No Sound in a Video Call? A Step-by-Step Fix for Both Directions

It is the most common problem in video calls: the picture is there, people are talking, and you hear nothing. Or they tell you, "We cannot hear you." Nearly every case has a simple cause, and finding it is a matter of checking things in order. This guide goes from the quickest checks to the less obvious ones, for both directions.

First, work out which direction is broken

Ask one question: "Can you hear me?" Then listen. The answer tells you where to look.

• They cannot hear you: the problem is with your microphone, its permission, or your connection.
• You cannot hear them: the problem is with your speakers, your volume or their microphone.
• Neither can hear the other: try both sides, or suspect the network.

When they cannot hear you

1. Check the mute button. It sounds silly, and it is the most common cause. Look at the microphone icon in the call.
2. Check the permission. Browsers and phones ask for permission to use the microphone. If you said no, or the permission was blocked, nothing will reach the call. In the PeerFlow checklist you can see whether the microphone is allowed, and allow it again.
3. Check the chosen microphone. Laptops often have a built-in microphone, a headset and sometimes a monitor with another. Open the device settings in the call and pick the right one.
4. Speak and watch the level meter. If the meter moves, the microphone works, and the problem lies further along.
5. Close other programs that might hold the microphone, such as another call or a recording tool. Some systems let only one program use it at a time.
6. Check the headset. Unplug and replug a wired headset. For a Bluetooth headset, confirm that it is connected as both speaker and microphone.

When you cannot hear them

1. Turn up the volume, on the device and in the call. Check the system volume mixer, since some systems keep separate levels for each program.
2. Check the output device. The sound may be going to a speaker, a headset, a monitor or a Bluetooth device that is out of reach. Choose the right output in the settings.
3. Test the sound with something else, like a video. If you hear it there, the call is the problem. If not, your speakers are.
4. Ask them to check their mute and microphone. The cause may be on their side.
5. Restart the call. Leave and rejoin. It reconnects the audio.

Phones and tablets

• Allow the microphone for the app in the phone's settings. The app's own checklist can open the right settings page for you.
• Check the silent switch and volume. Call volume and media volume are often separate.
• Remove a case or a finger from the microphone hole.
• Bluetooth devices can capture audio from the phone. Disconnect them to test.

When it still does not work

If everything on the devices looks right, the problem may be the network. Audio needs a clear path between the two sides. Firewalls and strict networks sometimes block it. Try another network, such as a phone hotspot, or ask the other person to try one. If that fixes it, the first network is blocking the call. Read why remote connections fail behind firewalls for the technical background.

Quick reference

Echo and feedback

If people hear themselves, someone's speakers are feeding into someone's microphone. The fix is simple: wear headphones, or lower the speaker volume. The person who is hearing the echo is usually not the one causing it.

Prevent problems before the call

Use the device check before you join. In PeerFlow meetings you can pick your camera and microphone and see that they work before you enter. For video problems, read camera not working in a video call. Install the latest Android and Windows apps for the permission checklist and the newest fixes.