely. Then re-connect the HDMI connector completely. After that, make sure your Firestick is powered on and try to hear the audio again.

Make Sure the HDMI Port Supports Audio

This one is a fix / sound issue that most people wouldn’t realize: the HDMI port your Firestick is plugged into does not support audio at all.

In this case, the HDMI port the Firestick is connected to will say “DVI”, “Monitor”, or “PC”.

To solve this, just make sure the HDMI port your Firestick is attached to does not say PC, Monitor, or DVI.

Be Sure Your Surround Sound is Hooked Up Properly

If you use an audio/video receiver to play the Firestick audio through speakers, then use this walkthrough to be certain everything is hooked up the right way. It’s one of the most common causes of Firestick not playing sound issues.

You hook up your surround sound in one of two ways:

Surround Sound Setup #1: TV acts as the output for Firestick

In this case, your Firestick is plugged into your surround sound receiver’s HDMI port. Then your surround sound receiver “outputs” the HDMI signal to your TV. In this scenario, your surround sound receiver is the “middleman” between your Firestick and your TV.

Some surround sound receivers don’t have HDMI ports, so if your receiver does not have an HDMI output port, then this method obviously won’t work for you.

Surround Sound Setup #2: Firestick Plugged into TV with Audio Out

In the second case, the Firestick is plugged directly into your TV. Then, you have an “audio out” cable going from your TV to your AV receiver. This is usually done using one of a few different types of cables. Typically you will use one of these cable types:

• RCA cable (the “older” style with red and white plug ends)
• Optical audio cable
• 3.5mm audio cable (which has the same plug that fits into most smartphones or MP3 players)

For this to work, the Firestick needs to be plugged into the HDMI port on your TV.

Make sure that in the TV’s Settings area (using your TV’s remote control), the option to Enable Audio Output is turned ON. Your TV’s Audio Settings section may call this External Audio or something similar.

Firestick not playing sound still? Keep reading!

Check the Volume on Your TV (and AV Receiver)

This Firestick not playing sound solution is often overlooked, even by techies themselves. In this case, the Volume on your TV (or on your surround sound receiver) is turned to 0. This can be confusing, because your TV / AV receiver may not necessarily switch to “Mute” mode when the volume is turned all the way down to zero.

To fix this, press the Up Volume button on your TV remote and/or surround sound remote to make sure the volume is above 0.

Make Sure the Sound Settings Are Correct on TV and Receiver

It’s possible that your TV and/or surround sound receiver are set to output sound to the wrong port. Some users of Panasonic televisions report that this fix worked for them.

An example of a case when this fix would work for you is if your TV is outputting the audio signal to a surround sound receiver using an optical audio cable, but the TV is set to output using analog audio.

To check this:

1. Go into the Settings on your TV or surround sound receiver.
2. Make sure that HDMI is on Digital for your device’s Sound Settings.

As you can see, Firestick not playing sound issues are not always a problem with the Firestick itself.

Try an Optical Audio Cable If You’re Using a Surround Sound System

If you have a surround sound system (and the surround sound receiver has an optical audio port on the backside of the receiver), then connect an optical audio cable between the TV and the surround sound receiver.

To try this Firestick not playing sound solution:

1. Just get an optical audio cable and connect one end to the back of your TV.
2. Then connect the other end of the optical audio cable to your surround sound receiver.

Switch TV or Surround Sound to Another Input

Most TVs have at least a few different “inputs”, such as HDMI, DVD, PC, etc.

Some users report that they fixed the Firestick no audio issue by switching their device to a different input, then switch back to the original input.

Move Firestick to Another Input

If your TV or surround sound system has more than 1 HDMI port, then physically move your Firestick into another HDMI port. Sometimes an HDMI port can go completely dead, causing the dreaded Firestick not playing sound problem.

To try this:

1. Unplug the power from your Firestick
2. Then unplug your Firestick from the HDMI port it’s currently connected to.
3. Finally, move the Firestick to a different HDMI port and see if you get audio now

Make Sure Your TV’s Internet Speaker is Set to ON

Most TVs have a setting that turns the TV speaker ON or OFF.

To check this:

1. Use your TV remote to go to the Settings (or Menu).
2. Then go to the Audio section of your TV’s Settings menu.
3. Now make sure Internal Speaker or Internal Audio is set to ON and not OFF.

Check All Cable Connections on Your Firestick

This solution is a no-brainer, but even expert Firestick users sometimes overlook this simple issue that frequently causes Firestick not to play sound troubles.

To fix this:

1. Ensure that the HDMI connection and any audio out cables are fully connected.
2. Make sure there are no breaks in any of the cables and make sure there are no exposed wires (like if your dog chewed the cable)
3. Try to reverse the connector ends of your cables.
4. Use a brand new HDMI cable.

Restart Whatever App You’re Using

It’s very possible that the Firestick app you’re using encountered a glitch that’s causing no Firestick audio to be heard.

To solve this, simply close out of the app you’re using, then re-open the app. I also recommend that you completely restart your Firestick.

To close out of an app on your Firestick:

1. Go to the Firestick Home Screen
2. Select Settings
3. Choose Applications
4. Then select Manage Installed Applications
5. Find and choose the app you’re using (such as Netflix, for example)
6. Choose Force Close
7. Re-open (launch) the app again to see if the issue is fixed

Make Sure Your Fire TV Software is Up-to-Date

Amazon periodically releases software updates for the Firestick operating system to fix bugs and glitches. If you’re having technical issues, like Firestick not playing sound, this is something you should always check.

To check if your Firestick is updated:

1. Go to the Fire TV Home Screen
2. Select Settings
3. Choose System
4. Then select About
5. Now choose Software Version
6. Press Check for System Update

Uninstall Then Reinstall the App You’re Using

Some people have an app issue that can only be fixed by deleting and reinstalling the particular app they’re using. In this case, if you’re saying “How do you fix no sound on Netflix?”, then use the steps below to fix it:

1. Go to the Fire TV Home Screen
2. Choose Settings
3. Select Applications
4. Then select Manage Installed Applications
5. Find and choose the app that’s not working (such as Hulu, for example)
6. Press Uninstall
7. Finally, reinstall the app by searching for it from the Search function on the Firestick Home Screen

Sound Is Out of Sync Using Fire TV Cube

If you’re using the Fire TV Cube, then the HDMI connection from your Fire TV Cube to your TV/surround sound can affect Firestick not playing sound issues.

To fix Fire TV Cube audio sync issues (by adjusting the Fire TV Cube audio settings while you’re playing Multi-Room Music in order to eliminate audio lag):

1. Press on the Firestick remote’s Menu button
2. Then move the slider on your screen until the audio/music is no longer out of sync

Change Resolution from 1080p to 720p

Sometimes the Firestick may not have enough power to output a full 1080p resolution video signal while also playing the audio. This power outage can cause Firestick not playing sound.

To fix this, use your Firestick remote and/or TV remote to change the video resolution from 1080p to 720p.

Disconnect Echo Dot from Firestick

This issue actually happened to me personally. Apparently one day my Amazon Echo Dot connected to my Firestick / Fire TV. All I had to do to fix this was disconnect the Echo from my Firestick.

To disconnect Echo (Dot) from Firestick:

• Just say “Alexa, disconnect from Fire TV”.
• Test to see if your Firestick not playing sound problem is resolved

Use the HDMI Extender Cable to Prevent Overheating

Many TVs put out a lot of heat onto the Firestick (through the vent ports on the back of the TV).

If this is the case for you, then simply attach the HDMI extension cable that came with your Fire TV to your Firestick, wait for the Firestick / Fire TV to cool down, and try to stream something again.

Make Sure All Ports Are HDCP 2.2 Compliant (If Using Adapters / Splitters)

if you’re using any adapters or splitters (such as an HDMI splitter), then you must make sure every single connection and cable is HDCP 2.2 compliant. Otherwise you’ll hit a snag with Firestick not playing sound.

It’s possible that even just 1 cable or port may not be HDCP compliant. If this is the case, then you’ll probably hear no Firestick audio at all.

Rename the Input to “DVD”

Some users report that they fixed their Fire TV no audio issue by renaming the Input on their TV to “DVD”. Why? It seems that Firestick recognizes the port more easily if it’s named is changed to “DVD”. We’re not sure why this solves Firestick not playing sound issues, but it seems to do the trick for some people.

Buy a New Firestick

If all the Firestick not playing sound fixes above don’t work, then your Amazon Firestick may be dead. In this case, buy a new Firestick.

FAQ

Can I enable automatic updates for my FireStick? 

Normally, you shouldn’t even have to do this! Your FireStick comes with automatic updates already enabled. So, all you need to start updating your FireStick system is a strong, reliable internet connection. 

Once you “fire” up your device, new software updates will install if there are any in the queue.

Do I need a receiver to connect my TV to speakers? 

If you’re wondering about needing a second device to connect audio, the answer is no. Luckily, your TV should come with multiple inputs/outputs that will let you directly connect your speakers. Or, if you have a smart TV, you can use Bluetooth to connect your speaker system to it.

How can I fix the sound delay on my Firestick? 

If there’s a sound delay on your Fire Stick device, try the following solutions: 

• Fast-forward or rewind the video stream to know the video file works fine
• Restart your video stream to clear any browser’s cache issues
• Clear the app’s cache you are using for streaming
• Switch from Dolby Digital to Stereo Surround Sound to remove any audio hardware issues
• If all else fails, Restart your Firestick. 

How can I get sound from my Firestick to the projector? 

Simply connect your Firestick to the HDMI port of your projector. In case your projector doesn’t have an HDMI port, you will have to use an HDMI to RCA adapter to pair the two. After that, just set the projector to the right video input and use Firestick as you use it with a TV. 

How can I play audio from Firestick on my Echo device? 

It’s very simple. In the Alexa application, go to Devices, then “Add Device,” followed by “Combine speakers and finally “Home Theater.” Choose your Firestick, and select your speakers after that. You should be able to see the echo device in the same room as your TV name. 

Why does my Firestick sound keep going off? 

In most cases, this happens because of two reasons. Either your internet connection is too slow, or your Firestick is unable to receive enough power to properly function. So, you should check your power supply as well as the internet connection to resolve this problem. 

Conclusion

Firestick not playing sound problem usually goes away when you try these solutions. Did this help resolve your Firestick not playing sound issues? We certainly hope so! Let us know in the comments below which Firestick not playing sound solution worked for you.

However, in some rare cases, you may still get no sound on Firestick. Therefore, you should talk to Amazon’s technical team for assistance. They are in a much better position to help you with any hardware issues.