Google Meet Audio Not Working? How to fix The Problem

Audio issues are usually easy to fix

By
Ryan Dube
Ryan Dube
Ryan Dube
Writer
  • University of Maine
Ryan Dube is a freelance contributor to Lifewire and former Managing Editor of MakeUseOf, senior IT Analyst, and an automation engineer.
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Updated on November 2, 2021
Reviewed by
Ryan Perian
Ryan Perian headshot
Reviewed by Ryan Perian
  • Western Governors University
Ryan Perian is a certified IT specialist who holds numerous IT certifications and has 12+ years' experience working in the IT industry support and management positions.
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Issues with Google Meet audio not working can appear in one of several ways.

  • You can launch your video, but the person at the other end can't hear you even though you can hear them.
  • Your guests can hear you, but you can't hear them.
  • Sound during the meeting isn't working for anyone in attendance.

These issues usually appear the moment you launch the meeting, and people start arriving.

Cause of Google Meet Audio Not Working

There are many reasons you can encounter audio issues during a Google Meet session. These can include Google Meet audio settings, your own computer's audio drivers, or even problems with your microphone.

These issues can occur whether you're using a Windows machine, a Mac, iOS, or Android. In most cases, the troubleshooting tips below will help you resolve the problem, although the process to fix things like system settings or update drivers may differ from one system to the next.

How to Fix Google Meet Audio Not Working

The process to troubleshoot this issue includes validating which end the problem is occurring on and then having the person with the audio issues step through the process to fix it.

Before we get too far into this, and we mean this with all sincerity and no judgment, are you muted? One of the most common mistakes people make when joining Google Meet is keeping their microphone muted. Make sure your computer microphone is enabled or ensure your mobile device microphone is on. If the microphone icon with a slash across it is highlighted red in your Google Meet session, it means your microphone is on mute. Click the icon to unmute your microphone. If you are using an external microphone, check for any mute switch on the mic itself.

  1. Before you get started troubleshooting your sound issues, begin with restarting your system first. If you're on a computer or laptop, make sure to reboot your Windows or your Mac system fully. If you're using a mobile device, restart your Android or your iOS device.

    One tip to determine which user has audio issues in Google Meet is having everyone mute their microphone. Have each person unmute and speak, and all other participants write in the chatbox if they can hear them. One user will likely never hear any sound at all. That's the user who needs to fix their technical issues.

  2. The best way to avoid Google Meet audio issues is by testing your microphone and your speakers before the meeting. If you're having microphone issues, then troubleshoot those microphone problems before the meeting.

  3. Make sure your correct microphone is selected. In Google Meet, you can do this by opening Google Meet settings, selecting Audio from the left menu, and choosing the proper microphone and speakers from the two dropdown lists.

    If your microphone or earphones are USB devices, you could also be having USB port issues. Make sure to confirm your USB port is working before you continue.

  4. Close all open tabs in your browser. If you're having audio issues with Google Meet in the browser, you could have other tabs open that interfere with your speakers or microphone. Closing all tabs will fix this. While you're at it, consider clearing the browser cache as well to remove any lingering issues that could be causing problems.

  5. Check if Bluetooth is enabled. If you haven't disabled Bluetooth on your computer, the sound will get routed to your Bluetooth device, and you may not hear anyone in the meeting. The same is true on your phone; make sure to disable Bluetooth on your mobile device. If you're using an iOS device, you may need to disable AirPlay as well.

  6. If Google Meet audio is not working, you could be experiencing audio device driver issues. Take the time to update your sound card drivers. You can do this by using driver updater apps. Or visit a driver download website and install the driver that's right for your sound card.

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