How do I fix the volume mute on Kodi?

Kodi is a popular open-source media center application that allows users to play videos, music, podcasts, and more on various devices. However, many Kodi users have reported issues with no audio or sound when trying to play media files. One specific audio problem that can occur in Kodi is the volume becoming muted for no clear reason.

When the volume in Kodi suddenly mutes, it can be frustrating because you won’t be able to hear any sounds from videos or music you try to play. There are a few potential causes for the mysterious mute problem in Kodi, which we’ll outline steps to troubleshoot in this guide.

First, we’ll show you how to check the audio settings within Kodi itself and make sure nothing is incorrectly configured. We’ll also look at external amplifier/receiver settings connected to Kodi. Then we’ll verify the host operating system’s audio settings are correctly passing audio through to Kodi. Updating Kodi, audio drivers, trying different audio outputs, and resetting audio configurations are some other troubleshooting tips we’ll cover to help resolve the muted volume issue.

Check Kodi Audio Settings

When experiencing mute or no audio issues with Kodi, the first thing to check is Kodi’s audio settings.

To access the audio settings, open Kodi and go to Settings > System Settings > Audio.

The key audio settings to check are:

Output: Try changing from Auto Detect or Optimized to Fixed Output or Best Match
Channels: Ensure this matches your speaker system setup, usually 2.0 for stereo
Passthrough: Try disabling audio passthrough if it is enabled

Changing these audio settings in Kodi to non-optimized options can resolve many audio muting issues. If you make changes, make sure to exit and restart Kodi to apply them.

As an example, this Reddit user fixed Kodi audio issues by “Changing Kodi audio settings to: Fixed Output at 44.1 kHz. Number of channels: 2.0. Enabling passthrough” (source).

Check External Amp/Receiver Settings

If you are using an external amplifier or AV receiver for audio output from Kodi, it’s important to check there as well if Kodi audio seems muted or very low. Per this Kodi forum thread, make sure your amp or receiver is not muted. Check the volume levels set on the device itself and make sure they are turned up sufficiently.

Additionally, ensure in your amp or receiver settings that you have the input you’ve connected Kodi set properly to accept the incoming audio signal. As outlined in this AVS Forum thread, check what audio formats your device supports, and configure audio passthrough settings appropriately in Kodi.

Setting incorrect input types or formats on the amp/receiver can also lead to no audio or low volume issues from Kodi. Consult your device’s manual if needed to verify proper configuration of inputs and audio formats on the external hardware itself first before troubleshooting further in Kodi.

Check Operating System Audio Settings

The first thing to check is that the system volume itself is not muted or set too low. To check this on Windows 10 or 11:

Right-click on the speaker icon in the system tray and choose Open Sound settings Changing Sound Settings on a Windows Computer | Help.
Make sure the correct playback device is selected under Choose your output device.
Check that the device volume slider is set appropriately and not muted.

You can also right-click the speaker icon and choose Open Volume Mixer to check and adjust the volume levels for specific apps like Kodi [Windows 11/10] Sound settings and Volume Mixer.

If the system volume is not muted and set to an audible level, then the issue likely lies within Kodi’s audio configuration itself, which we will cover next.

Update Kodi & Audio Drivers

One potential fix to resolve volume mute issues on Kodi is to update Kodi itself to ensure you are running the latest version. According to the Wondershare article, updating Kodi can resolve compatibility issues or audio bugs that may cause mute problems.

To update Kodi on Windows, go to Add-ons > My Add-ons > Install from repository. Navigate to the Kodi repository, select Kodi vXX Matrix Updates (where XX is the major version number) and install the latest available update. Allow the update to fully complete. Restart Kodi and test if sound is restored.

Another step is updating your audio drivers directly through your Windows Device Manager. Go to Start and search for Device Manager. Expand the Sound, video and game controllers category and right click your audio device. Select Update driver and follow the on screen steps to update to the latest audio driver. Restart your computer when complete and open Kodi again to test if sound works.

Updating both Kodi and your system audio drivers ensures maximum compatibility and the latest fixes for potential audio issues like volume mute problems in Kodi.

Change Kodi Audio Output

Kodi allows users to select from different audio output options like HDMI, optical, and built-in analog. To change the Kodi audio output:

Go to Settings > System > Audio
Under Audio output, select the dropdown and choose a different output option like HDMI, directly connect to a receiver, SPDIF optical, or the built-in analog output

Often changing the audio output is an easy fix for muting issues. After changing the output, test the audio playback again to see if the mute problem persists. You can also try enabling several audio outputs at the same time to have Kodi automatically switch between different connected devices ¹.

Some things to try:

If using passthrough, disable passthrough temporarily to test the SPDIF output

Try changing between different HDMI ports on your receiver or TV
Connect audio directly to your receiver or amplifier instead of passing it through the TV

Switching between different outputs can help isolate where the mute issue is occurring.

Disable Audio Passthrough

Audio passthrough allows Kodi to send the raw digital audio stream directly to an external audio device like a receiver or soundbar, instead of decoding the audio internally. This preserves audio quality but can sometimes cause issues.

It may be necessary to disable audio passthrough in Kodi if you experience the following:

No audio or muted audio from Kodi

Audio cutouts or glitches
Audio sync issues like delayed sound
Inability to control the volume from within Kodi

To disable audio passthrough in Kodi:

Go to Settings > Player > Audio.
Uncheck the boxes next to “Allow passthrough” and “Use digital output.”

Set Audio output device to “Analog.”

Disabling passthrough makes Kodi decode all audio internally instead of passing it through to an external device. This often resolves audio issues, but may impact audio quality depending on your device setup.

If disabling passthrough fixes your audio issues, your external audio device may be the root cause. Updating its firmware or audio drivers could help resolve compatibility problems with passthrough.

Reset Kodi Audio Configuration

Try resetting all audio settings in Kodi to factory defaults. This will remove any incorrect or customized settings that could be causing audio issues. To reset audio settings:

1. Open Kodi and go to Settings > System > Audio.

2. Click the Reset button to reset audio configuration and set everything back to default.

After resetting, test audio playback again with some content. If the issue persist, it’s likely an external issue with your hardware or drivers. If audio works properly again, then something in your previous settings or configuration was causing problems.

Resetting audio essentially eliminates customized settings as the culprit and rules out software issues on the Kodi side. You can then troubleshoot hardware or upstream issues. It’s an easy troubleshooting step to try different default audio settings. Just remember to reconfigure audio to your preferences after testing, as default settings may not be ideal long-term.

For more details, refer to the Kodi guide on resetting audio settings.

Downgrade Kodi Version

If the audio mute issue started after updating Kodi to a newer version, reverting back to a previous version may resolve the problem. According to the Kodi forum post at https://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid=364739, downgrading Kodi is straightforward.

To downgrade Kodi, first uninstall the current version from your device. Then download an older APK file or installer for the version you want to revert to, such as Kodi 18.9 which can be found at https://kodi.tv/download/18676. Install the older version and launch it. Your Kodi configuration and add-ons should be intact after downgrading. Test to see if audio is working properly again in the older Kodi version.

Downgrading Kodi can often resolve issues that arise from bugs in newer releases. Just be sure to export your media library database before uninstalling Kodi, in case you need to restore it later. Overall, reverting to an earlier stable Kodi version is a straightforward troubleshooting step for audio problems that appear after an update.

Conclusion

In summary, there are several steps you can try to fix muted audio in Kodi:

– Check Kodi’s audio settings and make sure nothing is muted or set too low.

– Check your external amplifier or receiver settings.

– Check your operating system’s audio settings.

– Update Kodi and your audio drivers to the latest versions.

– Change the audio output in Kodi to a different device.

– Disable audio passthrough in Kodi if enabled.

– Reset Kodi’s audio configuration to default settings.

– Downgrade to an earlier version of Kodi if the issue started after an update.

For further troubleshooting, refer to the comprehensive Kodi audio troubleshooting guide. The Kodi community forums are also a great place to find fixes for specific audio issues.