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Check one title against another, follow the reset for your device, change the audio format and, if every app is off, set your TV’s audio sync.
If Netflix audio is out of sync, play a different title first. If only one title is wrong, Netflix suggests reporting it from your viewing activity with Report a Problem; if every title is wrong on one device, restart that device the way Netflix recommends and try a different audio format. When Netflix and other apps are all out of step on the same TV, the TV or soundbar is the cause and its audio sync setting fixes it.
Netflix says plainly that sound out of sync means a problem with either your device or the title, and that its customer service can’t help with device audio settings. That makes measuring your own setup useful: the audio delay test shows whether your TV or soundbar adds delay of its own, and the TV guide shows where each brand keeps its sync setting.
Play a different show or film. If only one is out of sync, report it from your viewing activity using Report a Problem and watch something else meanwhile.
On a smart TV, set-top box or PlayStation 4, Netflix suggests unplugging it, pressing its power button once, waiting a minute (or leaving it unplugged for three) and plugging it back in. Fully power off phones and tablets rather than just locking them.
On Apple TV, go to Settings → Video and Audio → Audio Format → Change Format and choose Dolby Digital 5.1, or Stereo if that doesn’t help. On other devices, try stereo or PCM output.
If other apps are off as well, run the delay test on the TV or a laptop connected to it, line up the flash with Start flash and beep and enter the result in the TV’s or soundbar’s sync setting.
| Device | Suggested step |
|---|---|
| Any device | Check that other titles play normally; if not, the device is the cause |
| Apple TV 4 and Apple TV 4K | Settings → Video and Audio → Audio Format → Change Format: try Dolby Digital 5.1, then Stereo |
| Smart TV, set-top box, PlayStation 4 | Unplug, press power once, wait a minute (or three minutes unplugged), plug back in |
| TiVo | Audio & Video Settings → Dolby Digital → Dolby Digital to PCM |
| Receiver, soundbar or speakers | Check the HDMI or optical connection, swap the cable ends or use a different cable |
| iPhone or iPad | Update to the latest iOS or iPadOS |
| Android phone or tablet | Power the device off fully, then on again |
| Windows, Mac, Chromebook | Shut down fully (not sleep), wait, then start again |
Netflix offers surround sound on many titles. If your device sends that surround stream to a soundbar or receiver that decodes it slowly, the sound arrives late. Switching to stereo, or letting the TV convert to PCM, removes that decoding step. The opposite can also help: some systems keep better time with the surround format, which is why Netflix suggests trying both on Apple TV.
Many titles offer more than one audio track. A plain stereo track of the same language is worth a try when the 5.1 track is the one out of step.
The same checks apply to other services; the streaming guide groups them by symptom, and Hulu has its own page.
Then the title is fine and the TV setup adds delay: its picture processing, a soundbar decoding surround sound, or wireless headphones. Change the audio format, turn on game mode and set the TV’s sync.
Open your viewing activity on the Netflix website, find the title and choose Report a Problem.
Netflix’s app doesn’t offer an audio delay control. The adjustment is made in your TV, streaming box or sound system.
Try both. A slow surround decoder makes 5.1 late, and switching to stereo removes that step; on some setups the reverse is true, which is why Netflix suggests trying both on Apple TV.
No. Netflix streams are protected and can’t be changed or synced by anything outside Netflix. sync.video measures your own equipment’s delay so you can set it correctly.