ARC and eARC are HDMI features that send sound from your TV back to a soundbar or AV receiver. They are the reason one HDMI cable can handle TV app audio, external speakers, and volume control without a separate optical cable.
This applies to TVs, soundbars, and AV receivers made in the last several years. Most support ARC, while newer higher-end gear may support eARC.
Does this affect you?
Use this if one HDMI port on your TV is labeled ARC or eARC, you are setting up a soundbar, or TV app audio will not play through external speakers.
What ARC and eARC do
- ARC means Audio Return Channel. It sends audio from the TV to a soundbar or receiver through the HDMI ARC port.
- ARC can carry compressed surround formats such as Dolby Digital.
- eARC means Enhanced Audio Return Channel. It does the same job with more bandwidth.
- eARC can carry higher-quality formats, including full Dolby Atmos and DTS:X when the rest of the setup supports them.
- Both often allow TV-remote volume control through HDMI-CEC.
Before ARC, you often needed HDMI for picture plus an optical cable for TV app sound. ARC and eARC make that cleaner.
Find the right port
- Look at the HDMI labels on the back or side of the TV.
- Find the port marked HDMI ARC or HDMI eARC.
- Plug the soundbar or receiver into that labeled port.
- Check the soundbar or receiver for its own ARC or eARC HDMI port.
- Set the TV sound output to HDMI ARC, eARC, Receiver, or External Speaker.
ARC works only on the port labeled for it. Plugging a soundbar into a normal HDMI input may not return sound from TV apps.
Cable and compatibility notes
An eARC soundbar connected to an older ARC-only TV still works, but it falls back to ARC quality. It will not break anything; it simply cannot pass the highest-bandwidth formats.
If Dolby Atmos or DTS:X does not pass even though both devices support eARC, try a Premium High Speed or Ultra High Speed HDMI cable. Older High Speed cables can be unreliable with higher-bandwidth audio paths.
Optical audio is still fine for basic soundbar use, but it cannot match eARC for the newest lossless or object-based formats.
Settings to check
If sound still plays from the TV speakers, open Settings > Sound and change speaker output from TV Speaker to HDMI ARC/eARC or Receiver. Also enable HDMI-CEC if your TV requires it for ARC control.
Brand menus vary, but the important pieces are the labeled ARC/eARC port, compatible soundbar port, sound output setting, and a cable that can handle the connection.
Sources
- HDMI Forum – Audio Return Channel ARC Overview (2025)
- Samsung Support – HDMI ARC / eARC Explained (2025)
- Sonos Support – HDMI ARC and eARC Compatibility (2025)