How to fix the Zoom microphone not working on Windows or Mac? Here are some possible ways.
Do meeting attendees have trouble hearing you on Zoom calls? Does your microphone suddenly stop working during a meeting? These are a few awkward moments of online meetings that we all try to avoid. If this describes your current situation, the solutions in this guide will help you fix audio problems in Zoom.
You can experience microphone crashes in Zoom for a variety of reasons, from temporary software glitches to incorrect audio settings or even hardware issues.
Therefore, first of all, make sure that the microphone is working properly. You can launch other video conferencing apps and check if they detect your microphone. Make sure the cables for external headphones and portable USB microphones are not broken. Likewise, make sure they are properly connected to the correct ports on your computer.
You can also switch the microphone to a different port on your PC, or try using it on a different computer. This will help determine if the microphone is not working in Zoom due to a faulty microphone or a damaged port.
If the microphone is still not working in Zoom, see the troubleshooting tips below.
1. Check that Microphone Isn’t Muted
If attendees cannot hear you in a Zoom meeting, make sure your microphone is not muted. This should be your first course of action. Look in the lower-left corner of the meeting window and click Unmute.
Tip: Use Alt + A (Windows) or Shift + Command + A (Mac) to quickly turn the microphone on or off in Zoom.
If your headphones or external microphone have a dedicated mute button, make sure it wasn’t turned on by accident.
To prevent the Zoom microphone from automatically muffling your microphone, go to Settings> Sound and uncheck Mute when joining meeting (for Windows) or Mute when joining meeting (for Mac).
2. Check Zoom’s Microphone Selection
When multiple audio devices are connected to your computer, Zoom uses the microphone of the active audio device. However, you should still check out the Zoom microphone choice.
In meeting windows, click the up arrow to the right of the Mute button and select your preferred microphone under Select Microphone.
3. Adjust Your Microphone’s Volume
How often do your coworkers ask you to speak louder during Zoom meetings? Then you should increase the microphone volume. Conversely, turn down the microphone volume if you think you are speaking too loudly.
Adjust the microphone volume in Windows
If you are using a Windows computer, follow these steps to increase (or decrease) the microphone input volume.
1. Go to Settings> System> Sound and select your audio device under Select Input Device.
2. Then click on Device Properties and test the microphone to go to the device settings page.
3. Use the Volume slider here to adjust the microphone volume to your liking.
Adjust the microphone volume on Mac
Here’s how to check and adjust the input volume for your Mac’s built-in microphone and external audio devices.
1. Launch “System Preferences” and click “Sound”.
2. Click the Input tab and click your input device (for example, a microphone).
3. Move the input volume slider to the right to increase the microphone volume.
Adjust microphone volume while zooming
You can also adjust the microphone volume in the Zoom audio settings menu. Go to Settings> Audio and move the slider under the Input Level bar.
If the volume slider is grayed out, clear the Automatically adjust microphone volume check box.
4. Reduce or Disable Zoom’s Background Noise Suppression
By default, Zoom adjusts your microphone’s output using background noise reduction technology. This filters out distracting background noise to enhance your meeting. Despite its obvious benefits, suppressing background noise sometimes leads to reduced microphone power and other audio problems.
Decrease the aggressiveness of Zoom noise cancellation and check if that eliminates microphone stuttering. Go to the Zoom Sound Settings page and switch the Reduce Background Noise option from Auto to Low (low background noise).
If your microphone’s output still sounds unnatural and “over-filtered”, turn off Zoom noise cancellation. To do this, select the Show in Meeting check box for Include original audio. You will find this option under Music and Professional Audio (see screenshot above).
Return to the meeting window and click the Enable Original Audio button in the upper right corner. If you have multiple audio devices connected to your computer, click the drop-down icon next to the option and select your preferred microphone.
5. Make Sure Zoom Can Access Your Microphone
You also want to make sure Zoom has access to your computer’s microphone.
Check Windows Microphone Zoom Permissions
Launch the Windows Settings app and go to the Privacy section. Go to the Application Permissions section on the left sidebar and select Microphone.
You need to enable two important permissions on this page for any microphone (built-in or external) to work with Zoom on your computer. First, enable the “Allow apps to access your microphone” option.
Scroll down the page and also enable the Allow Desktop Applications to Access Microphone option.
Check your Zoom microphone permission on Mac
Go to System Preferences> Security & Privacy and go to the Privacy tab. On the left sidebar, click “Microphone” and make sure the Zoom (or zoom.us) function is enabled.
6. Restart Zoom (and Your Computer)
Zoom, like any other Windows application, may not function properly due to temporary glitches in the application or on your computer. In this case, close the application and try again. If the problem persists after restarting Zoom, try restarting your computer.
7. Troubleshoot Your Computer’s Microphone (Windows)
Windows has a built-in tool to help diagnose and fix problems with microphones connected to your computer. To use this tool, go to Settings> Update & Security> Troubleshoot> Sound Recorder and click Run the troubleshooter.
If you have multiple microphones connected to your computer, select the problematic device and click Next to continue.
If the troubleshooter detects a problem, it will either fix it automatically or provide instructions on how to fix it.
8. Update Zoom
Finally, make sure you have the latest version of Zoom installed on your computer. Zoom frequently releases updates that fix bugs and issues such as microphone crashes. To update Zoom, click the profile icon in the upper right corner and select Check for Updates from the menu.
If an updated version of the application is available, click the Update button to install it on your computer. Hope this helps fix the Zoom microphone not working issue.
Restore Zoom’s Microphone, Get Heard
Apart from the tips listed above, we also recommend updating the microphone driver on your Windows computer. Some external headphones and microphones have individual drivers; make sure they are up to date too.
Finally, close other applications that might be using your computer’s microphone. If, for example, you have a voice recording application running in the background, this may cause your PC’s microphone to not work with Zoom (or other applications).
With Zoom, things can go down pretty quickly, especially when you least expect it. Sometimes you are going to a meeting, but the Zoom camera does not work. In other cases, these are audio problems. Use the tips in this article to fix microphone problems on Zoom for Mac and Windows computers.
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How to fix the Zoom microphone not working on Windows or Mac? Here are some possible ways
How to fix the Zoom microphone not working on Windows or Mac? Here are some possible ways