No Sound in PikaShow: Sound Checks That Usually Restore Audio

Picture without sound is a strange fault, because the video looks right, the controls respond, and yet the story is silent. The cause can be simple, such as a muted device, or it can be more specific, such as an audio track, a Bluetooth device, or a player setting. Working through sound checks in order, from the device to the player to the title, will restore audio in most cases, without reinstalling the app or changing settings at random. This guide takes you through those checks, and it explains how to tell whether the fault is with the device, the app, or the title itself.

Start by noting what you hear, and what you do not. Is there no sound at all, or is sound very quiet, distorted, or out of step with the picture? Does sound work in other apps, or is PikaShow the only silent app? Write down the answers, and try a familiar title that worked before, as a known good test. Check the version on the PikaShow download page, where the site states that v94 is its latest version. A fault that affects only one title points to that title or its audio track, while a fault that affects every app points to the device.

Device volume, mute and output

Check device volume first, with the volume buttons, and look at the volume indicator on screen. On a phone, there are separate volumes for media, calls and notifications, and the media volume is the one that matters for video. Turn media volume up, and make sure Do Not Disturb or a mute switch has not silenced media. On a television, check volume with the television remote, and check that the television is not muted. That sounds obvious, but a muted television or a phone with media volume at zero is a common cause of a fault that feels serious.

Check where sound is going. If Bluetooth headphones, earbuds or a speaker are connected, sound may be going to that device, not to the phone or television speakers. Open Bluetooth settings, disconnect the Bluetooth device, and try again. If sound returns, the Bluetooth device was the output, and it may have been in another room, switched off, or low on battery. On a computer, check the sound output in system settings, because an emulator can send sound to a different output, such as a monitor speaker, while you expect it from headphones. Choose the right output, and test again.

Check other apps. Play a video in YouTube or another app, and listen for sound. If other apps are also silent, the fault is with the device, not with PikaShow. Restart the device, check for a system update, and test a different output, such as headphones, to see whether the speakers themselves are at fault. If other apps have sound but PikaShow does not, the fault is with the app, the player, or the title, and the next checks will help you narrow it down.

Player controls and audio tracks

Open PikaShow, start playback, and tap the screen to show the player controls. Look for a mute control, a volume slider, or an audio track control. A player can be muted inside the app even when device volume is up, so check the player volume as well as the device volume. If the player offers a choice of audio tracks, open the list and try a different track, because a title can have a faulty or silent track, while another track works. Wait a few seconds after changing track, because the player needs time to switch.

Try another source for the same title, because different sources can have different audio tracks, and one source may be silent while another works. If another source has sound, the fault was with the first source, not with your device. Note the source that worked, so you can choose it first next time. If every source is silent for one title, but other titles have sound, the title itself is likely at fault, and another title is the practical answer. Do not keep changing device settings for a fault that affects only one title.

Soundbars, home cinema and casting

If sound goes through a soundbar, a home cinema system or an AV receiver, check that system as well as the television. The television may be set to send sound to an external system that is switched off, muted, or set to the wrong input. Switch the external system on, choose the right input, and turn its volume up. If sound returns when you switch the television back to its own speakers, the external system was the cause. Check the television audio output setting, and set it to pass sound through in a format the external system supports, because a format mismatch can cause silence.

If you are casting, sound behaviour changes. When you cast your phone screen, sound usually comes from the television, but phone volume can still affect it. Start with television volume at a comfortable level, then use phone volume to fine-tune. If sound is delayed behind the picture, restart the cast, because a fresh connection often fixes lip-sync drift. If sound drops during casting, check Wi-Fi, move the phone closer to the router, and keep the phone awake and charged. A cast that drops sound is often a network fault, not an app fault.

Restart, cache and updates

Restart the app and the device, clear the app cache, and check for updates. A restart clears a temporary state that can silence audio, and a cache clear removes a damaged temporary file without removing settings. Check for a PikaShow update on the download page, and for a device system update, because updates can fix audio faults. After an update, test playback with a familiar title, and check sound through speakers and through headphones separately, so you know which output works.

If sound is distorted, crackling or out of step, lower playback quality one step, try an external player if the app offers one, and restart the device. A distorted sound can be caused by a faulty source, a player that cannot handle a particular audio format, or a device that is short of resources. Try another source, and try the same title on another device, to see whether the fault follows the title or the device. A fault that follows the title is a source fault, while a fault that follows the device is a device fault.

When sound is fine on one device but not another

A sound fault that appears on one device but not on another is useful information. Test the same title on a phone, a television, or a computer with an emulator, and note which device is silent. If the title has sound on the phone but not on the television, the television settings, the HDMI or cast connection, or the external sound system are likely at fault. If the title is silent on every device, the title or its source is likely at fault. Do not assume a fault is with the app until you have tested the same title on another device, because device settings are the most common cause of silence.

On Android TV and Fire Stick, check audio settings in the device menu, not only in the app. Look for a setting that controls surround sound, digital audio output, or HDMI audio, and try a simpler setting, such as stereo or PCM, if the current setting causes silence. Restart the television or stick after changing the setting, and test again. On a Fire Stick, also check that the stick is not sending sound to a paired Bluetooth device that is out of earshot. On a computer, check the emulator audio setting, and make sure the emulator is not muted in the Windows volume mixer or macOS sound settings.

For setup help, see PikaShow for Android, PikaShow for PC and PikaShow for iOS. The iOS page sets out the honest position, which is that there is no official PikaShow app for iPhone, so a sound fault on an iPhone is not a fault in an official app.

No sound in PikaShow? Check device and player volume, disconnect Bluetooth, try another audio track or source, and get the latest version from the Download PikaShow page.

Frequently asked questions