Fire TV Sound Settings Grayed Out – This Fixed It
Have you ever encountered an issue where your Fire TV sound settings are grayed out and inaccessible?
This can be a frustrating experience, especially if you’re trying to adjust the volume or change the audio output settings.
While this problem may seem daunting at first, there are several ways to fix it and get your Fire TV sound settings back to normal.
One possible cause of this issue is a problem with your Fire TV device or your audio system.
Before trying out any solutions, it’s always a good idea to know the reason why this issue comes up on your Fire TV.
Why is My Fire Tv Sound Settings Grayed Out
When experiencing issues with your Fire TV sound settings being grayed out, there could be several reasons why. Here are some common causes that may be contributing to this problem:
HDMI Connection Issues
If you have connected your Fire TV to a soundbar or other external audio device via HDMI, it is possible that the connection is not working properly.
This can cause the sound settings to become grayed out and inaccessible.
Outdated Software
If your Fire TV is not running the latest software version, this could also cause sound settings issues and makes it phased out when connected with audio equipment.
Making sure your device is running the latest software is quite important.
Unsupported Audio Format
In this case, when content is encoded in an incompatible format, it can lead to compatibility problems between your Fire TV and the audio equipment, often resulting in muted sound or grayed-out settings on your device.
Hardware Issues
Lastly, if there are issues with the hardware of your Fire TV or connected audio device, this can also cause sound settings to become inaccessible.
Malfunctions or connectivity problems within the devices can disrupt the interaction and cause one issue or another.
How to Fix Fire TV Sound Settings Grayed Out
Check for Audio Compatibility
To begin with, not all audio formats are supported by every audio system, whether you’re using a soundbar or sound system, so it’s important to check if the audio format of the content you’re trying to play is supported by your device.
To check the supported audio settings on your Fire TV, you can use the Audio and Video Diagnostics tool.
To use this, go to Settings >> Display & Sounds >> Audio/Video Diagnostics to see the supported settings.
If the audio format you want to use is detected, but the content being streamed is in a different audio format, you may experience issues with the sound settings.
In this case, try playing a different content to see if that restores the accessibility of the sound settings.
It’s also important to check if your sound bar or other audio device is compatible with Fire TV.
Some sound bars may require specific settings or configurations to work with Fire TV, so check the manufacturer’s website or user manual for more information.
If the issue persists, there are a few more things to try out below.
Restart Your Fire TV
After checking out for audio compatibility issues, the next simple solution is to restart your device.
Restarting your Fire TV can help clear any temporary glitches that may be preventing you from accessing certain settings.
To restart your Fire TV, you can follow these steps:
- Press and hold the Home button on your Fire TV remote.
- Select Settings from the menu that appears.
- Scroll down and select My Fire TV.
- Select Restart and confirm your selection.
- Your Fire TV will then restart, which may take a few minutes.
Alternatively, you can choose to perform a standard power cycle by disconnecting the TV’s power source entirely for a period of time.
This approach can be effective, as it allows the TV to completely discharge any remaining electric power.
To do this, press the power button on the TV remote to turn it off.
Approach the TV closely and disconnect its power cable from the outlet. Wait for several seconds, then plug the cable back in.
Once it turns on completely, try accessing your sound settings again to see if the issue has been resolved.
If restarting your Fire TV doesn’t solve the problem, you may want to restart your audio system as well.
Power Cycle Your Audio Equipment
In this case, power cycling your audio equipment could be the perfect solution.
This involves turning off and unplugging the audio system, including your soundbar, receiver, and any other audio devices connected to your Fire TV.
Here are the steps to power cycle your audio equipment:
- Turn off your TV, soundbar, receiver, and any other audio equipment connected to your Fire TV.
- Unplug all the equipment from the power source.
- Wait for at least 30 seconds before plugging the equipment back in.
- Turn on your TV and audio equipment.
- After power cycling your audio equipment, access the audio settings to see if the issue has been fixed.
Reconnect and Set Up the Devices Again
Next, examine the device’s connection. Since the connection problems between your Fire TV and audio system might also be causing the issue, it’s advisable to try reconnecting and setting up the devices again.
Start by inspecting the cables for any looseness or damage. If the audio cable shows wear or damage, using a new cable is recommended.
If all seems well, disconnect the audio system from the TV temporarily and reconnect everything after a short interval. This process helps eliminate connection-related factors that might lead to the grayed-out sound settings issue.
After reconnecting the sound system with your Fire TV again, check if the sound settings are now available.
Attempt a Different Connection Method
Another potential solution for the grayed out sound settings of your Fire TV is to try out a different connection method.
First, check your audio system’s ports to see if there’s any other audio port that’s compatible with the Fire TV.
If there is, try using that port to connect your Fire TV to your audio system. This may require purchasing a different cable or adapter.
The majority of Fire TVs and soundbars are equipped with multiple audio ports, providing options for alternative connection methods.
If your audio system doesn’t have a compatible port, you can try using a different audio system that is compatible with the Fire TV.
Alternatively, you can connect your Fire TV to the audio system via Bluetooth if it supports this feature.
Verify Fire TV Updates
It’s quite important to verify that your device is up to date with the latest software updates. Here’s how you can check for updates on your Fire TV:
- From the Fire TV home screen, navigate to Settings.
- Scroll down and select My Fire TV.
- Select About.
- Select Check for Updates.
If there is an update available, follow the on-screen instructions to download and install it. Once the update is complete, check to see if the sound settings are still grayed out.
It’s important to note that some updates may take longer than others to install, depending on the update size. Be patient and allow the update to complete before doing anything else on your Fire TV.
Reset Your Fire TV to Default Settings
If you’ve installed the latest software but are still experiencing issues with your Fire TV’s sound settings being grayed out, resetting your device to its default settings may also help resolve the issue.
Maybe you’ve made some configuration that can’t be reversed, restoring the TV to factory settings will wipe out these settings.
Keep in mind that this step should be your last resort, as it will erase all configurations and installed apps on your Fire TV.
After performing a reset, you’ll need to set up your device again from scratch.
Ensure to try other troubleshooting steps first.
These are steps to follow for restoring your Fire TV to factory settings;
- Go to the Settings menu on your Fire TV.
- Select My Fire TV and then select About.
- Scroll down to Reset to Factory Defaults and select it.
- Enter your PIN code when prompted. If you haven’t set a PIN code, you can skip this step and confirm your action.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I find the sound settings on my Firestick?
To find the sound settings on your Firestick, you need to follow these steps:
- Press and hold the Home button on your Fire TV remote for 5 seconds.
- Select the Settings option from the menu.
- Select Display & Sounds from the list of options.
- Select Audio from the list of options.
- Here you can adjust various sound settings, such as volume, Dolby Atmos, and more.
Is there a way to reset the sound settings on my Fire TV?
No! Fire TV devices and Firesticks do not offer a standalone option to reset audio settings.
To reset audio configuration, the only available method is to reset the Fire TV device, which will clear all settings, including those related to sound.
To reset your Fire TV and Firestick:
- Go to Settings on your Fire TV.
- Select My Fire TV from the list of options.
- Select Reset to Factory Defaults from the list of options.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to reset your Fire TV to its factory settings.
Always be aware that resetting your Fire TV to its factory settings will erase all data, including your installed apps and preferences.
So, make sure to backup important data before resetting your Fire TV.
Related Articles
