External monitor audio playing through phone speaker?

You connect your phone to an external monitor, but video appears on the big screen while sound still comes from the phone. That can be normal: the monitor may not have speakers, or the connection may carry video without routing audio to the display.

First check whether the monitor can play sound at all, then test what output your phone is using. The Speaker Test can play tones and a frequency sweep through the output currently chosen by your phone.

Test audio through the monitor

1. Open the Speaker Test on your phone. Keep the phone volume low to start.
2. Play a short tone or the left and right channel test while the phone is not connected to the monitor. Confirm that you hear sound from the phone.
3. Connect the monitor using the same cable or adapter you use for video. Check the monitor for built-in speakers, or connect headphones or speakers to its audio output if it has one.
4. Play the test again. Listen at the phone, monitor, and any connected headphones. Raise the monitor's volume separately if it has its own controls.
5. Open your phone's audio output selector, if available, and check whether the monitor or an HDMI audio output appears. Select it, then replay the test.

Keep the tone quiet and stop if it sounds harsh. The test uses the output your phone and browser currently provide. It does not force audio to a particular display or prove that a cable supports audio.

What the result means

You hear the tone only from the phone

The browser is playing through the phone's current audio route. The display connection may be carrying video only, the phone may not offer a way to send sound to that monitor, or the monitor may have no speakers. Check the connection and output options below.

You hear sound from the monitor, but it is very quiet

The route works, but one of the volume controls may be low. Phones and monitors can have separate volume settings. Check both, and make sure the monitor is not muted.

You hear sound from headphones connected to the monitor

The monitor is receiving audio, but it may not have built-in speakers. A headphone jack is an audio output, not proof that the display can play sound on its own.

You hear the tone from the monitor and phone at once

Your phone or connected equipment may be mirroring audio, or the phone speaker may remain active for some sounds. Check the phone's output selector and test with a regular music or video app too. Different apps can use different audio routes.

The sound changes when you connect or disconnect the display

The phone is changing its audio route, but that does not always mean the monitor has speakers. Try headphones connected to the monitor, and check its volume and mute controls to confirm where the sound is going.

How to fix it

1. Check whether the monitor has speakers. Look up the display's specifications or check its on-screen menu. If it has no speakers, connect headphones or powered speakers to the monitor's audio output, or keep listening from the phone.
2. Unmute and raise the monitor volume. Use the monitor's physical buttons or on-screen display menu. Check its audio input setting if it has one, and make sure the monitor is using the input connected to your phone.
3. Select the external audio output. On many Android phones, open the volume panel or Quick Settings and look for Media output or an audio output option. Choose the display or HDMI output if it appears. Names and availability vary by phone. On an iPhone, open Control Center, tap the audio output control in the playback card, and choose the display if it is listed. A wired display may switch audio automatically, and it may not appear as a selectable destination.
4. Reconnect the video cable and adapter. Unplug and firmly reconnect both ends. If possible, test a different adapter or cable that supports audio over the connection. Some adapters pass video but do not provide a usable audio route for a particular phone and display.
5. Disconnect Bluetooth audio devices. A paired headset or speaker may be selected instead of the monitor. On Android, check Settings › Connected devices or the Bluetooth controls in Quick Settings. On iPhone, use the audio output control in Control Center and disconnect the device if needed.
6. Check the app's audio route. Play sound in another app, such as a local video or music player. If only one app uses the phone speaker, close and reopen it after connecting the monitor, then check its audio settings.
7. Restart the connection. Disconnect the monitor, restart the phone, reconnect the display, and check the output selector again. This can clear a route that failed to update after plugging in.

When the phone or monitor may not support it

Not every phone, adapter, cable, or monitor handles audio the same way. A USB-C connector alone does not guarantee that a phone sends sound to a display. Some monitors have no speakers, and some connections need a separate audio cable or an audio-capable adapter. Check the manuals for the exact phone and monitor models before buying another cable.

If the monitor plays audio from another source but never appears as an output for your phone, the phone, adapter, or connection may not support that route. If it appears but remains silent with multiple apps, test a known audio-capable adapter or another display before arranging a repair.

Why the test may not match every app

Phone audio routing is controlled by the operating system, connected hardware, and sometimes the app. The Speaker Test sends sound through the route available to the browser at that moment. A successful tone confirms that sound can reach that output, but it does not guarantee that every video app will use the same route. Test the app you actually need after checking the phone and monitor controls.

The Speaker Test plays audio in your browser and does not record sound.