Mic not working in Meet, Teams, Zoom or Discord

First: is it the mic or the app?

Test the microphone outside the app. If it works in the Hardcheck mic test or in another app, skip to the section for your app. If it does not work anywhere, the cause is the system or the hardware: check the mute switch on the headset, the cable or Bluetooth connection, and your system's microphone privacy settings.

Google Meet

• Before you join, use the preview screen to check your audio, and make sure the microphone button is not red.
• In a call, open More options (three dots) > Settings > Audio and choose the microphone.
• Meet runs in the browser, so the site needs the microphone permission: click the icon left of the address and allow Microphone for meet.google.com.
• If your voice cuts in and out, try turning Noise cancellation off in the same Audio settings, where your account offers it.

Microsoft Teams

• Open Settings and more (…) > Settings > Devices. Under Audio devices, pick your microphone, then use Make a test call to hear yourself.
• During a meeting, check the microphone button and the device list under the arrow next to it.
• If you are muted by the organizer, or the meeting does not allow attendees to unmute, the app shows it on the mic button. Ask the organizer.
• The Noise suppression setting is in the same Devices page. If your voice sounds broken, set it to a lower level.

Zoom

• Open Settings > Audio, pick the Microphone and click Test Mic. Speak and listen to the playback.
• If you sound too quiet, untick Automatically adjust microphone volume and raise the microphone volume slider.
• Suppress background noise can cut out quiet voices or music. Lower it if words go missing.
• If Press and hold SPACE key to temporarily unmute yourself is on, you may be muted until you hold Space. Check the mute icon.

Discord

• Open User Settings > Voice & Video and set the Input Device to your microphone (not Default if it keeps picking the wrong one). Use Let's Check to see the level move.
• Input Mode: with Push to Talk, Discord sends nothing until you hold the key. Switch to Voice Activity if you don't use a key.
• With Voice Activity, the Input Sensitivity bar must turn green when you speak. Lower the threshold if your voice cuts out.
• Noise suppression can also mute soft voices. Try turning it off.
• A red mic icon next to your name in the channel means you are server muted by a moderator.
• If nothing helps, Reset Voice Settings at the bottom of Voice & Video restores the defaults.

The system can block the app

• Windows 11: Settings > Privacy & security > Microphone. Turn on Microphone access, Let apps access your microphone and Let desktop apps access your microphone. Desktop Zoom, Discord and browsers depend on the last switch.
• Mac: System Settings > Privacy & Security > Microphone, then turn on Zoom, Teams, Discord or your browser. Quit and reopen the app afterwards.
• Phone apps: on Android, Settings > Apps > the app > Permissions > Microphone. On iPhone, Settings > Apps > the app > Microphone.

Only change one thing at a time and test again. Quit the app fully after switching devices: many apps only notice a new microphone after a restart.

Other common causes

• Two apps fighting for the mic: close other call apps and browser tabs with a call before joining.
• Bluetooth headsets switch to a separate hands-free mode when the mic is in use. Select the headset in both the speaker and the microphone lists of the app, so it does not mix the headset with another mic.
• On Windows, exclusive mode can let one app keep the microphone to itself. Turn it off in the microphone's properties (Advanced tab) in More sound settings.

How the mic test helps

Open the Hardcheck mic test, press Start and pick the same microphone in the Device list that you chose in the app. If you see Your microphone works, the hardware and system are fine and the problem is in the app's settings above. If you see No sound is reaching the browser or Very low, fix that first. Press Record 5 s and play Your recording to hear what people on the call hear, then press Stop before you rejoin.