eARC stands for enhanced audio return channel. It is a feature carried over an HDMI connection that lets a television send audio back out to a connected soundbar or AV receiver using the same cable that also carries video into the television from other sources, so a separate audio cable is not needed.
Compared with the older ARC feature, eARC supports much higher audio bandwidth, which allows it to carry uncompressed, high resolution multi channel audio formats, including object based formats such as Dolby Atmos, rather than only compressed surround sound. This matters for anyone who wants the television's own apps, such as streaming services, to output their best available audio to an external sound system.
To use eARC, both the television and the connected soundbar or receiver need eARC support on the specific HDMI ports being used, often marked HDMI eARC on the television, along with a suitable HDMI cable. See our connections and setup page and soundbar guide for how to set this up.
