Teams microphone not working: how to fix it on Windows 11

Applies to the new Microsoft Teams app on Windows 11 and Teams in a web browser. Classic Teams is retired, so its old menus are not covered.

Match your symptom

What you see	Likely cause	Where to start
Mic icon has a line through it	Muted in Teams or on the headset	Quick checks
Test call records silence	Wrong input selected in Teams	Fix 1
Mic works in other apps but never in Teams	Windows blocks Teams or desktop apps	Fix 2
Mic missing from every app	Disabled or muted input in Windows	Fix 3
Works until another call app opens	Another app holds the device	Fix 4
Bluetooth headset sounds tinny or goes quiet	Headset switched to its call mode	Fix 5
Only Teams in the browser is silent	Site permission blocked	Fix 6

Quick checks first

• Look at the Mic button in the meeting controls. A line through the icon means Teams has you muted; select it to unmute.
• Check for a physical mute switch on the headset cable, ear cup or microphone boom.
• Unplug the headset and plug it in again, ideally into a USB port on the PC rather than a hub or dock.
• Restart Teams fully: right-click its taskbar icon and choose Quit, then open it again.

Fix 1: Choose the right microphone in Teams

Teams keeps its own device choice, separate from the Windows default. After you connect a new headset or dock, it can stay on the built-in mic.

Before a meeting, select Settings and more (the three dots next to your profile picture), then Settings > Devices. Under Audio settings, pick your headset in the Microphone list. Speak and watch the level bar move, then choose Make a test call to hear a recording of yourself.

Already in a call? Select the arrow next to Mic, then More audio settings, and switch the device there. If your mic isn’t in the list at all, the problem sits below Teams, so carry on with Fix 2 and Fix 3.

Fix 2: Allow microphone access in Windows 11

Windows can block a microphone for every app, for Store apps, or for desktop apps. Open Settings > Privacy & security and, under App permissions, select Microphone.

• Turn on Microphone access and Let apps access your microphone.
• Make sure Microsoft Teams is turned on in the app list.
• Turn on Let desktop apps access your microphone further down the page.
• If everything is already on, switch the Teams toggle off and on again, close your apps and restart the PC.

According to BleepingComputer, since the October 2026 optional update KB5127936 for Windows 11 25H2 and 26H2 the main Privacy & security page groups the camera, microphone and location controls together and shows recent usage there. If the page looks rearranged, look for Microphone next to Camera and Location; the switches inside should be the same. Insider builds are also testing separate switches for each desktop app, so if you see one, check that Teams is allowed.

Fix 3: Check the Windows sound input

Go to Settings > System > Sound and look under Input. Select your microphone, make sure it isn’t muted and that its volume is well above zero.

If the mic isn’t listed, it may be disabled. Scroll to More sound settings, open the Recording tab, right-click an empty area and tick Show Disabled Devices. Right-click your mic and choose Enable.

Fix 4: Stop other apps from holding the mic

Another call or recording app, such as Zoom or Discord, can grab the microphone. Close those apps fully, including from the system tray, then rejoin the call.

A related setting lets one app take sole control of the device. In the Recording tab, open your mic’s Properties, go to Advanced and untick Allow applications to take exclusive control of this device. This is a widely used tip rather than a step on Microsoft’s Teams page.

Fix 5: Bluetooth and USB headsets

Many Bluetooth headsets have two modes: a high-quality stereo mode for music with no microphone, and a call mode that includes the mic but sounds flatter. In Windows sound settings they can appear as two separate entries, often with names like Headphones and Headset, though naming varies by device. Pick the headset or hands-free entry as the microphone in Teams. If it is also paired with a phone, disconnect it there first.

When a Bluetooth headset won’t connect or keeps dropping, see our guide to fixing Bluetooth in Windows 11. For a USB headset or USB sound card that shows an error in Device Manager, check USB audio Code 10 in Windows 11, which covers a 2026 known issue with some USB audio devices.

Fix 6: Teams in a browser

Teams on the web needs the browser’s permission. When the browser asks to use the microphone, choose Allow.

• Microsoft Edge: Settings and more > Settings > Cookies and site permissions > Microphone. Pick the right device, keep Ask before accessing on and remove Teams from any Block list.
• Google Chrome: Settings > Privacy and security > Site settings > Microphone. Choose the device at the top and allow sites to ask for the microphone.
• Quicker route in either browser: select the icon to the left of the address bar on the Teams tab and set Microphone to Allow, then reload.

Windows still needs to let the browser itself use the mic, so Fix 2 applies here too. Note that the test call option is not available in Teams for web.

Fix 7: Audio over Remote Desktop

If you run Teams on a remote PC, your local mic has to be passed through. In Remote Desktop Connection, open Show Options > Local Resources, then select Settings under Remote audio. Set playback to this computer and choose to record from this computer, then reconnect.

Fix 8: Reset or clear the Teams cache

Microsoft’s reset for new Teams is in Settings > Apps > Installed apps: find Microsoft Teams, select the three dots, then Advanced options and Reset.

Warning: a reset deletes Teams app data, including your personal settings. Your chats and files are stored online and are not removed.

Prefer to keep settings? Quit Teams, press Windows key + R and open the cache folder below, delete its contents, then start Teams again.

%userprofile%\appdata\local\Packages\MSTeams_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalCache\Microsoft\MSTeams

If Teams can’t sign in or join at all, the microphone isn’t the real problem; see Microsoft Teams not connecting: how to fix it.

Fix 9: Update the driver, Teams and Windows

Microsoft recommends keeping both Teams and Windows up to date. In Teams, use Settings and more and check for updates; in Windows, open Settings > Windows Update and select Check for updates, including optional driver updates. The PC or headset maker’s support site may have a newer audio driver; avoid third-party driver updater tools.

Still silent in Teams? As a stopgap, use the phone audio option when joining (Microsoft calls it Call me back) to have Teams ring your phone, so you talk through the phone while still sharing your screen from the PC. If you’re still on an old client, move to new Teams first, since fixes now target the new app only.

Related guides

• Microsoft Teams not connecting: how to fix it
• USB audio device shows Code 10 in Windows 11: how to fix it
• Bluetooth not working in Windows 11: how to fix it
• Teams classic: why it’s gone and how to switch to new Teams
• Microphone not working in Windows 11: how to fix it
• Teams camera not working: how to fix it on Windows 11
• Teams notifications not working: how to fix it on Windows 11

Official sources

• Microsoft: My microphone isn’t working in Teams
• Microsoft Learn: Clear the Teams client cache