Nothing derails a meeting faster than spending the first five minutes troubleshooting audio. This guide walks you through testing your mic, camera, and speakers before you join a call, and fixing the most common problems when something is not working.

Test your devices before the call

Before you even open a meeting app, make sure your hardware actually works. The fastest way is to use browser-based tests:

• Microphone: Go to thetest.com/microphone-test and speak. You should see the level meter move and be able to play back a recording of yourself
• Camera: Go to thetest.com/camera-test and check that you can see yourself. Look at framing, lighting, and that the correct camera is selected
• Speakers: Go to thetest.com/speaker-test and play a test tone. Make sure sound comes from the output device you plan to use during the call

If any of these tests fail, fix the hardware issue first before opening your meeting app. Check that the correct device is selected in your system sound settings, and that the app has permission to use your mic and camera.

Select the right devices in your meeting app

Most audio problems in meetings happen because the app picked the wrong microphone, speaker, or camera. Here is how to check in each app.

Zoom:

1. Open Zoom and click the gear icon (Settings) in the top-right corner
2. Go to Audio and use the dropdown menus to select your preferred Speaker and Microphone
3. Click Test Speaker to hear a test tone, and Test Mic to record and play back your voice
4. Go to Video and select your preferred camera from the dropdown. You should see a preview of yourself
5. During a meeting, click the arrow next to the mic icon to quickly switch devices without opening settings

Microsoft Teams:

1. Open Teams and click the three dots (More) at the top, then go to Settings > Devices
2. Under Audio devices, select your preferred speaker and microphone from the dropdown menus
3. Click Make a test call to test your audio end-to-end. Teams will play back a recording of your voice
4. Under Camera, select your preferred camera and check the preview
5. During a meeting, click the three dots > Device settings to switch devices on the fly

Google Meet:

1. Before joining a meeting, you will see a preview screen. Click the three dots in the bottom-right of the preview
2. Go to Settings and select your preferred microphone, speakers, and camera from the dropdown menus
3. During a meeting, click the three dots > Settings to access device selection
4. Meet does not have a built-in test call feature, so use thetest.com/microphone-test to verify your mic beforehand

Fix echo and feedback

Echo happens when your microphone picks up sound from your speakers and sends it back to the other participants. They hear themselves repeated back with a slight delay.

Immediate fixes:

1. Use headphones. This is the single most effective fix for echo. When speakers and mic are separated, there is nothing for the mic to pick up
2. Mute when not talking. If you cannot use headphones, mute yourself whenever you are not speaking
3. Lower your speaker volume. The louder your speakers, the more likely your mic will pick them up
4. Move your mic away from your speakers. If using an external mic, position it so it faces away from the speakers

If echo persists:

• Check that only one meeting app is running. Two apps accessing the mic at once can cause feedback loops
• Make sure only one person in the room has their mic on. If you are in a shared office, one person should be the "room mic" and everyone else should mute
• Close any browser tabs that might be accessing your microphone
• Restart the meeting app if echo appeared mid-call

Fix background noise

In Zoom:

1. Go to Settings > Audio
2. Under Background noise suppression, set it to High if you are in a noisy environment
3. Enable Automatically adjust microphone volume so Zoom adapts to your environment

In Microsoft Teams:

1. Go to Settings > Devices
2. Under Noise suppression, select High to aggressively filter background sounds

In Google Meet:

1. Click the three dots > Settings during a meeting
2. Toggle on Noise cancellation to filter out background sounds

General tips:

• Close windows and doors if possible
• Position your microphone closer to your mouth. The closer the mic, the less it picks up room noise
• Dedicated headsets with boom microphones are dramatically better than laptop mics for noisy environments
• If you use a mechanical keyboard, muting while others talk prevents key clatter from drowning them out

Camera not showing up

If your meeting app cannot find your camera:

1. Check permissions. On Mac, go to System Settings > Privacy & Security > Camera and make sure your meeting app is listed and enabled. On Windows, go to Settings > Privacy & security > Camera and check the same thing
2. Close other apps using the camera. Only one app can use the camera at a time. Quit any other video apps, browsers with camera access, or photo booth applications
3. Try unplugging and replugging the camera if it is external (USB). Try a different port if that does not work
4. Check the physical privacy shutter. Many laptops have a sliding cover over the camera lens. Make sure it is open
5. Restart the meeting app. Sometimes the camera connection gets stuck, and a restart fixes it
6. Restart your computer as a last resort. This resets all hardware connections

Pre-meeting checklist

Run through this every time, especially before important calls:

1. Open your meeting app's audio/video settings or use thetest.com to test all three devices
2. Confirm the correct microphone, speakers, and camera are selected in the meeting app
3. Put on headphones if you have them (avoids echo)
4. Check your lighting. Face a window or light source so your face is not in shadow
5. Position your camera at eye level if possible. Looking down at a laptop camera is unflattering and looks disengaged
6. Close unnecessary apps that might use the mic or camera
7. Join the meeting a minute early to catch problems before the meeting starts