To Use One TV Remote, Turn On HDMI-CEC at Both Ends

To run a soundbar, console or streaming box from one TV remote, turn on HDMI-CEC on the TV and on the device: Samsung calls it Anynet+, LG Simplink, Sony BRAVIA Sync, Vizio CEC, and a Roku TV lists it under Control other devices (CEC). Consoles and the Apple TV have their own switch, and Xbox says CEC is off by default on most TVs, so check both ends.

CEC is the HDMI feature that lets connected devices send each other commands. Samsung says Anynet+ “allows you to control both devices with your TV remote”, and LG says Simplink lets you turn devices on or off and control functions “such as the volume”.

The setting on each TV

The 6 TV brands below, with the path as each maker’s own support page prints it and the model year or software it names.

TV brand	Its name for HDMI-CEC	Menu path, as the maker gives it	Source
Samsung	Anynet+ (HDMI-CEC)	Settings › General › External Device Manager › Anynet+ (no model year named)	Samsung US Support TSG10002365
LG	Simplink (HDMI-CEC)	2026, webOS 26: All Settings › System › Devices › HDMI Settings › Simplink (HDMI-CEC). 2021 to 2025, webOS 6.0 and 22 on: All Settings › General › Devices › HDMI Settings › Simplink (HDMI-CEC). 2019 and 2020 (webOS 4.5 and later): All Settings › Connection › HDMI Device Settings	LG USA Help Library
Sony	BRAVIA Sync control	Quick Settings › Settings › Channels & Inputs › External inputs › BRAVIA Sync settings › BRAVIA Sync control (BRAVIA 9, 8, 8 II, 7, 5, A95L, XR8B, XR8C)	Sony BRAVIA Help Guide
Vizio	CEC	Menu › All Settings › System › CEC; on by default on Vizio TVs	Vizio Support
Roku TV	Control other devices (CEC)	Home › Settings › System › Control other devices (CEC), then tick System audio control and 1-touch play	Roku Support
TCL (Google TV)	HDMI CEC	Home › Settings › All settings › Channels & Inputs › HDMI CEC (X11L Series manual)	TCL Support

On LG’s older sets, Auto Power Sync is a separate switch to turn on alongside Simplink; LG says that from webOS 6.0 it is no longer separate, and turning on Simplink “automatically enables linked power control”. Roku’s ARC or eARC tick box sits in the same Control other devices menu.

Vizio publishes a list of what other brands call CEC, and says other makers may use other names: among them Insignia INlink, Philips EasyLink or Fun-Link, Panasonic VIERA Link, Sharp Aquos Link and Toshiba CE-Link or Regza Link. We did not read those makers’ own pages.

The setting on consoles and streaming boxes

The 4 devices below, from each maker’s own pages.

Device	Its name	Menu path, as the maker gives it	Source
PS5	Enable HDMI Device Link	Settings › System › HDMI › Enable HDMI Device Link	PlayStation energy-efficiency page
Xbox Series X|S	HDMI-CEC	Xbox button › Profile & system › Settings › General › TV & display options › TV & A/V power options › HDMI-CEC	Xbox Support
Apple TV 4K	Home Theater Control	Settings › Remotes and Devices › Home Theater Control › Control TVs and Receivers (or Turn On Your TV with Your Remote), and Volume Control (tvOS 27)	Apple TV 4K User Guide
Nintendo Switch 2	Match TV Power State	HOME Menu › System Settings › Display › Match TV Power State	Nintendo Support

Xbox splits CEC into six tick boxes, so you can keep some and drop others: the console turning other devices on or off, other devices turning the console on or off, the console sending volume commands, and the Xbox button switching the TV to the console’s input. Apple’s Volume Control has an HDMI option for TVs and receivers that take volume over CEC, and IR options for those that do not.

Nintendo says Match TV Power State turns the TV on when the console starts or leaves sleep mode, and puts the console to sleep when the TV turns off, but that “HDMI settings must also be enabled on your TV” and some TVs cannot use it. If you are setting up a console for 4K at 120Hz as well, the port settings are in our console TV settings guide.

What CEC does on its own, and how to stop it

The TV turns on when a device does. Samsung says that by default “some HDMI devices are set to turn the TV on when they turn on”. Xbox puts it the other way too: with Other devices can turn console on ticked, “switching to the XBOX input on your TV will turn on your console”. Vizio says a connected device “may be sending a Power On command”, and suggests setting CEC to Off to test, then reconnecting devices one at a time to find it.

The TV switches inputs by itself. Samsung says its TVs switch to a device’s input as soon as it reports turning on, by default. To stop that and keep Anynet+, Samsung gives a remote code: Mute, 7, 2, 9, Exit on an IR remote, or Mute, Vol Down, Ch Down, Mute on a smart remote while on the TV source. No message appears, so test it by turning on a device. LG says a device in standby can send the signal, and suggests turning off Quick Start+ and deleting the TV’s connection history. On a Roku player, Roku’s fix is to untick 1-touch play under Settings › System › Control other devices.

Switch off only the part you do not want. Turning CEC off entirely ends the one-remote control too: Samsung says that with Anynet+ off “you will no longer be able to use your TV remote for both devices”. Sony’s guide has TV auto power on and Device auto power off as separate switches, TCL’s lists Power on the TV in Sync and Device Standby in Sync, and Xbox has its tick boxes.

If it does not work

• Check both ends. Xbox says it “will not be able to tell if CEC is currently turned on or off” on the TV, so it has to be turned on there by hand.
• Plug straight into the TV. Xbox says a device in between may pass CEC through or may interfere with it.
• Check the cable. LG asks for a high-speed HDMI cable that supports CEC; Xbox asks for one certified for HDMI High Speed or HDMI Premium.
• Look at the port. Xbox says some devices support CEC only on certain HDMI ports.

For a soundbar, CEC is what lets the TV remote change its volume; which formats reach it over that same cable is down to ARC or eARC, which our ARC and eARC explainer covers. If you are still choosing a bar, our soundbar shortlist is the place to start, and if a new TV’s picture looks too smooth once it is all connected, the fix is in our motion smoothing guide.

Questions people ask

What is HDMI-CEC called on my TV?

It depends on the brand. Samsung calls it Anynet+, LG Simplink, Sony BRAVIA Sync, Vizio CEC, and Roku TVs list it as Control other devices (CEC). TCL’s Google TV guide calls it HDMI CEC. Samsung and LG print “HDMI-CEC” in brackets after their own name.

How do I control my soundbar with my TV remote?

Connect the soundbar to the TV’s HDMI ARC or eARC port and turn on CEC on both. Roku says that with CEC on, its TV remote adjusts and mutes a home theater’s volume. Vizio’s test is to change the bar’s volume with the TV remote: if it responds, CEC works.

Why does my TV turn on when I turn on my PS5 or Xbox?

That is HDMI-CEC. Samsung says some HDMI devices are set by default to turn the TV on when they turn on. You can stop it on the console: Xbox has a Console turns on other devices box, and Switch 2 has Match TV Power State. Or turn CEC off on the TV.

How do I stop my TV switching inputs by itself?

On a Samsung TV, Samsung gives a remote code: Mute, 7, 2, 9, Exit on an IR remote. LG suggests turning off Quick Start+ and deleting connection history. On a Roku player, untick 1-touch play under Settings, System, Control other devices.

Do I need a special HDMI cable for CEC?

A certified high-speed one. LG asks for a high-speed HDMI cable that supports CEC, and Xbox asks for cables certified for HDMI High Speed or HDMI Premium. Xbox adds that a device between the console and TV may interfere with CEC, so plug straight into the TV to test.

Does turning off HDMI-CEC stop my TV remote controlling the soundbar?

Yes. Samsung says that with Anynet+ off, you will no longer be able to use your TV remote for both devices. To keep the one-remote control but stop the TV waking, look for a separate power switch, such as Sony’s TV auto power on, and turn off only that.