After a faulty firm update released this week, Samsung’s premium HW-Q990D soundbar has been left unusable for many owners. Reports from frustrated users have flooded Samsung’s community forums, Reddit, and AVSForum, confirming a serious issue affecting the high-end Dolby Atmos system. The problem appears global, with complaints from the United States, Austria, the Philippines, Malaysia, and several other countries.
Q990D Samsung Soundbar Bricked – only shows TV eARC
byu/Hour-Mathematician31 inSoundbars
The soundbar becomes unresponsive after the update
Many customers report that their HW-Q990D soundbars have stopped working entirely. The usual factory reset methods do not seem to fix the issue, and affected units cannot be accessed through Samsung’s SmartThings app. While the device still powers on, it appears to freeze on the TV’s eARC input, with no sound coming through.
The latest firmware update, version 1020.7, is the cause of the problem. Since many users have automatic updates enabled, the faulty software has quickly spread, leading to a surge in complaints. While some reports of similar issues affect other Samsung models like the HW-Q800D and HW-S801D, most complaints involve the Q990D. This is particularly concerning as the HW-Q990D is among the most highly rated soundbars on the market, making the situation even more frustrating for customers.
Samsung has yet to provide a solution
Some customers have reportedly been asked to send their HW-Q990D units in for repair, but this is a last resort that many hope to avoid. Ideally, Samsung will release a fix that allows users to resolve the issue at home without needing to return their devices.
For now, if you own a Samsung soundbar, turn off automatic updates until Samsung addresses the issue.
