Why Does The Vizio Soundbar Keep Searching?- Explained!

Suppose it’s your family movie time and your Vizio soundbar won’t connect to your TV. It keeps displaying “Searching” but can’t find your device. 

So,  why does the Vizio soundbar keep searching?

The Vizio soundbar Bluetooth might be malfunctioning. Sometimes it can be caused due to system bugs or outdated firmware. Sometimes, you just need to repair both the devices. The HDMI connection might also be faulty which is why your soundbar can’t locate and connect to your device. 

But, that’s not all. Be sure to read the whole article to learn more in detail. 

Vizio Soundbar Keeps Searching- Reasons And Solutions

Vizio Soundbar

This issue can occur due to multiple reasons. For most solutions you won’t even need the soundbar remote. Because accessing Vizio soundbar settings without remote is also available. 

Reason 1: System Bug

Occasional system bugs might cause the system to malfunction. Thus, your soundbar can’t identify the connected device. 

Solution: Soft or Hard Reset

The easiest solution here is to hard reset your soundbar. This should fix potential bugs in the system. Here’s how you can perform a hard reset on your Vizio Soundbar:

  1. For a soft reset, unplug the soundbar and press the power button for 30 seconds. Then, turn the soundbar back on. 
  2. For a hard reset, press and hold the Bluetooth and Volume Down button for 5 seconds. This will restore the soundbar to its factory settings. It’s also known as the Vizio soundbar Bluetooth reset. 

After the reset is complete, try searching for your device again. If it was a system bug, your device will show on the list. Simply connect the devices. 

Reason 2: Outdated Firmware

The soundbar might malfunction if the firmware version of your soundbar is outdated. You can press the volume up and down button together and the soundbar will display its current firmware version. 

Check online if it’s the latest version available. If not, you’ll need to upgrade it. 

Solution: Update Firmware

To upgrade your Vizio soundbar firmware version, follow these steps: 

  1. Connect your Vizio soundbar to the Vizio mobile app.
  2. Then, navigate to the Settings options and tap the System option. 
  3. It’ll show the message “Check for Updates”. Click on it and the soundbar will search for potential updates.
  4. When it’s found the new update, select “Yes” and the soundbar will start updating to the new firmware version. 

Once the update is over it’ll automatically be installed. Your soundbar might turn off and on once to run the new update. After it’s on try connecting your device again. 

Reason 3: Bluetooth Malfunction

Sometimes the Bluetooth might malfunction due to technical errors. For example, you’ve connected the soundbar with your phone. Now it won’t reconnect with the TV. While searching it can’t find your TV in the available options. 

Solution: Repair Devices

The simplest solution here is to disconnect and forget all available devices. Then, repair the device again. Sometimes, the device might be available but they won’t connect. This method works best in these cases. 

However, if it doesn’t work you can try to reset and update your soundbar as mentioned before, and try again. After connecting, make sure you don’t see the Vizio soundbar Off Sync. 

Reason 4: Faulty HDMI Connection

The easiest and most effective way to connect your soundbar with your TV is through an HDMI connection. But, if not set up properly, your soundbar won’t be able to recognize the device. The same might happen if the HDMI cable is damaged. 

Solution: Properly Connect HDMI

To properly connect your soundbar to the TV, follow these steps:

  1. First, connect the TV and soundbar through an HDMI cable. Make sure that both ports are labeled ARC. 
  2. Now, enable the CEC settings on your TV to establish the HDMI ARC connection. 
  3. Check if the TV shows the Vizio soundbar name under the Device Discovery section. If not, re-plug the soundbar and try again. 
  4. Now, in the soundbar, select HDMI as the input source. 
  5. Now, disconnect the power cords of the TV and soundbar for 5 minutes. It’ll reset both of them. Then, reconnect the power. 
  6. Your soundbar should be connected now. Now, push the input button on your TV remote and it should display all available channels.

With that, you have secured the HDMI connection, and your soundbar should properly work now. 

Solution: Replace Damaged Cable

If you can see visible damage on the HDMI cable, it’s likely to cause the issue. The best option here is to purchase a good HDMI cable and re-establish the HDMI connection as mentioned before. 

Vizio Soundbar Only Works with Bluetooth Issue

Some users face the issue where the Vizio soundbar only connects to other devices using Bluetooth. This isn’t likely to happen but might occur due to some silly mistakes. 

If this happens to you. Make sure the HDMI cable is connected to the Audio output port of the soundbar. Also, make sure that the Input mode is set to HDMI. If these are right, try hard resetting your soundbar. If you’re using optical fiber, switch to HDMI. 

If you still can’t solve the issue, it might be a hardware problem. So, contact a professional to fix it for you. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):

Why won’t the Vizio app find my soundbar?

If the Vizio app can’t find your soundbar, check if your phone is connected to the same network. Similarly, check if your soundbar or TV is connected to the same network. Also, make sure that the Bluetooth is turned on your device.

Why is my Vizio soundbar making a buzzing sound?

The Vizio soundbar can make buzziong sounds due to loosely connected cables. Make sure all the cables are securely connected and not tangled with each other. This should fix the issue. If not, contact a professional for hardware inspection. 

Why is the light blinking on my Vizio Soundbar?

A blinking light on your Vizio soundbar means the subwoofer isn’t connected to your soundbar. The subwoofer is still searching for the soundbar to connect. In that case, make sure the soundbar and subwoofer are properly plugged and turned on. Once connected, the light will stop binking. 

Bottom Line!

Hope you enjoyed reading our article about  why does the Vizio soundbar keep searching. Still, we’d like you to know one last thing. You can use the Vizio soundbar learn mode to tech your soundbar how to respond to different remote controls. Thank you!