Green Room

Fix · Microsoft Teams on a Mac

Teams audio not working? Hear your meeting again.

Silence in a Teams meeting usually means Teams is playing to a different speaker than the one you're listening on.

Quick check first: Play a tone on the free speaker test. If you hear it, your speakers work and the fix is in Teams (steps 1 to 3). If not, start with the Mac checks.

Fix it in Teams

  1. Pick the speaker in Teams.Select Settings and more, then Settings › Devices. Under Audio settings, choose where you want sound from the Speaker menu.
  2. Check it during the meeting.Select the arrow next to Mic, then More actions › Audio settings. Under Speaker, make sure your device is selected and unmuted.
  3. Make a test call.In Settings › Devices, select Make a test call. If you hear the Test Call Bot, your speaker works in Teams.

Bluetooth headset not listed

Microsoft's help says a Bluetooth device that doesn't appear in Teams should be charged and reconnected. Connect it in your Mac's Bluetooth settings first, then pick it in Teams.

Update Teams and macOS

Microsoft's help for sound problems starts with the latest Teams version and the latest macOS update. In Teams, use Check for updates from Settings and more.

Then check your Mac

If Teams 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 Teams

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 Teams'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 Teams's sound is really going.

Green Room shows which app has each speaker open, and warns you when Microsoft Teams 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

Why can't I hear anyone in Teams?

Teams may be playing to another speaker. In the meeting, select the arrow next to Mic, then More actions › Audio settings, and pick the speaker you're listening on.

Can I test my speaker in Teams?

Yes. Make a test call from Settings › Devices. It's only in the desktop app.

Why does Teams sound muffled on AirPods?

When Teams uses the AirPods' mic, they switch to call mode and sound drops to phone quality. Use your Mac's mic in Teams and keep the AirPods for listening.

Other fixes

Teams camera not workingTeams camera problems on a Mac come down to the Teams version, the camera Teams picked, or a permission macOS never got. Teams microphone not workingTeams can be muted in three places at once: the meeting, your headset, and macOS. 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. 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. FaceTime audio not workingFaceTime can play to its own output, separate from the rest of your Mac.

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