How to Connect Your TV and Soundbar With HDMI ARC

Soundbars make a dramatic improvement over a TV's built-in speakers, but connecting one used to mean juggling multiple cables and remotes. HDMI ARC — which stands for Audio Return Channel — was designed to fix that. With an HDMI ARC connection, one single cable handles both the audio signal going from your TV to the soundbar and the control commands that let your TV's remote also control the soundbar's volume.

ARC is built into most TVs made after 2010. The HDMI port that supports ARC is always labeled on the TV — look for small text near the port that says "ARC" or "eARC." There's usually only one such port. Your soundbar needs to have an HDMI ARC port as well — check your soundbar's manual or the label printed near the ports on the back.

The connection itself is extremely straightforward: one HDMI cable from the TV's ARC port to the soundbar's HDMI ARC (or eARC) port. That's the entire physical setup. After connecting the cable, there's a small amount of configuration to do in your TV's settings, but most modern TVs auto-detect the soundbar within a minute.

eARC (Enhanced Audio Return Channel) is a newer, improved version of the standard found on TVs made after 2018. eARC supports higher-quality audio formats including Dolby Atmos. If both your TV and soundbar support eARC, use an eARC-compatible HDMI cable (labeled "Ultra High Speed" or "HDMI 2.1") for the best sound quality. A regular HDMI cable works fine for standard ARC.

Once connected and configured, you should be able to use your TV remote's volume buttons to control the soundbar's volume, and when you mute the TV, the soundbar mutes too. This is one of the most satisfying home theater setups for simplicity.