Netflix Audio Out of Sync — What It Means & How to Fix It

What Does This Error Mean?

Netflix audio out of sync means the sound you hear does not match the lip movements on screen — either leading or lagging behind the video. This is usually caused by a playback buffer issue that drifts over time, a problem with Dolby Atmos or surround sound processing, or a wireless audio device introducing delay. Stopping and restarting the show usually realigns the audio immediately. Bluetooth headphones and soundbars are frequent causes of audio delay.

Affected Models

Netflix Web Browser
Netflix Android App
Netflix iOS App
Netflix Smart TV App
Netflix Apple TV App

Common Causes

The video stream buffered more than the audio stream (or vice versa), causing them to drift apart
A Bluetooth audio device (headphones, soundbar) is introducing wireless transmission delay
Dolby Atmos or Dolby Digital audio processing on a receiver or TV is adding processing delay
The device's audio driver or sound output settings have an audio offset configured
A slow or unstable internet connection caused one stream to buffer differently than the other

How to Fix It

Stop the show or movie completely and restart playback from the beginning or from the same timestamp. A full stop-and-start forces Netflix to re-sync the audio and video streams.

Simply pausing and unpausing does not realign streams — you must stop and restart the episode.
If using Bluetooth headphones or a Bluetooth speaker, switch to a wired connection. Bluetooth adds 100–300ms of audio delay that creates visible lip sync issues, especially on dialogue-heavy content.

Bluetooth aptX Low Latency reduces this delay significantly if both your device and headphones support it.
Check your TV or soundbar audio delay settings. On smart TVs and AV receivers, look for an Audio Delay, Lip Sync, or A/V Sync setting in the sound or audio menu. Adjust it until the audio aligns with the video.

On Samsung TVs: Settings > Sound > Expert Settings > Digital Output Audio Delay. On Sony TVs: Settings > Sound > A/V Sync.
Try changing the audio track. In Netflix playback, press the audio/subtitle button (speech bubble icon) and switch between available audio tracks. If a 5.1 track is out of sync, try Stereo.

Dolby Atmos and 5.1 tracks sometimes have sync issues on devices that are not fully Dolby-certified. Stereo tracks are simpler and less likely to drift.
Restart the Netflix app or your streaming device. Close Netflix completely, restart the device, then reopen Netflix and test playback.

On smart TVs, a full power cycle (unplug from wall for 30 seconds) clears the audio processing buffer more effectively than using the remote power button.
Check your internet connection stability. A connection that drops briefly causes audio and video buffers to fill at different rates, creating drift. Run a speed test and look at your ping/jitter readings.

High jitter (above 20ms) is more damaging to audio sync than raw speed. A stable 10 Mbps connection is better for Netflix than an unstable 100 Mbps connection.

When to Call a Professional

Netflix audio sync issues are almost always fixable by the user without professional help. No technician is needed. If audio is always out of sync on all Netflix content on one specific TV or device, that device's audio processing settings need adjustment. If the issue affects only one title, it may be a file encoding issue on Netflix's end — use the 'Report a Problem' feature.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does audio go out of sync gradually during a long show?

Gradual drift usually means the audio and video streams are being decoded at very slightly different rates. Over time even a 0.01% rate difference adds up to a noticeable gap. This can happen when the device's processor is under load and cannot decode both streams at exactly the same rate. Restarting playback resets both streams to zero drift.

Is audio sync a Netflix problem or a device problem?

Usually the device. Netflix encodes audio and video in sync at the source — if sync is off on playback, something on your device or in your audio chain is introducing delay. The exception is when a specific Netflix title has an encoding error, which Netflix can fix with a report. Test the same title on a different device — if it is in sync there, the issue is with the first device.

Does the Netflix audio sync issue affect subtitles too?

Often yes — if audio is out of sync, subtitles typically go out of sync by the same amount since they are timed to match the audio. If your subtitles are in sync but the audio is not, you may have selected a dubbed audio track that is slightly offset from the original. Try switching back to the original audio language track to see if sync improves.