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xbox series x no sound through soundbar

Ask By Mitchell M.2,419 views

connected my xbox to a soundbar with hdmi arc and games have no sound. movies on the tv are okay. what setting am i missing

Brand
Sony
Model
HT-S400
Connection
HDMI ARC
System
Xbox
Sample Rate
48 kHz
Output Channels
2 channels
No Sound And Output DeviceSoundbar
Tool used in this discussionSurround Sound Test5.1 and 7.1 front, rear and subwoofer positions
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Short Answer

If the TV plays sound but the Xbox does not, check that the console sends the right audio format. Set HDMI audio to Stereo uncompressed, then try Dolby Digital through the soundbar.

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Callum Sterling
Callum SterlingAudio Team
Surround Sound Auditor · 4+ years experience · Answered Apr 29, 2026

The Xbox can output Dolby, DTS or Stereo uncompressed, and a soundbar that cannot decode one of them will stay silent. The TV still plays sound because it handles the signal itself.

Starting with stereo uncompressed confirms the path works before you turn on surround.

Step By Step Fix
  1. On the Xbox open Settings, General, Volume and audio output
  2. Set HDMI audio to Stereo uncompressed and speaker audio to Stereo
  3. Make sure the TV's ARC port is used and the soundbar input is set to ARC or TV
  4. Switch to Dolby Digital only if your soundbar supports it
Sources
  1. Microsoft Support

Checked by Min-Seok Kim on . How we verify answers

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Community Replies 2

  • Abhinav GoyalCommunity Member

    Stereo uncompressed was the key, then Dolby worked later. It took me a few minutes, and the Surround Sound Test showed the difference straight away.

  • Liam HicksCommunity Member

    Thanks, same setup, my games were silent for days.

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Callum Sterling
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Callum Sterling

Surround Sound Auditor at Sound Test

Callum Sterling is the Surround Sound Auditor on the Sound Tester Audio Team. Focused on checking 5.1/7.1 spatial positioning accuracy, Dolby Atmos channel mappings, and sound leakage. Runs gaming headset audio troubleshooting threads on X (Twitter). On Sound Tester he answers surround sound, soundbar and HDMI ARC discussions, and checks channel placement with the Surround Sound Test.

5.1 and 7.1 surroundDolby Atmos mappinggaming headsets
  • 15 answers on Sound Test
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  • Reviewed by Min-Seok Kim
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