Vizio TV Sound Delay: How to Fix [2023]

written by

Doug Stevenson

updated September 08, 2023

My bedroom Vizio TV has been giving me some weird out-of-sync audio problems lately, namely a noticeable voice delay for about a second.

This surprisingly isn't restricted to a particular app, confirming my hypothesis that this is in fact the TV causing the issue and not the applications it is running.

So I figured I should make a guide on how to solve the sound delay issues on Vizio TV.

To fix sound delay on Vizio TV, turn off all digital enhancer settings, switch the analog audio out to variable, and power cycle your Vizio TV. Adjusting the lip-sync settings on your Vizio TV could also solve the issue.

Read on to know the common sound issues users face on Vizio TVs and how to rectify them.

Primary Sound Issues on Vizio TVs

VIZIO TVs offer fantastic value for the price it asks, which helped it rise through the popularity rankings for the best TV one can buy on a budget.

But just like all things that sound too good to be true, it came with its fair share of drawbacks solidifying the fact that you really get what you pay for.

VIZIO TV Audio Out of Sync

The VIZIO TV sound out-of-sync issue is one of the primary issues usually encountered by users.

The only way one can attempt to rectify this is to reboot the TV from the VIZIO TV settings.

In some cases, unplugging and turning off the VIZIO TV doesn't solve the issue.

This breeds a great deal of annoyance as this happens to most users at least once a day, with some users reporting cases of frequency as much as every hour or so.

VIZIO TV Audio Delay

This is also similar to the previous one, in that the audio is not in sync. But this is a more specific case in that there is a noticeable delay in the audio track.

Everything else remains the same, in that the sound and picture are out of sync and the media delivers noticeable lip sync issues on the VIZIO TV.

There is also an added effect of the VIZIO TV delivering a delayed response and the delay is usually within a fixed timespan at regular intervals.

The fix stays the same as the previous issue, in that one needs to reboot the VIZIO TV, and unplugging the TV won't fix the issue in some cases.

The VIZIO TV audio delay problem unfortunately is more frequent than the general audio desync, and many reported frequencies of the delay every 15 minutes.

How to Fix Sound Delay on Vizio TV?

Fortunately, there are fixes to the audio issues, with a combination of suggested fixes, user fixes, and common troubleshooting fixes blended in.

They are quick steps that when combined can emulate the intended experience of the normal functioning of VIZIO TVs.

Turn Off the Digital Enhancer Settings

VIZIO has introduced a number of features meant to enhance the experience of sound for any media played on the VIZIO TV.

One such set of features is the digital enhancer settings, which include the following settings:

Surround sound.
Dialogue enhancer.
Leveling.

These settings attempt to tweak the software equalizer settings in order to provide a better user experience, even for low-quality media.

But for some reason, they work against the system on VIZIO TVs and instead are usually the primary culprits behind the audio delay and desync issues.

So the best fix that is usually recommended on most VIZIO forums for getting around the sound delay issues is to simply turn off all digital enhancer settings.

Sure, you might lose out on the potential enhancements the settings promise, but at least you have a chance to get synced audio output.

In order to disable all digital enhancement settings, simply follow the steps given below:

Press the Menu button on your VIZIO TV's remote.
Click on the Audio settings option.
Toggle the Surround Sound setting off under the Digital enhancement settings tab.
Toggle the Dialogue enhancer setting off under the Digital enhancement settings tab.
Toggle the Leveling setting off under the Digital enhancement settings tab.

This should solve the sound delay issues for most users.

Switch Analog Audio Out Setting From Fixed to Variable

This is a fix for users who use an external speaker connected to the VIZIO TV and still face sound delay issues.

For some users, the analog audio out setting on the VIZIO TV is set as fixed out of the box.

Simply shifting that particular setting to the variable option can help users to fix the sound delay issues they face with their VIZIO TVs.

In order to change the analog audio out settings on your VIZIO TV, simply follow the steps below:

Press the Menu button on your VIZIO TV's remote.
Click on the Audio settings option.
Toggle the Analog Audio Out setting from fixed to variable.

This should fix the sound delay when connected with external speakers on your VIZIO TV.

Power Cycle the VIZIO TV

A power cycle is one of the most reliable troubleshooting steps you can take up for your VIZIO TV, let alone any electronic device.

It is widely known to help fix a whole host of issues, including other common issues with VIZIO TVs, such as the TV continuously restarting or freezing at random.

This might be a step you must have been doing unknowingly to fix this audio desync issue on your VIZIO TV, but it doesn't hurt to add it to your roster of fixes again.

A power cycle basically acts like a traditional reboot for your VIZIO TV, but for the hardware end.

Sometimes, there can be misbehaving charges residing inside the TV that have not been completely depleted.

This can cause issues within the system, as once the TV is turned back on it leads to an imbalance of charges within the system.

A power cycle helps in resetting these charges inside the internal components of your VIZIO TV and therefore refreshes the internal components.

But before you jump the gun and perform the steps for a power cycle, it is always recommended to first do a software reboot on your VIZIO TV.

This is the same reboot that you must have been doing in order to temporarily fix the audio issues on your VIZIO TV.

A software reboot will clean out any temporary bugs that have been plaguing the software of your VIZIO TV.

In order to properly do a software reboot on your VIZIO TV, simply follow the steps below:

Press the Menu button on your VIZIO TV's remote.
Click on System.
Click on Reset to Factory Settings.
Select Restart TV.

This will soft reboot or soft power cycle your VIZIO TV.

Now that the soft reboot is done and dusted, you can move on to doing a proper hardware-based power cycle on your VIZIO TV.

In order to properly do a hardware power cycle on your VIZIO TV, simply follow the steps below:

Unplug your VIZIO TV from the power socket.
Let the VIZIO TV sit idly unplugged for a minute.
Long press the power button of your VIZIO TV remote for about 10 seconds.
Plug the VIZIO TV back into the power socket.
Let the VIZIO TV sit idle plugged in for a minute.

This will hard reboot or hard power cycle your VIZIO TV.

Tweak Lip Sync Adjustment Settings

This is a workaround for users who couldn't find a fix to their audio desync issues, especially the audio delay issues on your VIZIO TV.

Basically, this workaround utilizes the lip-sync adjustment settings on your VIZIO TV and manually corrects the audio track to have the expected experience.

That being said, this is still only a workaround and you might need to do this step multiple times based on how frequently you face the issue.

Also, there is no fixed value for all VIZIO TVs, so you might need to spend some time and accurately input the lip-sync interval according to your TV.

In order to properly adjust the lip-sync settings on your VIZIO TV, simply follow the steps below:

Disconnect any external speakers connected to the VIZIO TV.
Press the Menu button on your VIZIO TV's remote.
Click on the Audio settings option.
Click on the Lip Sync Adjustment option.
Manually adjust the range of the lip-sync adjustment meter, from 0.0 to 5.0, and verify which value solves your issue.
Once you find the proper lip-sync value, save the option and exit the channel.
Plug in your external speakers.

This should help in solving the sound delay with your VIZIO TV.

Final Thoughts

VIZIO TVs are still popular amongst users due to the value of money aspect they bring into the market with their products.

There are consequences related to this such as the issues mentioned in this article, but only very few users face such issues, and can be easily fixed with a bit of troubleshooting.

If you still face sound delay issues with your VIZIO TV, then it is best to consult VIZIO about the issue, and maybe get your unit replaced.

I hope my article on the sound delay issues on VIZIO TVs and how you can safely treat the problem has been a great read and has helped you with the same.

Have a good day!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How long does the warranty last for VIZIO TVs?

VIZIO offers a standard one-year warranty for all their TV models.

Do Vizio TVs use AMOLED screens?

VIZIO doesn't have a TV with an AMOLED screen yet, but the 2021 model of their flagship VIZIO TV features an OLED panel.

Does Vizio TVs have 120Hz support?

Select VIZIO models, such as the P series, the OLED series, and their M6 have 120Hz support out of the box.

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Doug Stevenson

Hey! I'm Doug, My passion for tech started by fixing phones and computers for my friends and family.

I started Blinqblinq to give reliable tech advice to anyone who needs it, for free! If you have questions on anything tech-related, feel free to contact me.

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