If Teams audio is not working, first identify whether the problem is your microphone, your speakers, meeting permissions, device access, or the network. In a Teams desktop meeting, open Settings and more (…) > Settings > Devices and select the correct microphone and speaker. Then check physical mute controls and your operating system’s permissions. The steps below help isolate the fault before you reset the app or involve IT.
Identify which Teams audio path is failing
Start by noting who is affected and what is failing. If only your audio is affected, check your device and Teams settings. If several people have the same problem, meeting permissions, the network, or a Microsoft service issue may be involved.
- Others cannot hear you: troubleshoot microphone selection, mute controls, and permissions.
- You cannot hear others: troubleshoot speaker selection, volume, and output routing.
- The microphone control is disabled: check meeting attendee permissions before treating it as a hardware problem.
- Audio connects but drops, clips, or sounds distorted: investigate network quality and device drivers.
- Audio works in another app or in Teams on the web: the desktop Teams client may be the isolated issue.
Teams’ classic client ended availability on July 1, 2025. Current desktop troubleshooting applies to the new Teams client; do not use the classic client’s cache path as a fix. Microsoft explains the end of availability for classic Teams.
Fix a microphone that other people cannot hear
Check mute controls and select the right microphone
In the meeting controls, check whether Mic is muted; select Unmute mic if it is. Also check for a physical mute button on your headset or speakerphone, and lower a headset boom if raising it activates mute.
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To choose the input in the desktop app, select Settings and more (…) > Settings > Devices. Under Audio settings, open Microphone and choose the device you intend to use. In a meeting, select the arrow beside Mic, choose Audio settings, and select the microphone there. If it is missing, reconnect the USB device or charge and reconnect the Bluetooth device, then reopen the list. See Microsoft’s device settings guide and microphone troubleshooting steps.
Run a test call in the desktop app
- Select Settings and more (…) > Settings > Devices.
- Under Audio settings, select Make a test call.
- Follow the Test Call Bot prompts and record a short message. Teams plays it back and provides a summary.
Microsoft says the recording is deleted immediately, and the test call is available in the Windows and Mac desktop apps, not Teams for the web. The feature is currently available in English only. A successful playback suggests the microphone and output work in the test; if the issue occurs only in one meeting, check meeting permissions or the meeting’s network conditions. Details are in Microsoft’s call settings guide.
Check operating-system microphone access
Windows
- Open Settings > Privacy & security > Microphone.
- Turn on Microphone access and Let apps access your microphone.
- If listed, enable Microsoft Teams (work or school), and enable Let desktop apps access your microphone.
- Close apps and restart Windows. If these switches were already on, turn them off and on again so the permission state is reapplied.
- Open Settings > System > Sound. Under Input, select the intended microphone and make sure its input volume is not muted.
If Windows does not list the microphone, look below Teams: check its connection or Bluetooth pairing, hardware, driver, or device-management policy. Microsoft’s microphone guide covers these checks.
macOS
- Open the Apple menu and select System Settings > Privacy & Security > Microphone.
- Turn on access for Microsoft Teams.
- Quit and reopen Teams.
This macOS permission is independent of the device selection inside Teams. The current path is documented by Apple’s microphone privacy guide; older macOS releases use different settings labels.
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Fix speaker output when you cannot hear the meeting
Select the output device in Teams
In the desktop app, go to Settings and more (…) > Settings > Devices, then choose the intended output under Speaker. During a meeting, select the arrow beside Mic, choose Audio settings, and set the speaker there. If the device is missing, reconnect it. For Bluetooth speakers or headsets, check charge and whether they are connected to another device. See Microsoft’s speaker troubleshooting guide.
Check Windows output and per-app routing
- Open Settings > System > Sound and select the intended device under Output.
- Open Volume mixer. Under Apps, make sure Teams is not muted and is routed to the correct output device.
- If all output is silent, verify the volume and, if needed, go to More sound settings > Playback, right-click the device, and select Set as default.
Windows can route Teams differently from system sounds, so a working notification sound does not prove that Teams has the right output. Microsoft’s guidance covers app audio when system sounds work and complete speaker or headphone silence.
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When your microphone control is disabled
A dimmed or unavailable microphone button may be a meeting restriction rather than a device failure. The organizer can review attendee permissions before the meeting:
- Open Calendar and open the meeting.
- Select Options > Participation.
- Turn on Allow mic for attendees and select Apply.
During the meeting, an organizer, co-organizer, or presenter can select Controls > View more options > Participation, enable Allow mic for attendees, and apply the change. Microsoft also notes that Manage what attendees see can limit attendee microphone and camera use. These controls are described in the attendee audio and video permissions guide.
Mute all is not the same as turning off attendee microphone permission: muting participants does not necessarily prevent them from unmuting. Microsoft states that people who dial in using the phone number in the meeting details are not blocked from turning on their microphone by this attendee-permission control.
Troubleshoot Teams in a browser
Teams on the web is supported in Chrome, Safari, Edge, and Firefox. Browser site permissions are separate from operating-system permissions, and the desktop app’s test call is not available on the web. Microsoft lists supported device checks in its web device troubleshooting guide.
Edge
Open Settings and more (…) > Settings > Cookies and site permissions > Microphone and turn on Ask before accessing (recommended). Use Camera in place of Microphone to check camera access.
Chrome
Open Settings > Privacy and security > Site settings > Permissions > Microphone. Choose the right input device and set the default behavior to Sites can ask to use your microphone. Alternatively, open Teams, select the site controls icon beside the address bar, allow microphone access, and reload the page.
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Safari
Open Safari > Settings > Websites > Microphone, set Teams to Ask or Allow, and reload the Teams tab.
Device-enabled apps inside Teams
If the problem is with an app running inside Teams rather than the meeting client, select that app’s More options (…) > App permissions, enable the relevant device-access toggle, close the dialog, and refresh the app.
Reset the new Teams client only if the problem is isolated to Teams
First confirm the microphone and speaker work in the operating system. If the issue remains limited to the desktop client, reset it or clear its cache. Resetting deletes app data, including personalization settings.
Windows reset through Settings
- Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps.
- Find Microsoft Teams, select More options (…) > Advanced options.
- Under Reset, select Reset, then restart Teams.
Windows cache cleanup
Quit Teams, press Windows key + R, and enter this new-client cache path:
%userprofile%appdatalocalPackagesMSTeams_8wekyb3d8bbweLocalCacheMicrosoftMSTeamsDelete the files and folders in that directory, then restart Teams. The first launch may take longer while the cache is rebuilt. The old %appdata%MicrosoftTeams path is for classic Teams, not the current client.
macOS cache cleanup
Quit Teams with Command (⌘) + Q, open Terminal, and run these commands separately:
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rm -rf ~/Library/Containers/com.microsoft.teams2Restart Teams after the cleanup. Microsoft documents the new-client reset and cache locations in its Teams cache guide.
Check updates, Bluetooth, USB, and Remote Desktop
Update Teams and audio components
In Teams, select your profile picture or avatar, then Check for updates. Teams updates when the app is idle, and you must be signed in for updates to download. Install current Windows or macOS updates as well; for USB or Bluetooth equipment, check the device firmware and the computer’s audio or Bluetooth drivers. Microsoft notes that installations deployed in Program Files by scripts may not update automatically in the same way as installations in the default user location. See Teams automatic update troubleshooting and Microsoft’s information on Teams-certified personal peripherals.
Bluetooth device is connected but absent from Teams
- Charge the device and make sure it is not actively connected to another phone or computer.
- Confirm Bluetooth is enabled and the device appears in the computer’s audio settings.
- Reconnect or pair it again, then reopen Teams’ device list.
Bluetooth performance can also be affected by the host computer’s radio, multiple paired devices, crowded radio conditions, or weak Bluetooth hardware.
USB audio is intermittent
For USB peripherals, especially Teams Rooms equipment, verify the external power supply, reseat the cable at both ends, and try a known-good cable if one may be faulty. Check that a recent firmware update completed, and avoid unsupported or excessive USB extenders. Microsoft identifies power, cabling, firmware, and extenders as possible causes of unhealthy microphone or speaker status in its Teams Rooms troubleshooting guide.
Audio is redirected in Windows Remote Desktop
On the local computer, open Remote Desktop Connection > Local Resources > Remote audio > Settings…. Set Remote audio playback to Play on this computer and Remote audio recording to Record from this computer, then select OK. Otherwise, Teams may use the remote session’s audio devices instead of the local microphone and speakers.
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If devices are selected correctly but audio quality is poor, the media path may be the problem. Microsoft identifies congested or under-provisioned networks, overloaded Wi-Fi access points, firewall or proxy rules, VPNs that block or discourage UDP, and outdated audio, USB, Wi-Fi, or Ethernet drivers as possible causes.
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Teams media uses UDP ports 3478–3481 when available. If they are unavailable, Teams can fall back to TCP port 443; Microsoft warns that TCP fallback can affect call quality. If multiple users or locations are affected, ask IT to compare locations or subnets in the Teams Call Quality Dashboard (CQD) and check the organization’s firewall, proxy, VPN, and Microsoft 365 network configuration. A cache reset cannot repair a blocked media path. See Microsoft’s CQD quality guide and Teams connectivity troubleshooting.
Fix computer audio sharing separately
If people hear you and you hear them, but they cannot hear a video or other sound from your computer, select Share in the meeting controls and turn on Include sound. On Windows, Teams and Windows must use the same speaker. On Mac, the latest Teams audio driver is required for sharing computer audio and avoiding issues such as echo. This sharing setting is distinct from normal microphone and speaker audio; see Microsoft’s computer sound sharing instructions.
Try Windows audio services and drivers when other apps also fail
If audio is inconsistent beyond Teams, restart the Windows audio services:
- Press Windows key + R, enter
services.msc, and press Enter. - Right-click Windows Audio and select Restart.
- Right-click Windows Audio Endpoint Builder and select Restart.
To update an audio driver, open Device Manager, expand Sound, video and game controllers, right-click the audio device, select Update driver, and restart Windows. These are among the causes and remedies in Microsoft’s Windows app-audio guide.
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- Teams test call fails and the OS does not list the device: focus on connection, pairing, hardware, drivers, or management policy.
- The device works in the OS but not Teams: verify Teams device selection and permissions, then reset or clear the new client if needed.
- Only one meeting blocks your microphone: ask the organizer to check attendee participation settings.
- Teams on the web works but the desktop app does not: the problem is likely confined to the desktop client; use the new-client reset or cache steps.
- Several people experience degraded audio on the same network: send IT the affected locations and times so they can inspect media routing and CQD data.
Reinstalling Teams is not a universal fix: it cannot change operating-system permissions, physical mute controls, meeting restrictions, Windows per-app routing, a blocked network path, or faulty hardware and cabling. Isolate those causes first.
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