How to Fix HDMI Audio Not Working on Your Computer

Published 2026-10-16 · LuxuriousComputers Repair

When you connect your computer to a TV or monitor via HDMI and the picture shows up but there is no sound, the issue is almost always a software configuration problem rather than a bad cable. HDMI carries both video and audio on the same cable, but the computer needs to be told to send audio through HDMI instead of through its built-in speakers or headphone jack. Here is how to fix it.

Set HDMI as the default audio output

The most common cause of missing HDMI audio is that the computer is still sending sound to its internal speakers or another output device instead of the HDMI connection:

Windows 10 and 11

  1. Right-click the speaker icon in the system tray (bottom right of the taskbar) and select Sound settings (Windows 11) or Open Sound settings (Windows 10)
  2. Under Output, look for a dropdown or list of output devices. You should see your TV or monitor name, or a generic entry like HDMI Audio, Digital Audio, or the name of your graphics card followed by HDMI
  3. Select the HDMI output as the default device
  4. If you do not see the HDMI device in the list, scroll down to More sound settings (Windows 11) or click Sound Control Panel. In the Playback tab, right-click an empty area and check Show Disabled Devices and Show Disconnected Devices. If the HDMI output appears grayed out, right-click it and select Enable, then set it as the default

Mac

  1. Open System Settings (or System Preferences on older macOS), then Sound, then Output
  2. Select the HDMI device from the output list. It will usually show the name of the connected TV or monitor
  3. If the HDMI output does not appear in the list, disconnect and reconnect the HDMI cable, then check again

Check the cable and connection

A loose or damaged HDMI cable can carry video without audio, or carry neither reliably:

  • Unplug the HDMI cable from both ends and plug it back in firmly. Make sure it clicks or seats fully into the port
  • Try a different HDMI port on the TV or monitor if one is available. Some devices have ports that handle audio differently
  • Try a different HDMI cable. Cables can develop internal breaks that affect the audio signal while video continues to work. This is more common with older or heavily bent cables
  • If you are using an adapter (DisplayPort to HDMI, USB-C to HDMI, DVI to HDMI), check that the adapter supports audio. DVI to HDMI adapters generally do not carry audio because DVI does not support audio. DisplayPort to HDMI and USB-C to HDMI adapters typically do support audio, but cheap or passive adapters may not

Check the TV or monitor volume and settings

Before troubleshooting the computer further, make sure the receiving device is not the problem:

  • Check the TV or monitor volume using its own remote control or onscreen menu. Make sure it is not muted and the volume is turned up
  • Check the TV's audio input settings. Some TVs require you to manually select the audio source for each HDMI input. Look for an Audio or Sound menu in the TV settings and make sure it is set to receive audio from the HDMI port you are using, not from optical or ARC
  • If the TV has external speakers connected (a soundbar via optical or ARC), the TV's built-in speakers may be disabled. Either route audio through the external speakers or re-enable the internal speakers in the TV menu

Update or reinstall audio drivers

HDMI audio on Windows is handled by the graphics card driver (NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel), not the motherboard audio driver. If the HDMI audio device does not appear in sound settings at all, the graphics driver may be missing or the HDMI audio component was not installed:

NVIDIA

  1. Open Device Manager (right-click Start, Device Manager)
  2. Expand Sound, video and game controllers. Look for NVIDIA High Definition Audio or NVIDIA Virtual Audio Device. If it is not there or shows a yellow triangle, the NVIDIA audio driver needs to be installed or updated
  3. Download the latest driver from nvidia.com/drivers. During installation, make sure HD Audio Driver is checked in the custom installation options. A clean install is recommended if HDMI audio was previously working and stopped

AMD

  1. In Device Manager under Sound, video and game controllers, look for AMD High Definition Audio Device
  2. If missing or errored, download the latest driver from amd.com/support. The audio driver installs as part of the AMD Software package

Intel (integrated graphics)

  1. Look for Intel Display Audio in Device Manager under Sound, video and game controllers
  2. If missing, use the Intel Driver and Support Assistant from intel.com to detect and install the correct driver

After installing or updating any driver, restart the computer and check HDMI audio again.

Restart the Windows Audio service

If the audio output device appears but produces no sound, restarting the audio service can fix the issue:

  1. Press Windows key + R, type services.msc, and press Enter
  2. Find Windows Audio in the list. Right-click it and select Restart
  3. Also restart Windows Audio Endpoint Builder the same way
  4. Test HDMI audio after both services restart

Run the Windows audio troubleshooter

Windows has a built-in troubleshooter that can detect and fix common audio configuration problems:

  • Windows 11: Settings, System, Troubleshoot, Other troubleshooters, Playing Audio. Run it and follow the prompts
  • Windows 10: Settings, Update and Security, Troubleshoot, Additional troubleshooters, Playing Audio

The troubleshooter checks audio services, default devices, volume levels, and driver status. It can sometimes fix problems that are not obvious from the settings panels.

Check BIOS audio settings

On some motherboards, onboard audio or HDMI audio can be disabled in the BIOS:

  • Restart the computer and enter BIOS (usually by pressing Delete, F2, or F12 during boot)
  • Look for an Onboard Devices or Integrated Peripherals section
  • Check that HD Audio or HDMI Audio is enabled. If it was disabled, enable it, save, and exit BIOS

HDMI audio through a docking station or hub

If you are connecting through a USB-C hub, Thunderbolt dock, or docking station rather than directly from the computer:

  • Check that the dock supports HDMI audio passthrough. Most modern USB-C docks do, but some older or budget docks only pass video
  • Try connecting HDMI directly to the computer (bypassing the dock) to determine whether the dock is the problem
  • Update the dock firmware if the manufacturer provides firmware updates
  • Some docks require their own driver to be installed for audio passthrough to work

When hardware is the issue

If none of the software fixes work:

  • Test with a different TV or monitor to determine whether the problem is on the computer side or the display side
  • Test the same TV with a different HDMI source (a game console, streaming stick, or another computer) to verify the TV's HDMI audio works
  • If the computer's HDMI port is on a dedicated graphics card, the port or the card's audio chip may be faulty. If the computer has both a GPU HDMI port and a motherboard HDMI port, try the other one (you may need to change BIOS settings to enable the motherboard port)

HDMI audio repair in Marion

If your computer sends video over HDMI but not audio and the fixes above have not resolved it, LuxuriousComputers Marion diagnoses HDMI audio issues including driver configuration, port hardware, and graphics card audio chip problems.

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