Zoom is an excellent platform for webinars, seminars, studying, and other web collaborations. It is the ideal instrument to share knowledge with your team.
The bad news is that it often has microphone problems (same on Skype) and cannot always be used as a communication tool because of this.
Settings are usually the prime suspect in bad audio recordings during Zoom calls.
Below are eight solutions to help fix this problem on Windows and Mac.
1. Ensure Your Microphone Is Connected
A wired microphone is the only way to go for high-quality audio. If you have a microphone connected to your computer, ensure that it is plugged into the proper port.
Your microphone may be either analog or digital.
If it is analog, make sure that it’s properly plugged into your computer and the proper port.
Digital microphones should be connected directly to the back of your computer and not through a USB hub or extension cable.
This will help ensure that there aren’t any issues with performance when using a digital microphone.
- Don’t use USB hubs and extension cables.
- Use a port on the front of your computer instead of one on the back (the former will be closer to the motherboard).
- Disable Bluetooth if possible.
2. Use A Dedicated Microphone
You’ve probably already realized that your laptop’s built-in microphone is not the best quality. If you’re having issues with your mic not working, there’s a whole section devoted to that, but what if it just isn’t picking up sounds well or is making you sound like you’re in a tin can?
It might be time to invest in a dedicated microphone.
A lousy microphone can make all the difference when using Zoom to chat with friends and colleagues, and that’s why a good solution is to use a dedicated microphone.
Here’s how to connect a USB microphone:
- Plug the USB cable into an available port on your computer. You may have several ports on different sides of your laptop—just make sure it’s plugged securely into one end and hangs loose on the other end.
- Plug the other end (the 3.5mm jack) into the microphone itself until it clicks in place.
3. Check The Audio Settings In Zoom
There are a few reasons that the microphone could be muted during a meeting. Start by checking a few of these settings to make sure things are in order:
Check your computer settings to ensure that your microphone is unmuted and the correct device is selected.
In Windows,
- Click on “Sound” in the Control Panel,
- click on “Recording,”
- and make sure there is no red X next to Microphone.
On macOS,
go to System Preferences > Sound and ensure the Input tab isn’t muted or set too low.
Also, check if other applications use audio input (e.g., Skype).
4. Enable Your Microphone In Windows 10
Enable your microphone in Windows 10
If you’re running Windows 10, this solution is for you.
- Right-click on the microphone to select Properties from the menu that appears. From here, click on the Advanced tab and make sure that the Allow apps to access your microphone option is enabled.
If it isn’t, just enable it and close all windows to finish applying these changes. - Right-click on the speaker icon at the bottom right corner of your screen and click on ‘Recording Devices.’
- Right-click again on the speaker icon and go to ‘Recording Devices’ again to test if the audio is working fine now by clicking on ‘Properties’ of that respected microphone.
- Go in the ‘Listen’ tab, and check if you can hear yourself (the sound from the speaker will come out from headphone as well).
If not, follow steps 5 & 6 below:
5. Check The Audio Settings In Windows 10
Check the Audio Settings in Windows 10
If you still can’t hear your mic, open the Windows 10 Sound settings panel:
- Right-click on the speaker icon in the system tray and select Sounds. Alternatively, press Start, type Sound, and click on Sound Control Panel.
- In the Sounds window, switch to the Recording tab and check that your microphone is set as the default recording device by right-clicking it, choosing Set as Default Device and clicking Apply or OK where necessary. If not set as the default device, right-click your microphone and choose Set as Default Device then click Apply to use it with Zoom (and all other programs).
- Click on your microphone again then click Properties at the bottom of this menu to open its properties box.
- In the Microphone Properties window, switch to the Levels tab then adjust its level slider (not shown) up or down if necessary – you should be able to see this move when you talk into it too – and make sure Automatic Gain Control is turned off to avoid any possible problems with feedback from your speakers/headphones affecting its performance.
Use these settings for Zoom only if desired by checking Set Default before clicking Apply or OK as needed then close this window/tab after checking that it’s working properly (see also step 7 below).
6. Restart Zoom And Your System
Restarting your computer and the Zoom application can often fix many problems.
When you restart your computer, it automatically restarts all applications that are currently running on your system, including Zoom.
Restarting Zoom does not restart your computer.
To restart Zoom, you should:
- Select the zoom icon in the menu bar at the top right of your screen (if you’re using a Mac). If you’re using Windows, select its icon at the bottom left corner of your screen.
- Click on Quit Zoom.
- Reopen it by selecting its icon in either location again.
To restart your computer: You can do this two ways:
- Select Shut Down from the Apple menu or Power button (if you’re using a Mac). If you’re using Windows, select Shut Down from its Start menu or Power button.
- Then turn it back on by pressing the power button until it turns back on again.
- When it’s done powering off and then powering back up again, simply reopen Zoom.
Alternatively…
7. Use A USB-C To Lightning Cable (If You’re Recording Straight From An iPhone Or iPad)
If you’re using an iPhone or iPad, you may be able to record audio directly from that device. If your computer has a USB-C port, try plugging in the device with a USB-C to Lightning cable.
If it doesn’t work, don’t worry—though some users report success with this method, it doesn’t seem to work for everyone.
When you connect your phone or tablet, make sure to use the Lightning port on your device and not the headphone jack.
Also note that even if this solution works for you, it’s only temporary: as of April 2018, Zoom no longer supports recording straight from iOS devices due to Apple’s privacy policy changes.
8. Check For Updates (For Mac)
Failing to keep all your software up to date can lead to many frustrating problems down the line.
That’s why it’s important to make sure that your Zoom application and your internet browser are both running the latest versions.
If you have Zoom installed on a Mac, this is pretty easy. Just open the App Store app, click Updates at the top of the window, and install anything that appears under Pending Updates.
You may also be prompted to update the macOS itself if you haven’t done so recently. Restart your computer after any updates have been downloaded and installed, especially if updated drivers or firmware are involved.
This is also important for solving problems with microphones for GoToMeeting.
Conclusion
Microphone problems are rarely as difficult to solve as they initially seem, so try some of these solutions before contacting Zoom support for help with this issue.
When your microphone fails to work properly on a Zoom call, it’s usually not due to an inherent problem with the software itself. Microphone issues are almost always traces back to a hardware or software problem that can be diagnosed and fixed.
Sources
- All Things: 9 Ways To Fix Zoom Microphone Not Working Issues On Windows And Mac
- CinChit: Microphone Not Working On Zoom?
- Learn With Doctor Scott:Get Zoom Audio To Work Better
