Fix Vizio Soundbar Not Working

The Vizio soundbar has proven time and time again to be one of the best sound systems in the electronic world. Vizio soundbars are straightforward and easy to set up.

Vizio soundbars, just like all electronic devices, also develop with faults and need fixing. In this article, we’ll learn about why your Vizio soundbar is not working, and we’ll address all issues and look at possible ways to get them fixed in a jiffy.

Why is My Vizio Soundbar not Working?

Before we delve into fixes, we must find out why the soundbar is not working.

These are the reasons why your Vizio soundbar isn’t working. 

Sound issues

Is your Vizio soundbar not producing any soundor it’s not audible enough? Is volume not working on your Vizio TV? You may have either turned down the volume by mistake, put the TV on mute, or switched the input audio off. Simply put, something might be wrong with your audio settings.

Power connection problem

A power connection problem happens when the Vizio soundbar is not coming on, no matter how much you try. This problem is often caused by a power connection failure or an internal power system failure.

Don’t get upset even if the power comes on and the soundbar doesn’t function. We’ll help you fix your soundbar.

Signal Issues

Signal issues are of many types, and the commonest is interference or blockage. If there is an object between your soundbar and the remote, your soundbar will not work.

This signal issue is because there’s an obstruction from the line of sight of your remote to your soundbar’s IR sensor.

Cable Problems

Faulty, loosely connected, or wrongly matched cables can be the reason your soundbar isn’t working. A wrongly matched or loosely connected will cable will not transmit the soundbar’s sound. Please, endeavor to replace faulty cables as they are.

To rule out a possible cable malfunction, try using an HDMI, RCA, or optical cable; you can also try to insert the cables in multiple ports.

Since we’ve helped you discover why your Vizio soundbar isn’t working, it’s time to start fixing it.

Related: Ways to connect Vizio soundbar to TV

Fix Vizio Soundbar not Working

We’ve compiled each fix based on the type of problem you might be experiencing. Once you’ve noted your issue, please, look for the corresponding fix. Hang on for a Reddit fix at the end of the article.

Fix 1: Fix Sound

You can get your sound issues fixed in three simple ways:

Inspect the audio settings

Please, ensure that your TV is set to transmit sound via the soundbar instead of its inbuilt speakers. The soundbar will not play any sound until you revise your audio settings.

Check the volume settings

As silly as it sounds, you should check if you turned on your TV and soundbar volume. Also, confirm that your device isn’t on mute. 

Check the input

Check to see if you might have overlooked your input settings. Please, remember to set your device input to audio and adjust your input settings to “Soundbar” on the external device on the screen. 

Fix 2: Fix Power Issues

The three simple ways to rule out power issues are:

  1. Confirm that you’ve switched on the power socket and the soundbar.
  2. Confirm that you’ve correctly plugged your soundbar.
  3. Check for damaged sockets and plug in the soundbar to another power socket.

Fix 3: Check for a Possible Signal Interference with your Soundbar

All remotes need a direct line of sight to the IR (Infrared Radiation) sensor on your soundbar, and your Vizio remote is not an exception. If you want your soundbar to receive and follow the command you punched on your remote, ensure that nothing is blocking the IR sensor.

The IR sensor is the eye of the soundbar that detects the signal from the remote. Please, ensure that objects are not blocking the front of the soundbar. Look out for objects such as a mug, furniture, a cable box, and even cables; once discovered, please, move them out of the way.

Fix 4: Change your Remote Batteries

Never ignore the possibility that your remote batteries are dead, and you might need a new pair.

Test your soundbar with new Vizio remote batteries; hopefully, your soundbar will start working.  

Fix 5: Power Cycle your Remote

If you’ve tried out the first four fixes, the next step is to power cycle your remote.

Here’s how to go about it:

  • Unplug your soundbar from the power socket.
  • Press and hold the power button on your soundbar for at least 30 seconds.
  • Extract the batteries from the remote.
  • Press and hold the power button on your remote for at least 30 seconds.
  • Press multiple buttons on your remote for at least 30 seconds.
  • Plugin your soundbar.
  • Use your remote to switch on your soundbar.

Please, check if your soundbar is working.

Fix 6: Power Cycle your Soundbar

Follow the outlined steps below to power cycle your soundbar:

  • Unplug your soundbar from the power socket.
  • Press and hold the power button on your soundbar for at least 30 seconds.
  • Plugin your soundbar.
  • Use your remote to switch on your soundbar.

Related: Ways to fix a Vizio TV that won’t turn on 

Fix 7: Update your Soundbar

Using an outdated Vizio soundbar will slow down the response time of your appliance cause glitches, lags, and even possible crashes.

You can update your soundbar with a USB thumb drive with the necessary software. Contact Vizio technical support and ask them to mail you a thumb drive with a preinstalled software update.

Related: How to Connect Vizio Soundbar to Tv

How to Install Vizio SmartCast App

We had to include this heading to help those whose remotes don’t work. We’ll guide you on installing the Vizio SmartCast app to control your Vizio TV before you purchase a new remote.

Please ensure you carefully follow these simple steps:

  • Swipe down from the top of the screen to access Quick Settings.
  • Switch on Bluetooth by tapping the Bluetooth icon.
  • Open the Play Store or App Store on your mobile device.
  • Search for Vizio SmartCast via the search bar; it looks like a magnifying glass.
  • Click on Vizio Smartcast from the search results.
  • Select Install and tap Open to launch the app.

The next step is to create an account if you haven’t or sign in to your existing account.

  • Next, select Create an Account and input your correct details.
  • Next, create a unique and easy-to-remember password.

Now, please take a deep breath; we’re about to set up your device.

  • Select the Smartcast Menu in the top-left corner of the app.
  • Select Setup a new Device.
  • Choose Allow Permissions.
  • Select your preferred language, then click on Next.

Please, move your smartphone near your soundbar because it will try to locate your device via Bluetooth.

  • If Bluetooth fails to connect to your device, click on Skip to connect with Wi-Fi.
  • After a successful pairing, enter your preferred name for your Vizio device and click on Next.

Finally, carefully follow the on-screen instructions to set up the app completely.

Reddit Hack

We stumbled on this—tested and trusted—Reddit hack that allows you to connect the phone app to the soundbar without a remote.

Here’s what to do if the Vizio app doesn’t connect to your soundbar automatically:

  • Reset the soundbar to factory default.
  • Please wait for the soundbar to turn off, then turn it on again.
  • Use the SmartCast app to set up the soundbar.
  • Make sure you connect the soundbar to your home network so you can use the SmartCast app as a remote.

Press and hold the Bluetooth and Volume Down buttons on the soundbar for at least 10 seconds to perform a reset.

Contact the Vizio support page for a more personalized approach to fix your Vizio soundbar not working.  

We appreciate your feedback; please, let us know which method worked for you and what you experienced while trying these fixes.

Have a great day, folks!😃