Adding a soundbar to your TV is the quickest and easiest way to upgrade your audio setup at home. Whether you’re tearing through the latest box-set craze or catching that new Oscar-winning film, soundbars make whatever you watch even more immersive. And of course, things are going to sound a whole lot better too, from the music to dialogue and sound effects.
But how do you connect a soundbar to your TV? With either HDMI or optical cables, you can plug one in in literally seconds. It’s that simple. We’ll also look at connecting a soundbar to Wi-Fi and pairing a Bluetooth soundbar with a TV. So, here’s what you’ll need to do…
How to connect a soundbar to a TV
Connecting a soundbar to your TV is super straightforward. Plus, it’ll give you a big leap in sound quality compared to your telly’s built-in speakers.
1. Make sure you’ve got the right cables. Depending on the soundbar you’ve got, it’ll usually come with a HDMI or optical cable. And sometimes you’ll even get both. Check the input and output ports on your TV and the soundbar to work out which kind of cable you’ll need.
2. Find the audio output ports on your TV. They’ll probably be labelled as ‘optical out’, ‘HDMI ARC’ and ‘headphone jack’.
3. Connect the soundbar to the TV with an HDMI cable:
a. Plug one end of the HDMI cable into the HDMI ARC (or normal HDMI) port on your telly.
b. Connect the other end of the cable to the HDMI ARC (or HDMI) input on your soundbar.
c. Power on the TV and soundbar.
4. Connect the soundbar to the TV using an optical cable:
a. Connect one end of your optical cable into the optical out port on the TV.
b. Plug the other end of it into the optical in port on your soundbar.
c. Switch on the soundbar and TV.
5. Pick the right input source. Use your TVs remote – or the one for the soundbar – to switch to the correct input source (optical or HDMI). Then you’ll be able to hear the audio from your TV through the soundbar instead.
How to connect a soundbar to Wi-Fi
If you connect your soundbar to Wi-Fi, you’ll open up a whole world of streaming possibilities. Letting you access online music services – think Spotify, Apple Music etc – to stream your favourite tunes and podcasts wirelessly.
1. Check that your soundbar is Wi-Fi compatible. Not every soundbar is.
2. Connect to the Wi-Fi:
a. Use the soundbar’s remote or the control panel to open up the settings menu.
b. Find the Wi-Fi network settings and choose your home Wi-Fi network.
c. Type in your Wi-Fi password.
3. Update the firmware (if you need to). Some soundbars will need a firmware update so they can properly connect to your Wi-Fi. Head to the manufacturers website for updates and follow their instructions to get them installed.
4. Stream and enjoy. When you’re connected to the Wi-Fi, you’re ready to go. Now you can stream playlists, audiobooks, and pods from your go-to streaming platforms.
How to connect a Bluetooth soundbar to a TV
Pairing your Bluetooth soundbar with your TV lets you stream audio wirelessly from your TV or another device – like your smartphone or tablet.
1. Turn on Bluetooth on the soundbar. Switch on the soundbar and put it into pairing mode. You might need to look at the manual (sorry about that) to double check the instructions on how to do this. That’s because the process will differ a bit depending on the soundbar you’ve got.
2. Enable Bluetooth on your TV. Head to the settings menu and find the Bluetooth section. Then enable it and start searching for nearby devices.
3. Pair the devices. In the list of available Bluetooth devices on your telly, pick your soundbar.
4. Follow the prompts and finish pairing them.
5. Confirm connection. When they’re paired properly, a notification should pop up on your TV to let you know.
So, now you’ve got your soundbar set up, what’s next? Well, why not add some bass-heavy rumble to your sound system by connecting a subwoofer to your soundbar? Explosions will boom. Race car engines will growl. And you’ll feel like you’re right at the heart of the action.
