How to connect an LG soundbar to a TV
Three methods, in strict order of preference: HDMI ARC/eARC (best quality, one remote, surround formats), optical (reliable, stereo/basic surround), and Bluetooth (cable-free, compressed, occasional lip-sync drift). If your TV was made in the last decade, use HDMI ARC and stop reading after the first section.
Method 1: HDMI ARC/eARC (do this one)
Find the right HDMI port on both ends
On the soundbar, use the port labelled HDMI OUT (TV ARC/eARC). On the TV, find the HDMI input labelled ARC or eARC — HDMI 2 on LG's own TVs, HDMI 3 on some other brands — and only that specific port works. Connect them with a decent high-speed HDMI cable.
Enable HDMI-CEC on the TV
On an LG TV it's called SIMPLINK (Settings → General → Devices/SIMPLINK); on Samsung it's Anynet+, on Sony Bravia Sync. CEC is what lets the TV remote control the bar's volume and the TV wake the bar automatically.
Set the TV's sound output
TV Settings → Sound → Sound Out → HDMI ARC device (wording varies). On eARC-capable pairs, also enable eARC in the TV's sound settings for lossless formats.
No sound? Run the ARC checklist
Confirm the bar's input is set to ARC/E-ARC (Function/F button cycles inputs); confirm the cable is in the ARC-labelled TV port, not any HDMI input; toggle CEC off and on; then unplug TV and bar for 60 seconds to force a new HDMI handshake. This sequence resolves nearly all ARC silence.
Optical, if ARC isn't available
Connect TV OPTICAL OUT to the bar's OPTICAL IN, switch the bar's input to OPT, and set the TV's sound output to Optical. You lose lossless/Atmos and single-remote control (unless you also enable LG Sound Sync), but it simply works.
Bluetooth, as the last resort
On an LG TV, set Sound Out to LG Sound Sync Wireless and press the LG TV button on the bar's remote to make it discoverable — that's LG's own pairing path. On any other TV, switch the bar to its BT input and pair from the TV's Bluetooth audio menu. Fine for casual TV; expect compression and occasional sync drift with movies.
Frequently asked questions
Why is there no sound from my LG soundbar connected by HDMI?
In order of likelihood: the cable is in a non-ARC HDMI port on the TV (only the ARC-labelled one carries audio back), the TV's Sound Out isn't set to HDMI ARC, SIMPLINK/CEC is disabled, or the HDMI handshake is stuck — fixed by unplugging both devices for a minute.
HDMI ARC or optical — which is better for an LG soundbar?
ARC, clearly: it carries Dolby Atmos/higher-bitrate formats on eARC, lets one remote run everything, and wakes the bar with the TV. Use optical only when the TV lacks ARC or a specific ARC bug can't be resolved.
Can I connect an LG soundbar to a non-LG TV?
Yes — HDMI ARC and optical are universal standards, and the setup is identical (the CEC setting just has a different name, like Anynet+ or Bravia Sync). Only LG Sound Sync Wireless specifically requires an LG TV.