A TV or an AV receiver connected over HDMI should show up as a playback device. When the list stays empty, the fault is usually the port, the driver package or the display's own negotiation.
Check that the **display is detected** first, rescan for devices, then install the **full graphics driver package** instead of the Windows-supplied one. Set the HDMI device as **default** and disable it again to force a re-negotiation.
If the display does not appear as a monitor, no audio device will appear either, because audio follows the video link. Check the display list before you touch audio settings.
Settings > System > DisplayThe sound panel hides inactive endpoints by default. A device that was disabled months ago stays hidden until you right-click the list and show it.
Control Panel > Sound > Playback > right-click > Show Disabled DevicesWindows Update ships a stripped driver that exposes video but not always the HDMI audio endpoint. The vendor package installs the audio component alongside the display driver.
Windows caches the device tree. A rescan makes it re-enumerate the bus, which is what picks up an endpoint after a cable swap or a receiver power cycle.
devmgmt.msc > Action > Scan for hardware changesDisable the HDMI audio device and enable it again; the handshake restarts and the supported formats are re-read. This fixes the case where the receiver was powered on after the PC.
A receiver that only handles stereo rejects a 5.1 configuration and can fall back to silence. Start with stereo, confirm sound, then raise the format in the device's advanced tab.
Sound > HDMI device > Properties > Advanced > Default FormatThe cable, the port or the resolution. Test a known-good cable and a lower resolution before blaming the driver.
The game holds an exclusive-mode stream. Disable exclusive mode on the endpoint, or pick the device inside the game.
The endpoint disappears with the link. Use a receiver that keeps the link alive, or switch the default device back to the speakers.
The receiver does not advertise the format, or the driver hides it. Try the other HDMI port and the full driver package.
Yes, if the monitor or the adapter supports it. The same troubleshooting applies.
The display is detected after the audio service starts. A receiver left powered on keeps the order stable.
Set the previous default playback device again and restore the format you had configured. Enabling a hidden endpoint changes nothing else on the system.
Free · no account needed · tracks your progress