Why is HDMI audio quieter than headphones?

Your headphones sound loud enough, but audio from the same computer is faint through a monitor or TV connected by HDMI. That does not necessarily mean the HDMI connection is faulty. The computer, display, and headphones can each have separate volume controls, and the built-in speakers in a display may simply be much quieter.

Compare both outputs with the same sound, then check the controls that affect HDMI playback. The Speaker Test can play tones and check left and right channels, so you can compare the outputs without relying on different songs or apps.

Compare HDMI audio with headphones

1. Open the Speaker Test. Set your computer's output to the HDMI-connected display or receiver before playing anything.
2. Start a tone at a comfortable volume, then listen for the same sound through the HDMI output. Keep the computer's volume setting fixed while you compare.
3. Switch the computer output to your headphones and play the same tone again. Do not turn the volume all the way up, because the headphones may become unexpectedly loud when you switch back.
4. Check the left and right channels in the test. If the display has stereo speakers, listen for sound from both sides. You can also use the frequency sweep to check whether some tones are much quieter than others.

For a useful comparison, keep the test tone and browser tab the same. A video or song may have its own volume level, dialogue mixing, or loudness normalization, so it is a less reliable comparison.

What the result means

HDMI is quiet, but both channels play clearly

The computer is sending audio to the display. The difference is more likely to come from a volume setting, the display's own speaker level, or the speakers' limited output. A monitor's small built-in speakers often cannot match the perceived loudness of headphones worn close to your ears.

One channel is missing or much quieter

Check the display's audio settings and the HDMI cable connection. If you use a receiver, soundbar, or adapter, that device may have a balance or channel setting of its own. Test with another cable or HDMI port only after checking those controls.

The tone is clear in headphones but distorted through HDMI

The display or receiver may be clipping, which means its sound level is too high for its speakers or amplifier to reproduce cleanly. Lower the display's volume and the computer's output level, then test again. If the distortion remains at modest levels, try another HDMI input or audio device.

There is no sound over HDMI

The computer may still be sending sound to the headphones or another output. Select the display or receiver as the active output in your system settings, then check its mute and volume controls.

How to fix quiet HDMI audio

1. Raise the display's own volume. Use the monitor or TV's physical buttons or on-screen menu. Check that it is not muted and that its audio output is set to the built-in speakers, if that is what you intend to use. A TV or receiver may also have a separate input level.
2. Select the HDMI output. On Windows 11, open Settings › System › Sound and select the HDMI display under Output. On macOS, open System Settings › Sound › Output and choose the display, TV, or receiver. The names may include the display brand rather than the word HDMI.
3. Check the app's volume. On Windows 11, open Settings › System › Sound › Volume mixer and check the app's volume as well as the output device. In a browser, check the video player's volume and make sure the tab or site is not muted. On macOS, check the app's own volume controls, since many apps have a separate level.
4. Check balance and channel settings. On Windows 11, open Settings › System › Sound, select the HDMI output, and check its left and right channel levels if shown. On macOS, open System Settings › Sound › Output and check the balance control. Return balance to the center for a normal stereo test.
5. Turn off surround or spatial effects for a test. A display with two speakers may sound quieter or unbalanced when the computer is set to a surround format. On Windows 11, open Settings › System › Sound, select the output, and check Spatial sound and any available audio enhancements. On macOS, use the output format options in Audio MIDI Setup if you have changed them. Choose a standard stereo output and compare again.
6. Reconnect the HDMI cable. Unplug it at both ends, reconnect it firmly, and select the display as the audio output again. If you use a dock, adapter, or receiver, test a direct HDMI connection if available.

When the display speakers are the limit

HDMI carries digital audio. The cable does not have a headphone-style volume knob, and a good HDMI connection should not make audio quieter by itself. The sound level you hear depends on the source level and the device that turns the digital signal into sound.

Headphones can sound much louder because their small drivers sit close to your ears. Many monitors have compact speakers designed mainly for alerts and basic video sound, not room-filling playback. If the HDMI level is already high, the display is not muted, and the test sounds clean but still quiet, the built-in speakers may be working as designed. Use external speakers, a soundbar, or headphones for more volume rather than pushing the display until it distorts.

The Speaker Test compares output by ear. It cannot measure the exact loudness of your headphones or display speakers, and the browser cannot override a volume limit built into the display or receiver.