17 Ways to Troubleshoot a Microphone Not Working in Teams

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Reasons your microphone might not be working and how to fix it

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IN THIS ARTICLE

1 Make sure your microphone is turned on.

2 Check with the meeting host.

3 Close any other apps that use a microphone.

4 Check the microphone connection.

5 Make sure you have the right microphone selected.

6 Check your microphone settings.

7 Check your microphone permissions.

8 Restart Teams.

9 Restart your computer.

10 Check if the web version of Teams is working.

11 Uninstall and reinstall Teams

12 Check for system updates.

13 Update drivers manually (Windows only).

14 Run the audio troubleshooter (Windows only).

15 Try the microphone in other applications.

16 Try a different microphone.

17 Contact Microsoft.

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Written by Stan Kats | Edited by Travis Boylls

Last Updated: January 26, 2026 Fact Checked

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It’s frustrating when you need to attend a virtual meeting, but your microphone isn’t working. There are many reasons why your microphone might not be working in Microsoft Teams. It may be blocked by another app, there may be an issue with your settings, a driver issue, or a physical problem with your microphone. Luckily, there are things you can do to fix the issue. This wikiHow article teaches you how to troubleshoot a microphone not working in Microsoft Teams.

Quick Troubleshooting

Make sure the microphone isn’t muted and that you have the correct mic selected in both Teams and your Settings. Make sure no other apps are using your microphone. Restart your computer and Teams. Make sure Teams and your computer are updated. Try using a different mic.

Steps

1

Make sure your microphone is turned on.

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1. 
   Your microphone may be turned off or muted. Many microphones have an on/off switch or a mute button. Make sure it isn’t engaged.

   • If you are using an external microphone or a headset mic, check to see if it has a mute button or an on/off switch. Make sure your microphone is turned on and not muted.
   • If you are using a laptop microphone, check for a button on your keyboard that resembles a microphone with a line through. It may be in your function (F) keys. Press this button to enable and disable your computer microphone.
   • Check the microphone icon in Teams. If it has a line through it, you have muted yourself. Click the microphone icon to unmute
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2

Check with the meeting host.

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1. 
   Microphones may not be allowed in the meeting. When you join a meeting, the host has the ability to mute the microphones of other participants. Try sending the meeting host a text message and asking them if you are muted. If so, ask if you can be unmuted.

3

Close any other apps that use a microphone.

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1. 
   Other apps may be using your microphone. If you are running other apps that use your microphone (i.e., Zoom, FaceTime, etc.), Teams might not be able to access it. Be sure to close any other applications that use your mic. Also, check to make sure there aren’t any web applications open in your web browser that use your microphone. If so, close those browser tabs. Use the following steps to check to see what programs are open and close any conflicting applications:

   • Windows: Press Ctrl + Alt + Del and click Task Manager. Check to make sure there are no background processes running that use your microphone. If there are, select the app and click End Task.
   • Mac: Click the Spotlight/Magnifying glass icon and search “Activity Monitor.” Open the Activity Monitor. Check if any background apps are open that use your microphone. Select any apps that use your microphone and click Force Quit.
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4

Check the microphone connection.

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1. 
   Your microphone might not be connected. If you are using an external microphone, check to make sure it is plugged in. Check to make sure it is firmly connected to a USB port or your audio jack. If so, try using a different USB port or jack. The one it is connected to might not be working. Also, inspect the cord and the plug for damage.

5

Make sure you have the right microphone selected.

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1. 
   You may have selected the wrong microphone. If you have had different microphone devices connected to your computer, you may have the wrong microphone selected. While in a meeting, click the arrow pointing down next to the microphone icon at the top of the screen. Make sure you have selected the correct microphone you want to use.
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6

Check your microphone settings.

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1. 
   Your microphone may not be configured properly. In addition to selecting the correct microphone in Teams, you also need to check and make sure you have the correct microphone selected in the Settings menu. You also need to check your volume settings and make sure you aren’t muted. Use one of the followings to to check your microphone settings:

   • Windows: Press Win + I to open Settings. Click System > Sound. Make sure the radio option next to the microphone you want to use is selected. If you see a line through the microphone icon, click it to unmute your microphone. Then use the slider bar to make sure your microphone is at an adequate volume.
   • Mac: Click the Apple Icon and click System Settings (or System Preferences) > Sound. Click the Input tab. Make sure you have the correct microphone selected. Then use the slider bar to make sure your microphone is at an adequate volume.

7

Check your microphone permissions.

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1. 
   Teams may not be allowed access to your microphone on your device. You can check your camera permissions in the Settings menu. Make sure Teams wasn’t accidentally disallowed access to your microphone. Use the following steps to check your permissions settings:

   • Windows: Press Win + I to open Settings. Click Privacy & Security > Microphone. Ensure the toggle switch next to “Microphone Access” is on. Then ensure the toggle switch next to “Microsoft Teams” is on.
   • Mac: Click the Apple Icon and click System Settings (or System Preferences) > Privacy & Security > Microphone. Ensure the toggle switch next to “Teams” is turned on.
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8

Restart Teams.

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1. 
   There may be a minor glitch with Teams. Restarting applications can fix minor glitches with them. Use one of the following steps to restart Teams:

   • Windows: Press Ctrl + Alt + Del and click Task Manager. Select Teams and click End Task. Then launch Teams and try again.
   • Mac: Click the Spotlight/Magnifying glass icon and search “Activity Monitor.” Open the Activity Monitor. Select Teams and click Force Quit. Then launch Teams and try again.

9

Restart your computer.

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1. 
   There may be a minor glitch with your computer. Restarting your computer can fix minor, temporary glitches that arise with your computer’s operating system. It will also restart any apps that are running, and potentially close any background programs that may be using your microphone.
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10

Check if the web version of Teams is working.

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1. 
   The web version may be working. If you can’t access Teams through the desktop app, you may be able to connect using a web browser. Go to teams.live.com in a web browser and make sure you are logged in with your Microsoft account. See if you can access Teams through a web browser.

11

Uninstall and reinstall Teams

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1. 
   Teams may not be working properly. It’s possible your installation of Teams may have become corrupted. It’s also possible you may not have the latest version of Teams. Uninstalling Teams and reinstalling it will ensure you have the latest stable version of Teams. Use one of the following steps to uninstall and reinstall Teams:

   • Windows: Press Win + I to open Settings. Click Apps > Installed Apps. Click the icon with three dots (•••) next to Teams. Click Uninstall and follow the prompts. Download Teams from the official download site or from the Microsoft Store.
   • Mac: Open the Applications folder in Finder. Drag the Teams app to the trash. Download Teams from the official download site or the App Store.
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12

Check for system updates.

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1. 
   Your computer may be outdated. When you update your computer, it usually updates drivers as well. Making sure your microphone drivers are updated may fix any issues you are having. Use the following steps to check and make sure your computer is up-to-date.

   • Windows: Press Win + I to open Settings. Click Windows Update. Click Check for updates. If an update is available, click Download & Install.
   • Mac: Click the Apple Icon and click System Settings > General > Software Update. Click Update Now if an update is available.

13

Update drivers manually (Windows only).

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1. 
   Your drivers may not be up-to-date. If you purchased an external microphone, you may need to download drivers or software from the manufacturer’s website. You can also use the following steps to update your microphone’s drivers manually on Windows:

   • Right-click the Windows Start menu.
   • Click Device Manager.
   • Expand Audio Inputs and Outputs.
   • Right-click your microphone driver.
   • Click Update drivers.
   • Click Search automatically for drivers.
   • Follow the prompts if any drivers are found.
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14

Run the audio troubleshooter (Windows only).

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1. 
   There may be a problem with your Windows system. Luckily, Windows has built-in troubleshooters you can run to try to fix issues with your devices. Use the following steps to run the audio troubleshooter on Windows:

   • Press Win + I to open the Settings menu.
   • Click System.
   • Click Troubleshoot.
   • Click Other troubleshooters.
   • Click Run next to “Audio.”
   • Follow the prompts.

15

Try the microphone in other applications.

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1. 
   Your microphone may have stopped working. If there is a hardware issue with your microphone, it probably won’t work in any application. Try using the microphone in different applications (i.e., Camera, Zoom, Audacity, etc.). See if your microphone works in any other application. If it doesn’t work in any app, it may not work anymore.
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16

Try a different microphone.

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1. 
   Your microphone may need to be replaced. If your microphone is no longer working, you will need to purchase a new one. Try using a different microphone. If you have an internal microphone, try using an external USB mic. If Teams works with a different microphone, your old microphone is most likely the problem.

17

Contact Microsoft.

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1. 
   There may be an internal issue with Microsoft. On rare occasions, Microsoft may push an update that causes issues with Teams. If you’ve tried everything and nothing is working, you can contact Microsoft or inform your administrator. They may have additional troubleshooting steps you can follow, or they may open a trouble ticket to fix any internal issues they are having.

   • You can contact Microsoft support at support.microsoft.com/en-us/contactus
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