Audio Echo and Feedback in Calls
Fix echo, feedback loops, and your microphone picking up speaker output during voice and video calls
Echo on a call means someone's microphone is picking up audio from their speakers and sending it back. If you hear your own voice repeated back to you, the problem is on the other person's end (their mic is picking up their speakers). If other people hear echo, the problem is on your end. The fastest fix is always headphones – they physically prevent the mic from hearing the speakers.
Test your mic at the microphone test and your speakers at the speaker test on TheTest.com to make sure both are working correctly before troubleshooting echo.
- Use headphones. This eliminates echo immediately. If you must use speakers, keep reading
- Lower your speaker volume. The louder your speakers, the more your mic picks up. Find the lowest comfortable volume
- Open System Settings > Sound > Input and check the Input volume slider. If it is maxed out, the mic is more sensitive and more likely to pick up speaker output. Lower it to around 50-70% and test
- Make sure the correct input device is selected in System Settings > Sound > Input. If an external mic is plugged in, select it – external mics with directional pickup patterns reject room noise better than built-in mics
- In your call app, check for echo cancellation settings:
- Zoom: Settings > Audio – enable Automatically adjust microphone volume and check the echo cancellation options under Advanced
- Teams: echo cancellation is automatic and cannot be turned off
- Google Meet: echo cancellation is automatic
- FaceTime: echo cancellation is built in
- If echo only happens with a specific app, quit and reopen it. Audio routing glitches can cause the echo cancellation to stop working
- Avoid using both your Mac's built-in mic and an external speaker. If you are using an external monitor's speakers, also use an external mic or headset – the physical distance between the monitor speakers and the built-in mic makes echo cancellation less effective
- If other people hear echo from you and you are using AirPods or a headset, check that Transparency mode is not feeding external audio back into the mic. Switch to Noise Cancellation or Off in System Settings > [your AirPods name] or via Control Center
Frequently Asked Questions
I hear my own voice echoed back. Is the problem on my end?▾
No. If you hear your own voice, the problem is on the other person's end. Their microphone is picking up your voice from their speakers and sending it back to you. Ask them to use headphones or lower their speaker volume. You cannot fix this from your side.
What is a feedback loop and how is it different from echo?▾
Echo is a delayed repeat of audio – you hear your voice a moment later. A feedback loop is a loud, escalating screech or howl that happens when a mic and speaker are too close together and the sound cycles between them continuously, getting louder each time. Feedback loops are fixed by muting the mic, moving it away from the speaker, or lowering the volume. They are common in conference rooms with speaker phones.
Does noise cancellation in Zoom/Teams actually help with echo?▾
The noise suppression features in call apps are primarily designed to filter background noise (typing, fans, dogs barking), not echo. Echo cancellation is a separate technology that these apps also include, but it works differently. If the echo cancellation is failing (your speaker is too loud or your mic is too sensitive), noise suppression alone will not fix it. Headphones are always more effective.
Why does echo happen in conference rooms but not when I use my laptop alone?▾
Conference room setups have speakers and microphones that are farther apart and in open spaces, making it harder for the built-in echo cancellation to work. The speakerphone mic picks up audio from the room speakers across a larger distance with more room reflections. Dedicated conference room systems (Poly, Jabra, etc.) have advanced echo cancellation tuned for this, but cheap setups struggle. If the room system is causing echo, lower its speaker volume as the first fix.
Can two people in the same room both join a call without causing echo?▾
Yes, but only if at least one of them is muted or both are using headphones. If both have their speakers and mics on, the mics will pick up each other's speakers and create echo for everyone else on the call. The simplest solution is for everyone in the same room to join from one device, or for each person to wear headphones.