The Xbox Series X Digital Edition sends sound through its HDMI port, since the console has no optical output, and its audio faults come from the format it chooses, a receiver or soundbar in the path or the headset settings. Begin with the TV or receiver volume and input. Open Settings, General, Volume and audio output and look at HDMI audio, Optical audio is not present on this console, and Headset format. Set HDMI audio to Stereo uncompressed to test; it works on every TV, and if the sound returns, the TV or receiver does not handle the format that was selected.
The checks in more detail
Dolby Digital 5.1, DTS and Dolby Atmos for Home Theater require compatible equipment, and the Atmos app in the console store lets you enable it. If you connect through a soundbar or receiver, use the port that handles eARC on the TV and connect the console directly to the TV for video, as a receiver that does not pass 4K 120 Hz drops the picture. For a headset, Xbox wireless headsets connect without a dongle, and a 3.5 mm headset plugs into the controller.
If voices from chat are low or game sound is low, adjust the Chat mixer. Spatial sound options such as Windows Sonic for Headphones or Dolby Atmos for Headphones are set under Headset format and can sound thin on some headsets, so try changing them. Disconnect other audio devices that may take the sound, such as a Bluetooth speaker on the TV. If the sound crackles, change the HDMI cable. Update the console and controller. Test in the home screen and in a second game to see whether one game fails.
If sound is silent in every output after the steps, contact Xbox support for the digital edition's HDMI path. For a soundbar that supports Dolby Atmos over eARC, the Atmos setting in the console and the soundbar's input mode must match, and the soundbar should show the Atmos indicator when a game plays. If it shows plain Dolby Digital, check that the TV's eARC option and HDMI control are on, and that the console is set to Dolby Atmos for Home Theater and not just 5.1. Test with a game that supports Atmos so you judge by a known source, not a menu sound.
Differential
Likely causes of “Xbox Series X Digital Edition has no sound or headset audio problems”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
An unsupported audio format
What separates it Silence or crackle
How to confirm Set HDMI audio to Stereo uncompressed
- 2
A receiver or soundbar
What separates it No sound or lost 4K 120 Hz
How to confirm Use eARC on the TV and connect video directly
- 3
Headset format
What separates it Thin or odd sound
How to confirm Try another spatial option
- 4
The chat mixer
What separates it Quiet game or chat
How to confirm Adjust the balance
- 5
A bad cable
What separates it Cuts and crackle
How to confirm Change the HDMI cable
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- The HDMI audio setting
- The soundbar or receiver
- The headset format
- Whether one game fails
Try in this order
0 of 6 completedCheck the TV volume and input
ReversibleAnd mute.
Set HDMI audio
ReversibleTo Stereo uncompressed.
Use eARC
ReversibleFor a soundbar.
Set the headset format
ReversibleAnd chat mixer.
Change the HDMI cable
ReversibleIf it crackles.
Update the console
ReversibleAnd controller.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- HDMI only
- There is no optical output.
- eARC
- It carries sound from the TV to the soundbar.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If sound is silent on every output, contact Xbox support
- !If only one game is silent, check its settings
- !Update the console
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Exact questions
Common questions
Does the Series X Digital have optical audio?+
No, use HDMI.
How do I enable Atmos?+
Install the Dolby Atmos app and set the format.
Why has my receiver blocked 120 Hz?+
It does not pass the mode.
How do I lower chat?+
Use the chat mixer.