Why your Fire TV audio is out of sync—and how to fix it

⚡ Fast fix

• Test another show. One bad stream doesn't mean the whole setup is off.
• Restart everything. Reboot the Fire TV, TV, and soundbar before changing settings.
• Try AV Sync Tuning. It's built specifically for lip-sync problems.
• Still hearing voices before the lips move?
  Get 24/7 expert support for the tech you rely on.

When audio and video fall out of sync, it's almost impossible to ignore. Once you notice someone's lips moving before the dialogue, that's all your brain wants to focus on.

The good news is that lip-sync problems usually aren't complicated. Asurion Experts troubleshoot home entertainment systems every day, and most of the time we're trying to answer one simple question first: is the delay coming from the stream, the Fire TV, or something else connected to it? Once we know that, the fix usually becomes much more obvious.

Figure out where the delay starts

Before touching any settings, spend a minute figuring out whether the problem follows one show or everything you watch.

Play something else in the same app, then try a completely different streaming service. If only one app is out of sync, we'd leave the Fire TV alone for now and focus on that app instead. If every app sounds delayed, that's our cue to start looking at the device or the rest of the home theater setup.

Restart the whole setup

If you've ever fixed an audio delay by unplugging everything and plugging it back in, there's a reason it worked. Your Fire TV, television, and soundbar are constantly passing audio and video back and forth, and sometimes they simply stop agreeing on the timing.

Before changing any settings, restart all three devices. On Fire TV, head to Settings > My Fire TV (or Device & Software) > Restart, or unplug it for about a minute before reconnecting it. Do the same for your TV and soundbar, then test the same video again.

If your Fire TV keeps restarting on its own instead of coming back normally, our guide to fixing a Fire TV Stick that keeps restarting walks through those checks.

Use AV Sync Tuning

One thing that's easy to miss is that Fire TV already includes a tool designed specifically for lip-sync problems. Before digging through your television or soundbar settings, it's worth trying the adjustment Amazon already built in.

Open Settings > Display & Sounds > Audio > AV Sync Tuning, then use the on-screen test to line up the click with the bouncing ball.

If your Fire TV doesn't offer AV Sync Tuning, look for a setting called Lip Sync, Audio Delay, or AV Sync on your TV or soundbar instead.

Take the soundbar out of the equation

When we're trying to narrow this down, one of the quickest tests is also one of the simplest.

Switch the audio from your soundbar or receiver back to the TV's built-in speakers and play the same video again. If everything suddenly lines up, you've learned something important: the Fire TV is probably sending the signal correctly, and the delay is happening farther down the chain.

From there, restart the soundbar, check its lip-sync settings, or temporarily connect the Fire TV directly to the television while you continue testing.

If it's only one app...

Apps can develop their own quirks, and sometimes the fix is much smaller than resetting the whole system.

Open Settings > Applications > Manage Installed Applications, choose the app, then select Force Stop followed by Clear Cache.

We almost always recommend clearing the cache before clearing app data. It removes temporary files without signing you out or wiping your preferences, so it's a much lower-risk place to start.

Check for updates

If the problem started recently, it's worth making sure both Fire TV and the streaming app are fully up to date.

Check for Fire TV updates under Settings > My Fire TV > About > Check for Updates, then open the Amazon Appstore to see whether the app itself has an update waiting.

Sometimes the bug isn't on your end at all. If the delay started immediately after an app update, the real fix may simply be waiting for the developer to release another one.

Check the HDMI connection

We've seen loose HDMI connections cause stranger problems than you'd expect, and audio delay is one of them.

Disconnect and reconnect the Fire TV, HDMI cable, and any sound equipment in between. If another HDMI port is available, it's worth trying that too. While you're testing, leave HDMI switches and splitters out of the setup so there's one less place for the signal to get delayed.

If the television stops recognizing the Fire TV altogether, our guide to fixing a Fire TV Stick that isn't showing up over HDMI is the better next stop.

Don't rule out the network

Audio that's consistently out of sync usually points to a settings issue. Audio that drifts in and out is a different story.

If the picture buffers, the quality changes, or the delay comes and goes, the network is worth a closer look. Restart the router, pause any large downloads happening elsewhere in the house, and test the same video again.

If the delay shows up alongside buffering or connection drops, our guide to fixing a Fire TV Stick that won't connect to Wi-Fi walks through the next checks.

Factory reset only if everything is out of sync

If audio is still out of sync across every app after restarting, updating, checking HDMI, testing the soundbar, and running AV Sync Tuning, a factory reset may be worth considering. Just make sure you know your streaming passwords before you begin. Setting the device up again is easy. Remembering every login usually isn't.

Open Settings > My Fire TV > Reset to Factory Defaults, then follow the prompts.

FAQ

How do I fix delayed audio on Fire TV?

Start by testing another app, then restart the Fire TV and any connected audio equipment. If the delay is consistent, run AV Sync Tuning.

Why is Fire TV audio behind the picture?

The delay can come from the streaming app, your soundbar, HDMI connection, Fire TV settings, or the network itself.

Why is Fire TV audio ahead of the video?

Run AV Sync Tuning and adjust the timing until the click and the flashing ball line up.

Can a soundbar cause Fire TV audio delay?

Yes. Sound processing can introduce a delay, which is why testing the TV's built-in speakers is such a useful troubleshooting step.

Why is only one Fire TV app out of sync?

That usually points to the app or the stream rather than Fire TV itself. Force stop the app, clear its cache, and check for updates before changing device-wide settings.