Why is there no sound on YouTube on my Samsung phone?

It can be frustrating when the audio suddenly stops working on YouTube videos on your Samsung phone. You would reasonably expect to be able to hear audio when watching YouTube, so not having any sound is an unexpected problem.

This article will provide some troubleshooting steps and solutions to try to restore your ability to hear audio on YouTube videos when using your Samsung phone.

Check Audio Settings

One of the most common reasons there is no sound when watching YouTube videos on a Samsung phone is incorrect audio settings. There are a few different audio settings to check within the YouTube app itself as well as the general sound settings on your Samsung device.

First, open the YouTube app and go to Settings > Audio. Make sure the toggle is switched on for “Play sound effects” and “Play video sound.” If these toggles are off, YouTube videos will be muted. Turn them on to enable sound.

Next, check your overall device sound and media volume. Open the Settings app on your Samsung device and go to Sounds and vibration. Make sure the Media volume slider is turned up and not muted. You can also try connecting headphones to determine if the issue is with the phone’s external speaker.

Finally, check to make sure Do Not Disturb mode is not enabled on your device. Go to Settings > Notifications and make sure “Do not disturb” is turned off. This focuses notifications and mutes sounds, so turning it off may enable YouTube video sound.

If your Samsung phone’s YouTube app and system sound settings are configured correctly, but videos are still silent, the problem likely lies elsewhere. There are a few other troubleshooting steps to try.

Check Video Quality

Sometimes YouTube and other video apps will disable audio playback if the video quality is set too low. This is done to improve performance on lower-end devices that may struggle with playing both high quality video and audio simultaneously.

Try opening the YouTube app, playing a video, and toggling the video quality settings. The options are usually available by tapping the settings icon in the video player.

Switch from a lower quality like 480p or 720p up to a higher quality like 1080p or 4K. This will require more data usage but may enable the audio track again. If the audio returns at a higher video quality, you’ve found the issue.

You can then decide to either keep the higher video quality to maintain audio playback, or downgrade the video quality again and find an alternate solution. Just remember that lower video quality disables the audio as a performance optimization.

Update Apps

One potential cause for no sound on YouTube is having outdated apps and software. YouTube makes frequent updates to their mobile app to fix bugs and improve features. Running an out-of-date version of the YouTube app may cause unexpected issues with audio playback and syncing. It’s recommended to keep the YouTube app updated to the latest version in your phone’s app store. Outdated core system software and firmware on your Samsung phone can also sometimes disrupt audio functionality. Check for any pending software and OS updates for your device under Settings and install them. Keeping both your apps and system software updated to the most recent releases can eliminate software-related glitches and ensure maximum compatibility between apps and your phone’s hardware.

Here are some helpful references on updating your apps and system software:

“Update the YouTube App: Make sure you have the latest version of the YouTube app installed. Check the App Store for any available updates.” (source)

Check Accessibility Settings

The accessibility settings on your Samsung phone allow you to enable options like mono audio or audio equalizers that could affect sound output. Mono audio mixes channels down to a single speaker, so if enabled, this could cause sound to only come out of one side of your headphones or phone speaker.

To check your accessibility settings, go to Settings > Accessibility on your Samsung phone. Look under the Hearing section and make sure options like “Mono audio” and “Left/right sound balance” are turned off. Also disable any other audio related accessibility features that could be diverting sound to only one side or otherwise altering the audio output.

Turning off unnecessary accessibility audio options may help restore proper stereo sound from both sides of your device. Just be sure to only toggle settings that relate to audio – other accessibility services like magnification gestures or visibility enhancements can remain enabled if needed.

Check Connections

If you are trying to play a YouTube video with sound through your Samsung phone’s speakers or wired headphones and there is no audio, the issue may be with the connections.

First, try using different headphones or external speakers to rule out a problem with your current headphones/speakers. Plug in a different set of wired headphones or connect to wireless Bluetooth headphones/speakers. If the new headphones or speakers work fine, then the original headphones or connection cable may be faulty.

Next, examine the phone’s headphone jack and the headphone plug. Debris in the jack can cause poor connectivity. Try cleaning out the headphone port with compressed air. Also inspect the headphone plug and audio cable for any damage or corrosion.

Finally, test different audio sources on your phone besides YouTube, such as music or podcast apps. If those apps have sound, then the problem may be isolated to the YouTube app. You can also try playing YouTube videos on different devices using the same headphones to see if the issue persists.

Checking connections methodically can help narrow down where the audio problem originates. Rule out simple wiring or hardware issues before troubleshooting more complex software and app causes.

Clear App Cache/Data

Clearing the app data and cache for the YouTube app can help fix software issues that may be preventing sound from working properly. This clears out any corrupted data or files that could be causing problems. To clear the YouTube app cache and data on a Samsung device, go to Settings > Apps > YouTube > Storage > Clear Cache and Clear Data. This will reset the app and remove temporary files without deleting account info or preferences.

If clearing the cache and data does not resolve the no sound issue, you may need to uninstall and reinstall the YouTube app. On the Apps screen, tap Uninstall to remove the app completely. Then go to the Google Play Store to redownload and install the latest version of the YouTube app. Reinstalling the app will ensure all files are fresh and should resolve any underlying software bugs preventing sound playback.

Factory Reset Phone

One of the last troubleshooting steps to resolving software issues like no sound on YouTube is performing a factory reset on your Samsung phone (Refs: Samsung Support). A factory reset will erase all data and settings and revert the phone back to its original out-of-the-box state. This can help eliminate any corrupted files or settings that may be causing problems.

Before resetting your device, be sure to backup any important data, photos, videos, etc. that you want to keep. A factory reset will permanently erase everything on the phone.

Resetting your device should only be used as a last resort troubleshooting step if other troubleshooting steps like updating apps and clearing cache/data have not resolved the no sound issue in YouTube. Performing a factory reset can be time consuming to backup data and reconfigure the phone afterwards, so only use this method if absolutely necessary.

Hardware Issues

If you’ve tried all of the software troubleshooting steps and there is still no audio coming from your Samsung phone, the issue may be caused by a hardware problem with your device’s speakers or audio components.

Faulty speakers are one potential cause of no audio on your phone. Over time, the small speakers inside smartphones can malfunction or stop working properly, leading to diminished or absent sound.

Another possibility is a damaged audio chip or other internal component vital for audio playback. Issues with wiring or loose solder connections can also prevent audio signals from reaching the speakers correctly.

According to ifixit.com, “There are several problems that could lead to this. First and foremost, we need to check if your sound is on.” If software resets and settings adjustments do not restore audio, hardware damage is likely the culprit.

Resolving hardware-related no audio problems typically requires professional repair or replacement of the affected components. Without the proper microsoldering equipment and technical expertise, DIY repairs on modern smartphones are difficult and risky.

Before seeking repairs, try contacting Samsung Support to determine if your device is still under warranty. Out-of-warranty audio repairs can be expensive depending on the specific issue and parts needing replacement.

Contact Support

If the other troubleshooting steps are not resolving the no sound issue on the Samsung phone when using YouTube, contacting official support channels may provide further help.

Samsung offers 24/7 customer support for their mobile devices through various options such as phone, email, live chat, and more [1]. YouTube also has a dedicated Creator Support team that can be reached by contacting them within the YouTube Studio dashboard [2]. Providing details on the specific device, OS version, app version, and steps already tried can assist the support teams in troubleshooting.

Support teams at Samsung and YouTube should be able to investigate for any known issues reported by others, suggest further troubleshooting tips not covered in this guide, and assist with submitting bug reports if needed. Contacting official support channels is the next step if unable to resolve on your own.