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Zoom audio not working: 5 fixes

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  • 5 min read

Zoom has emerged to be one of the most popular video conferencing platforms in recent times. The team behind it have worked hard to make the platform as seamless as possible while being secure and laden with functionality at the same time. 

However, it still isn’t immune to bugs. In this article, we’re going over a few fixes that can help your Zoom audio back up and running. 

Also read: How to show a profile picture in Zoom instead of video?


Check your audio

When joining a Zoom meeting, the first thing you’ll see is the choice between joining with computer audio and testing the mic and speakers. That is, if you haven’t already enabled it, it automatically join with the computer audio setting.

You can test your computer audio here and iron out any errors here. 

Step 1: After joining a meeting, click on Test Speaker and Microphone.

Zoom audio not working: 5 fixes | Candid.Technology

Step 2: Zoom will start playing a sound through your speakers. If you hear it, click Yes, and if not, click No to move on to the next available audio source until you can listen to the audio and see the Output Level bar moving. 

Zoom audio not working: 5 fixes | Candid.Technology

Step 3: Next up, try talking and check if you can hear back what you’re saying. Once again, if you can, click Yes to move on or No to try another input device. Make sure that the Input Level bar is moving as you speak. 

Zoom audio not working: 5 fixes | Candid.Technology

Step 4: Finally, click the Join with computer audio button to join the meeting.

Zoom audio not working: 5 fixes | Candid.Technology

 

Check microphone permissions

It’s possible that Zoom might not have access to your mic altogether, causing your audio not to work. Here’s how you can try and fix this. 

On PC

Step 1: Press the Windows key and search for Microphone privacy settings. Then, click on the corresponding search result.

How to fix Google Meet microphone not working issue?

Step 2: Make sure your mic is accessible to Zoom. 

How to fix Google Meet microphone not working issue?

On Mac

Step 1: Head over to System Preferences followed by Security and Privacy. 

Step 2: Select the Microphone tab and make sure that Zoom has the required permissions.

Also read: How to find Zoom Meeting password on PC and Mobile?


Run the mic troubleshooter

Another thing you can do to rule out mic issues is to run the Windows microphone troubleshooter. 

Step 1: Press the Windows key and search for Troubleshooters. Then, click on the corresponding setting that appears.

How to fix Google Meet microphone not working issue?

Step 2; Click on Additional Troubleshooters.

How to fix Google Meet microphone not working issue?

Step 3: Scroll down to find the Recording Audio troubleshooter and run it to resolve your issues.

How to fix Google Meet microphone not working issue?

Release the mic

On the Mac, if other apps or browser extensions are using your mic, Zoom won’t use it effectively. So to release your mic from any apps that might be using them. close all open applications and type the following command in the terminal.

sudo killall coreaudiod

Now try restarting Zoom and joining your meeting again. Again, the mic should work just fine. 

Also read: How to install Zoom in Ubuntu?


Zoom audio issues on Android and iOS

The most popular reason you might face audio issues on smartphones is that Zoom doesn’t have appropriate access to your device’s hardware. Here are a few fixes you can try if you’re using Zoom on your phone. 

Check for conflicting background apps

The first thing you should check is that no other apps are using your mic and running in the background. To be on the safer side, close all actively running background apps when joining a meeting to check if your issue gets resolved. 


Mic permissions on Android

Here’s how you can check Zoom’s permissions.

Zoom audio not working: 5 fixes | Candid.Technology
  • Open your phone settings and head over to Apps & notifications.
  • Tap Show all apps.
  • Find Zoom in the list. Tap it to proceed.
Zoom audio not working: 5 fixes | Candid.Technology
  • Tap Permissions.
  • Ensure that Zoom has microphone access. 

Mic permissions on iOS

Here’s how to check if Zoom’s got mic access on your iPhone.

  • Head over to your phone’s settings and tap Privacy. 
  • Go to Microphone and ensure that the toggle for Zoom is enabled. 

Reinstall the app

If nothing else works, try reinstalling the app altogether from the respective app store. Reinstalling apps can give them a fresh start and help iron out any issues. 

Also read: Zoom fixes the “unable to playback or download cloud recordings” error

Yadullah Abidi

Yadullah Abidi

Yadullah is a Computer Science graduate who writes/edits/shoots/codes all things cybersecurity, gaming, and tech hardware. When he's not, he streams himself racing virtual cars. He's been writing and reporting on tech and cybersecurity with websites like Candid.Technology and MakeUseOf since 2018. You can contact him here: yadullahabidi@pm.me.

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