How to improve your audio quality on Netflix

We've all been there, settling in for a Netflix night only to end up straining our ears when dialogue sounds distant or garbled. This is actually one of the things Netflix users complain quite a bit about and it has nothing to do with your internet connection or your TV's quality. Instead, it comes down to a mismatch between the audio format Netflix sends and the speakers that play it.

The most frustrating part of it all is that the issue pops up at random. One show might sound just fine, while another will have you straining your ears to figure out what they're even saying without you changing the setup or touching the settings.

The good news is that fixing the problem doesn't require changing any of your sound equipment or even trying to reach Netflix tech support. More often than not, the solution to your Netflix muffled audio is a quick setting adjustment that'll take a minute of your time.

Netflix automatically defaults to the highest-quality audio stream supported by your connected devices. If your setup supports surround sound, then Netflix will send a 5.1 or Dolby Atmos track rather than standard stereo. That sounds great in theory, but many smart TVs claim they can push surround sound when they're only sporting basic speakers. In such situations, the TV attempts to send that surround track down to two speakers, resulting in audio that sounds quieter and less clear.

An alternative is that there's an actual technical problem at play. A loose or damaged HDMI cable can distort or weaken the audio signal, while outdated firmware on your streaming device or TV may be at fault for mishandling audio processing. Similarly, external sound systems like soundbars may deliver subpar sound if they're not configured correctly.

None of this means that something's broken, but the issues do reflect a compatibility problem between the audio Netflix is sending and what your equipment can receive.

You're going to want to start with the easiest and most effective fix — opening the Audio and Subtitles menu at the bottom of the Netflix player and switching your audio track from the surround version (such as English [Original] 5.1) to the standard version (English [Original]). If you're only using your TV's built-in speakers rather than a dedicated surround system, this single change often resolves quiet or muffled audio immediately. Netflix remembers your preference moving forward, so doing this once should fix any potential issues moving forward too.

If you're using an external audio system and the problem persists, run a check on your HDMI cable and try using a different one to see if the sound issue disappears. You could also try bypassing any external audio devices for a bit just to see if playback through your TV's speakers fixes the issues. You should also check if there's a firmware update available.

Something else you could do is increase playback quality within Netflix itself. Head over to your Account page in a web browser, go to Edit settings > Playback settings and set your data usage per screen to High. This ensures Netflix streams its highest audio bitrate, which is up to 640 kbps for 5.1 and 768 kbps for Atmos. It's also worth noting that you have to pay for the Netflix Premium tier if you want high-fidelity spatial audio and Dolby Atmos.