How to Fix It When a Zoom Microphone Is Not Working

Is there a problem with the Zoom microphone? Zoom audio issues can appear in a variety of ways:

• You can’t hear what other people are saying, and they can’t hear what you’re saying.
• Other people can’t hear you, but they can hear you.
• When you talk, the audio is distorted or you hear an echo.

There may be a few things you may attempt to get your Zoom mic working so you can participate in meetings, depending on the underlying cause.

The instructions in this article apply to Zoom’s desktop and online versions, as well as the Zoom Android and iOS mobile apps.

Causes of Zoom Mic Not Working

If your mic is not detecting audio in Zoom, it could be due to a few reasons:

• Your mic is muted.
• Your mic is disabled in your device’s settings.
• The wrong mic or speakers are selected in Zoom.
• The meeting organizer has muted everyone else.
• Interference from other programs.
• Problems with your mic’s hardware.
• Outdated device drivers.

How to Fix a Microphone Not Working in Zoom

Try these fixes in order until you can use your mic on Zoom:

1. Make sure your microphone is turned on and connected. Examine the connecting cable if you’re using an external mic, or check your Bluetooth settings if you’re using a wireless mic. Try inserting a wired microphone onto a separate USB port. Make sure the Bluetooth device’s battery is charged.

2. Join Audio is the option to choose. Before you join a meeting, Zoom generally requests access to your microphone, but if you miss it, you can select Join Audio at the bottom of the Zoom window.

3. In Zoom, make sure you’re not muted. If the microphone symbol in your Zoom window has a line through it, select the Sound icon to unmute yourself.

4. Make sure Zoom has your microphone chosen. Select the up arrow next to the Microphone icon during a meeting and make sure the desired mic is selected.

   

   If other people can hear you, but you can’t hear them, make sure the right speaker is chosen under Select a Speaker.

5. Request that the meeting organizer unmute you. If you believe the person hosting the meeting has muted you, send them a message in chat and ask to be unmuted.

6. Check the settings on your device. Check your device’s settings to determine if your microphone is turned on. Make sure your microphone is properly set up in Windows and that the audio input you want is selected on your Mac.

7. Other programs that use your microphone should be closed. Check to see if any other software is vying for access to your microphone.

8. Check the permissions of your app. Make sure Zoom has permission to access your microphone in your device’s app settings.

9. Drivers for your device need be updated. If you’re using Windows, check the Device Manager to see if the drivers for your microphone are up to current.

10. Restart your computer. Rebooting solves computer problems since it shuts down any processes that are interfering with hardware or software.
11. Other neighboring audio devices should be muted. If you hear an echo, it’s possible that your microphone is picking up audio from another source, such as a television or an external speaker.

    When not speaking, everyone should mute their mic in Zoom to avoid hearing an echo. Meeting organizers have the ability to silence everyone else in the room.

12. Zoom’s Advanced Audio Settings can be tweaked. Zoom provides powerful techniques aimed at improving audio playback, but they can sometimes backfire. If you’re having trouble with your microphone, open Zoom while you’re not in a conference and go to the Settings gear, then to the Audio tab, then to Advanced to modify these settings.

    

13. Zoom should be reinstalled. Uninstall Zoom and reinstall it from the Apple App Store, Google Play, or the Zoom website if you’re using the mobile or desktop versions.