The other day, I was hosting a couple of friends for a movie night.
It had been a long time since I checked out what Hulu had to offer, and after some browsing, we settled on Cast Away.
As the opening credits rolled in, we noticed something was off. There was no audio whatsoever.
I checked if the TV was muted or an out-of-range speaker was connected to it, but things were fine on that end.
I tried another movie with no success.
Netflix was working fine, making it clear that the problem was with Hulu.
Fortunately, we were able to identify the issue with the Hulu app thanks to a ton of information we found online.
Here’s how to get Hulu’s sound back to normal within seconds:
If Hulu has no sound, power cycle your streaming device. To do so, turn off the device, unplug it from the power outlet, wait 60 seconds, then plug it back in and turn it on.
Power Cycle Your Streaming Device
Software glitches like no sound on Hulu can be easily fixed by power cycling your streaming device.
Power cycling a device drains any remaining power and removes numerous performance-impairing problems.
Simply unplug the appliance from the power supply, wait a few minutes, plug it back in, and turn it on.
If you are using a mobile device like a smartphone, laptop, or tablet, turn off the device, leave it aside for a couple of mins, and then switch it back on.
Play the video you were trying to stream after turning on your device, and everything should proceed normally.
Power cycling will also fix Hulu’s freezing problem.
Clear Hulu (or Web Browser) Cache
Sometimes, a software glitch in the cache memory of the Hulu app or your web browser can manifest in the form of the Hulu no sound bug.
Clearing the cache can help you resolve this problem within seconds.
Android TV
- Open the Settings app.
- Select Applications or Manage apps.
- Choose Hulu.
- Select Clear Cache and Clear Data.
Fire TV
- Open Settings.
- Go to the Applications tab.
- Select Manage Installed Applications.
- Scroll down to Hulu.
- Choose Clear Cache and Clear Data.
Chrome
- Click the Three-dot menu at the top-right corner of your Chrome screen.
- Hover on More Tools.
- Select Clear browsing data.
- Select a Time range and check the box for Cached images and files.
- Click on Clear Data.
Firefox
- Click the History and Saved Bookmarks menu in the browser.
- Select History.
- Choose Clear Recent History.
- Check the Cache option and click OK.
Safari
- Open the Preferences menu in Safari.
- Click on Privacy.
- Choose Manage Website Data.
- Tap on Remove All.
Update the Hulu App
You may get no sound on Hulu if the app is buggy or outdated.
To resolve such problems, Hulu recommends keeping the app up to date, as the latest updates fix most glitches and bugs.
Updating the Hulu app is also an effective solution if Hulu keeps restarting your show.
Follow these steps to update the Hulu app:
Android TV
- Go to the Main menu.
- Launch the Play Store.
- Select My Apps.
- Check for Hulu updates.
Apple TV
- Go to the App Store.
- Look for Hulu under the Purchased section.
- If there is an update available, Download it.
Fire TV
- Go to Settings.
- Select the Applications tab.
- Open Manage Installed Applications.
- Choose Hulu and Download the update if available.
Roku
- Go to the Home screen.
- Select Hulu.
- Press the Asterisk button (*) on the remote.
- Click the option to Update the app if available.
Update Your Streaming Device
It’s possible that the no-sound glitch on Hulu is caused by some problems with your streaming device’s software.
An outdated OS can also be a culprit for this problem.
You can fix these issues by updating your device to the latest version.
Android TV
- From the Home screen, scroll down to Settings.
- Select the Help tab.
- Click on Software Update.
- Select System update and choose Update Now.
Apple TV
- Launch Settings.
- Select System.
- Click on the Software Updates tab.
- Choose Update Software.
Fire TV
- Select Settings from the Home screen.
- Choose the Devices tab.
- Open About.
- Click on the Software version tab.
- Select System Update.
Roku
- Go to the Roku Home screen.
- Select the Settings icon.
- Click on the System tab.
- Select System update.
- Choose the Check now option and tap OK.
Note: Be careful not to disconnect or unplug your TV until the update is done.
Reinstall Hulu
A fresh installation of the Hulu app can help you get rid of all software bugs and corrupted files in the app’s memory.
Doing so will also purge the cause behind Hulu’s no-sound glitch.
Here are the steps to reinstall Hulu:
Android
Open the ‘Play Store’, look for Hulu, and select ‘Uninstall’.
Once done, restart your device.
Now, relaunch the ‘Play Store’, search for Hulu and tap on it. You will see the option to ‘Download (or Install)’ the app.
iOS
Long-press the Hulu app until it begins to jiggle. When prompted, click the ‘X’ that appears to uninstall Hulu.
Restart your device once the app is removed.
Once the device has properly booted up, go to the ‘App store’, look for ‘Hulu’, and click on ‘Install’.
Fire TV
On the Home screen, pick the ‘Settings’ tab and click on ‘Manage Installed Applications’ under the ‘Applications’ menu.
Next, choose Hulu and click on ‘Uninstall’.
Once the app is deleted, restart your device.
Now, search for Hulu using the ‘Search’ bar or ask ‘Alexa’ to reinstall the app.
It should launch a website for Hulu where you can ‘Download’ it.
Roku
Choose ‘Streaming Channels’ from the Home screen and click on the ‘Channel Store’.
Now, find and select Hulu and hit ‘OK’ on the remote to bring the ‘Remove’ option.
Restart your device after uninstalling the app.
After booting up, go to the ‘Search’ bar and type in Hulu. Once found, ‘Install’ the app and select ‘Add Channel’.
Windows
For Windows 10 or later, launch the ‘Control Panel’, select ‘Programs and Features’, find Hulu, and click on ‘Uninstall’.
Once the app is deleted, restart your computer.
Now, visit the Microsoft Store and download Hulu to install it back.
Change Audio Language if Nothing Works
At times, there can be an issue with the language track of a show or movie on Hulu’s end, causing it to produce no sound.
You can side-step this by changing the language track to ‘English – Audio Description’.
Doing so will cause Hulu to play an alternative audio track that describes scenes in more detail.
To do so:
- Start a show or movie of your choice.
- Pause it and open Settings.
- Under Audio Language, enable English – Audio Description.
- Play the video.
Silence is Golden But Not Always
Hulu is a decent streaming platform, providing a vast content library at affordable rates.
Both of these points in favor of Hulu are moot if you cannot listen to the audio of the content you are trying to watch.
I fixed the no-sound problem on Hulu in an instant by power cycling my TV.
If that does not work, you should reinstall the app, which will surely get your audio working.
In case none of these work, you should contact Hulu Help Center.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a Hulu subscription cost?
A Hulu subscription with ads will set you back $8 a month.
If you want to go for the no-ads plan, it will cost you $15 per month.
What channels does Hulu include?
Hulu includes over 75 channels, including but not limited to: BET, Bravo, Comedy Central, E!, Freeform, Hallmark Channel, Lifetime, MTV, OWN, TBS, TNT, and VH1.
Can a faulty HDMI cable cause an audio issue?
Even though it’s improbable that an HDMI cable will get damaged in a way that only the audio doesn’t work, it is not impossible.
If you think this is the case, try replacing the cable in use with one you know works perfectly.
