Green Room

Fix · FaceTime on a Mac

FaceTime audio not working? Hear your call again.

FaceTime can play to its own output, separate from the rest of your Mac. Check that first.

Quick check first: Play a tone on the free speaker test. If you hear it, your speakers work and the fix is in FaceTime (steps 1 and 2). If not, start with the Mac checks.

Fix it in FaceTime

  1. Pick the output from the Video menu.In FaceTime, open the Video menu and choose the speakers or headphones you want. Use System Setting follows the output in System Settings › Sound.
  2. Check the volume during the call.Raise your Mac's volume while the call is going. If the other person's mic is muted, you won't hear them either; ask them to check.

AirPods jumped to your iPhone

AirPods can connect to whichever Apple device you used last. If the call is silent, check that your AirPods are connected to this Mac.

Then check your Mac

If FaceTime looks right and the sound still doesn't work, go through these in order.

  1. Check your Mac's output.Open System Settings › Sound and click Output. Select the speakers or headphones you're listening on, raise the Output volume, and make sure Mute is off.
  2. Reconnect Bluetooth headphones.AirPods can switch to your iPhone or iPad when you use it. Connect them to this Mac from the Sound section of Control Center or Bluetooth settings, then pick them again.
  3. Reconnect wired speakers.Unplug USB speakers or a headset and plug them back in, or try another port. A display with speakers can take over the sound when you plug it in.

Test it outside FaceTime

The free speaker test runs in your browser, with nothing to install. If your sound works there, your Mac and the hardware are fine, and the fix is in FaceTime's settings above.

Speaker testLeft, right, and a sweep to check every speaker. Webcam testLive preview, resolution, frame rate, and lighting. Microphone testLive meter, then hear yourself back.

On a Mac? See where FaceTime's sound is really going.

Green Room shows which app has each speaker open, and warns you when FaceTime is playing somewhere that isn't your setup. When AirPods drop into call mode, it tells you and offers your Mac's own mic so the sound comes back. One click puts your setup back. Free, with no account.

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Questions

How do I change the speaker in FaceTime on a Mac?

Open FaceTime, click the Video menu, and choose an audio output, or Use System Setting.

Why can't I hear FaceTime on my AirPods?

They may be connected to your iPhone or iPad. Connect them to your Mac from the Sound or Bluetooth menu, then pick them in FaceTime's Video menu.

FaceTime is silent but other apps play sound. Why?

FaceTime may be set to a different output. Choose Use System Setting in the Video menu.

Other fixes

FaceTime camera not workingFaceTime picks a camera for you. FaceTime microphone not workingFaceTime has its own mic choice and its own Mic Mode. Zoom audio not workingIf the meeting is silent, Zoom either hasn't joined audio or is playing it somewhere you aren't listening, like a monitor or AirPods in another room. Teams audio not workingSilence in a Teams meeting usually means Teams is playing to a different speaker than the one you're listening on. Google Meet audio not workingIf Meet is quiet, the sound is usually going to a speaker you aren't using, or the browser tab is muted. Discord audio not workingWhen Discord goes quiet, check whether you're deafened, which Output Device it's using, and whether one person is turned down.

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