Troubleshoot audio issues in Google Meet

Run these checks before you start

Important: If you have microphone and speaker issues but there’s some audio, you can troubleshoot video and audio quality in a meeting.

Make sure you’re not in Companion mode, where the microphone and speaker are unavailable. If you’re in Companion mode, leave and rejoin the meeting. Learn about Companion mode.
To share audio from a presentation, on your computer, share a tab. You can’t share audio from your mobile device. Learn how to present during a video meeting.

Verify that you've selected the correct microphone or speaker. Learn how to adjust your audio peripherals.
- When you use a monitor, make sure that it's not your selected audio.
Check your computer’s Bluetooth™ settings are correctly connected and devices are turned on.
Make sure you’re unmuted.
At the top right corner of video tiles, make sure that the blue indicator goes on when someone speaks. If it doesn’t go on for:
- Other participants: It’s likely their microphone issue. Otherwise, there could be an issue with your speaker.
- Your tile: It’s likely your microphone issue. Otherwise, it could be an issue with the speaker of another participant.

Update your browser

Update your browser to get the latest software fixes.

Even if you quit Chrome, it doesn’t fix the problem because it doesn't reset apps or extensions that use your microphone. To reset these apps or extensions, restart Chrome browser. When you restart Chrome browser, your tabs and windows reopen.

In your browser, enter chrome://restart.
Turn on your microphone and camera.
Rejoin the video meeting.

Allow Google Meet to access your microphone

To use your microphone in Chrome, Meet needs permission. You’re asked to allow access the first time you join a video meeting.

To allow Meet to use your camera and microphone:

While in a meeting, go to the address bar and click Camera .
Select Always allow Done.

Allow your browser to access your microphone

Check your site permissions in Chrome

Make sure you allow microphone access on the site you want to use. You can allow all sites to use your microphone, or just the specific site you’re on. Learn more about site permissions.

On computers with Chrome, you must allow the browser to access your microphone. To grant permission again:

In the Chrome address bar, enter chrome://settings/content/microphone.
Under "Default behavior," select the circle next to " Sites can ask to use your microphone."
If present, under "Allowed to use your microphone," next to "https://meet.google.com:443," click Delete .
Refresh the Google Meet page.
When prompted, grant camera and microphone access.

Allow microphone access on other browsers

Allow your system or device to access your microphone

Enable microphones access on Chromebook

On your Chromebook, at the bottom right, select time Settings .
On the left, select Security and Privacy Privacy controls.
Turn on Microphone access.

Enable microphone access on macOS Mojave & later

On computers with macOS Mojave version 10.14 and up, you must allow microphone access for your web browser. Otherwise, Meet won’t be able to access video from your device.

Go to System Settings Privacy & Security.
Select Microphone.
Check the box for the app that uses Meet (Google Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge).

Enable microphone access on Windows

On your computer, select Start Settings.
Select Privacy & security Microphone.
Turn on Microphone access and Let apps access your microphone.

Tip: This setting lets any user on the device choose if they want apps to be able to access the microphone.

Enable microphone access on Linux

On your device, open Sound settings.
Click Input.
Select the microphone device setting.
Make sure the microphone is on.
To change the volume, move the volume slider.
Click OK.

Unmute yourself in Meet and within your device settings

Other people can mute you to reduce background noise, but they can't unmute you.

Turn on your microphone.
At the bottom of the screen, click Mute on .

Note: For meetings organized through a personal Google account, only the meeting organizer can mute another participant.

Unmute your Windows device

On your computer, open Sound settings.
Click Recording.
Double-click Microphone.
Select Levels.
Make sure that the microphone is on.
To raise the volume, move the volume slider.
Click OK.

Unmute your Mac device

On your computer, go to System Settings.
Click Sound Input.
Make sure that the microphone is on.
To raise the volume, move the volume slider.

The volume setting will save automatically.

Unmute your Linux device

On your computer, open Sound settings.
Click Input.
Select the microphone device setting.
Make sure that the microphone is on.
To raise the volume, move the volume slider.
Click OK.

Reset your microphone with the Command Line Interface (advanced)

Release your computer’s microphone from other apps or extensions that might be using it.

Tip: You may need administrative privileges on your computer to do this.

Go to Applications Utilities and double-click Terminal.
In the Terminal window, enter sudo killall coreaudiod and press Enter.
Enter your password and press Enter.
Rejoin the Meet video meeting.

Why are some sounds reduced in Windows?

When you’re in a meeting, Windows reduces noise from other sources. This isn't because of Meet but a Windows function.

Other participants can hear my device background audio

Depending on your operating system and audio device, sounds that come from other browser tabs or applications may be heard by other participants. To avoid other sounds being picked up by the microphone, use headphones.