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If voice chat or a controller stops working in THE FINALS, start with the platform setting that can block it: Windows microphone permission on PC, Game Base voice settings on PlayStation 5, or Xbox privacy controls. Then select the correct input device in the game, test another voice mode, and restart the game. For controller failures, verify bindings, update the game, and check Steam Input rather than assuming one universal toggle will fix every setup.
This guide treats “Finals Week” as troubleshooting THE FINALS. The game’s voice chat is enabled by default: PC uses Push to Talk by default, while consoles use Voice Activated. Menu labels and patch behavior can change, so use the exact paths below as a current starting point and recheck them after major platform or game updates.
Know what should happen by default
Voice chat is on by default in THE FINALS. The default behavior differs by platform:
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| Platform | Default voice mode | First setting to check |
|---|---|---|
| PC | Push to Talk | Windows desktop-app microphone permission and the in-game input device |
| PlayStation 5 | Voice Activated | Game Base voice-chat privacy and mute controls |
| Xbox | Voice Activated | Xbox privacy permission for communication outside the Xbox network |
A silent microphone, a crossed-out speaker icon, or teammates who cannot hear you usually points to permission, device selection, or a platform privacy control. A controller that works in one menu but not another can instead indicate a binding, focus, Steam Input, or game-version issue.
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Fix voice chat on PC
Work through these checks in order. Restart THE FINALS after changing Windows permission so the game can request the microphone again.
1. Allow desktop applications to use the microphone
- Press Windows + I to open Windows Settings.
- Choose Privacy & Security, then Microphone.
- Turn on Let Desktop Apps to Access Your Microphone.
- Check the list of recent desktop applications and confirm that THE FINALS appears after you launch it.
- Close the game completely and start it again.
This permission is separate from the microphone mute button on a headset and from the input device selected inside the game. A headset can appear connected to Windows yet remain unavailable to a desktop game when this permission is off.
2. Select the intended input device in the game
- Open Settings in THE FINALS.
- Go to Social > Chat > Voice Chat.
- Under Voice Chat Input Device, choose the microphone or headset you actually want to use. Do not leave an old, disconnected device selected.
- Speak while watching the game’s input indicator, if shown, and ask a teammate to confirm that your voice is reaching them.
Windows may expose several entries for one headset, such as a hands-free microphone, a USB microphone, and a webcam microphone. Select the physical device you tested, not simply the first item in the list.
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Under the same voice-chat settings, test Push to Talk, Toggle to Talk, and Open Mic.
- Push to Talk: hold the assigned key or button while speaking. This is the PC default, so a missing or changed key binding can make a working microphone appear silent.
- Toggle to Talk: press the assigned control once to transmit and again to stop. Confirm which state is active before testing.
- Open Mic: transmits when the game detects sound. Background noise or an aggressive threshold can affect when it opens, but this mode is useful for separating a key-binding problem from an input-device problem.
Test one mode at a time in a quiet match or practice situation. If Open Mic works but Push to Talk does not, revisit the voice key binding and any software that intercepts keyboard shortcuts.
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4. Close applications that may hold the microphone
Quit Discord, video-call software, streaming tools, browser tabs using microphone access, and manufacturer headset utilities. Some applications take exclusive control of an input device or change its active profile. Relaunch THE FINALS after closing them, then test again. If voice works only when another application is closed, change that application’s microphone setting or disable exclusive access rather than repeatedly reinstalling the game.
5. Check the physical connection and drivers
- Reconnect a USB headset directly to the computer instead of through an unpowered hub.
- For a 3.5 mm headset, confirm that the plug is fully inserted and that the computer has a combined headset jack or the correct splitter.
- Unmute the headset’s inline control and verify that Windows shows an input level when you speak.
- Update audio and microphone drivers from the computer or audio-device manufacturer when Windows detects the device inconsistently.
A USB gaming headset with a microphone can be a useful isolation test: if a second headset works immediately, the original microphone, cable, or adapter is the likely cause. This does not prove that any particular headset model is required.
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Voice can fail even when the microphone meter moves if the game cannot maintain its voice connection. Embark’s documented network steps include disabling IPv6 temporarily and switching to a public DNS server. Treat these as troubleshooting experiments, not permanent requirements:
- Record your current network settings so you can restore them.
- Disable IPv6 on the active network adapter, restart the computer, and test one match.
- If the problem remains, try a public DNS service supported by your network. Reboot the router or computer as appropriate, then test again.
- Restore the previous setting if there is no improvement or if other applications lose connectivity.
Do not change several network variables at once. You need to know whether a specific change affects voice chat.
Fix voice chat on PlayStation 5
On PS5, a console-level mute or sharing restriction can override the game’s Voice Activated default. Change the controls below, then restart THE FINALS.
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- Press the PS button and open Game Base.
- Open Game Base Settings > Voice Chat Settings.
- Turn Mute Game Voice Chat off.
- Set Share Your Voice to Allow.
- Return to the game, fully close it if it was running, and launch it again.
- Speak in a party or match and confirm whether other players can hear you.
Check the headset’s mute switch and the PS5 controller’s microphone-mute button as well. Those physical controls can silence the microphone even when Game Base permissions are correct. If party chat works but game chat does not, repeat the Game Base steps and test with the console party disconnected so the game is the active voice channel.
When the PS5 connection is unstable
If voice drops, fails to connect, or works only intermittently, the support guidance documents manual DNS values as a network test. In the PS5 network setup, you can try either Google DNS (8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4) or Cloudflare DNS (1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1), then restart the console. These values are alternatives, not values to enter simultaneously. Restore automatic DNS if the test does not help.
Fix voice chat on Xbox
Xbox privacy settings can block communication outside the Xbox network even when the headset and game settings are correct.
- Press the Xbox button.
- Go to Profile & System > Settings > Account > Privacy & Online Safety > Xbox Privacy > View Details and Customize > Communication & Multiplayer.
- Set You can communicate outside of the Xbox network with voice & text to Everybody.
- Restart THE FINALS and test voice chat in a match.
Family-account restrictions can prevent an individual player from changing this option. In that case, the family organizer must approve the communication setting. Also check the headset mute switch and the controller’s mute control before changing network settings.
Xbox DNS test
If voice remains unreliable and other online features show connection symptoms, use the documented manual DNS path: System > All settings > Network > Network settings > Advanced settings > DNS settings. Enter a known public DNS service, restart the console, and test. Return to automatic DNS if the result is unchanged or other services behave worse.
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Controller problems: the checks that apply everywhere
Confirm bindings first
Open Settings > Controller > Controller Bindings in THE FINALS. Verify that every action you need has a binding and that no important action was accidentally cleared or assigned to an unexpected button. Test movement, camera control, jump, interact, and menu navigation separately. A controller that moves your character but cannot confirm a menu choice may have a single missing binding rather than a complete hardware failure.
Update the game before changing advanced settings
Patch level matters. Official notes for Update 7.9.0 record: “Fixed an issue that prevented gamepads/controllers from working when Steam Input is enabled.” Update 2.10.0 separately records a fix for selecting contracts with a controller breaking the selected focus. These fixes describe specific bugs, not a promise that one setting will repair every controller problem.
Install the current game update for your platform, restart the game, and retest the exact screen or action that failed. If the controller works in gameplay but fails while selecting contracts, the earlier focus bug is a useful clue; if it fails everywhere on PC, continue with connection and Steam Input checks.
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Check the connection outside the game
- Disconnect other gamepads, fight sticks, steering wheels, and virtual-controller devices temporarily.
- Reconnect the affected controller directly to a different USB port, or re-pair it if using Bluetooth.
- Test it in another game or in the operating system’s controller panel.
- Replace the cable or charge the controller if buttons disconnect, repeat, or stop responding.
If the controller fails in multiple games, the problem is probably hardware, cable, Bluetooth pairing, or the operating system rather than a THE FINALS binding. If it works elsewhere, focus on the game version, storefront input layer, and bindings.
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Steam Input behavior can vary by controller, storefront, and game version. The official 7.9.0 note confirms that a Steam Input gamepad bug was fixed, but it does not establish that disabling Steam Input is always correct. Update the game first, then review the game’s Steam controller configuration and test the available Steam Input state one change at a time.
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- Note the current Steam Input state before changing it.
- Apply one state, launch THE FINALS, and test both gameplay and menus.
- If nothing changes, restore the original state and try the alternate configuration.
- Remove duplicate virtual-controller software during testing so two input layers do not compete for the same buttons.
A controller that appears twice, controls menus but not gameplay, or produces delayed inputs often indicates overlapping input layers. The goal is a single, predictable controller path, not a particular toggle value.
When only one screen is broken
Record the exact screen, action, and button that fails. The 2.10.0 focus fix shows why this distinction matters: a controller can be functional while a particular selection screen loses focus. Try moving focus with the directional pad and analog stick, back out of the menu, and re-enter it after restarting the game. If the failure remains limited to one menu, report that detail instead of describing the controller as completely dead.
Use symptoms to choose the next test
| Symptom | Most useful next check | What the result tells you |
|---|---|---|
| No microphone level on PC | Windows microphone permission, physical mute, and input-device selection | The problem is local to permission, hardware, or device choice |
| Microphone level moves but teammates hear nothing | Voice mode, another application using the mic, and network tests | Transmission or voice-session connectivity may be failing |
| PS5 party chat works but game chat does not | Game Base “Mute Game Voice Chat” and “Share Your Voice” | A console voice policy may be overriding the game |
| Xbox headset works in other games | Communication outside Xbox network set to Everybody | Xbox privacy is the likely block |
| Controller fails in every game | Cable, Bluetooth pairing, charge, and hardware test | Investigate the controller or connection before game settings |
| Controller works in gameplay but not one menu | Bindings, focus behavior, and current patch level | A menu-specific bug or focus state is more likely than dead hardware |
Keep playing while voice is unavailable
Embark documents text chat for players without a microphone or anyone who prefers not to use voice. Nexon’s controller guide also documents the ping wheel for marking locations and coordinating strategy. Use text chat and pings while you diagnose permissions, wait for a restart, or contact support. They provide practical team communication without bypassing platform privacy controls.
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Escalate with a reproducible description rather than only “voice is broken” or “controller does not work.” Include:
- Platform and operating-system version, such as PC, PS5, or Xbox.
- Game version or the most recent update installed.
- Headset and controller model, connection type, and whether each device works in another game.
- Whether the microphone meter moves, which voice mode you tested, and whether the failure affects incoming, outgoing, or both voice channels.
- The exact menu, contract screen, button, or action affected by a controller problem.
- Which permission, privacy, DNS, Steam Input, or binding changes you tried and what changed afterward.
Include a short reproduction sequence: launch the game, open the named menu, press the named button, and describe the result. This lets support distinguish a hardware fault, a platform restriction, a network session problem, and a game-specific regression.
Quick Recap
Fast recovery checklist
- Confirm the headset or controller is not physically muted, disconnected, or out of charge.
- On PC, enable desktop-app microphone access and select the correct input under Settings > Social > Chat > Voice Chat.
- On PS5, disable Mute Game Voice Chat and allow Share Your Voice in Game Base.
- On Xbox, set communication outside the Xbox network with voice and text to Everybody.
- Test Push to Talk, Toggle to Talk, and Open Mic where available.
- Close applications that may hold the microphone, then restart THE FINALS.
- Check Settings > Controller > Controller Bindings, install current updates, and review Steam Input on PC.
- Use the documented DNS or IPv6 tests only when local permissions, devices, and bindings are already correct.
- Use text chat or the ping wheel while collecting the platform, device, version, and symptom details support needs.
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