Discord is one of the best ways that PC gamers can communicate with each other while playing their favorite PC games. On a Windows PC, you can use the web app or dedicated app to do voice chats or send text messages to your teammates. While this is quite a stable platform there are some issues that you might experience with it. In this latest installment of our troubleshooting series we will tackle the Discord not picking up mic issue.
How To Fix Discord Not Picking Up Mic Issue
Restart your system
The first thing that you need to do in this case is to restart your computer. This will refresh your system and eliminate any problem caused by a software glitch. Once the computer has fully booted up check if the issue still occurs.
Make sure to allow Discord access to your microphone
If the app is not given permission to access the microphone then your teammates won’t hear you at all.
- Go to Windows Settings and then select Privacy.
- Choose Microphone under App permissions from the sidebar
- Turn on the switch under Allow apps to access your microphone.
Check if the Discord not picking up mic issue still occurs.
Check for External microphone issue
There’s a possibility that the problem is caused by the microphone that you are using. Follow the steps listed below to check if this is a microphone related problem.
- Make sure that the microphone is is securely connected to the USB port or 3.5mm jack of your computer. Trying connecting the microphone to different ports.
- Make sure that don’t have a hardware mute engaged on your device.
- Make sure you have the latest drivers and software downloaded for your device.
- Try using a different microphone
Check if the Discord not picking up mic issue still occurs.
Tweak the Automatic Input Sensitivity Setting
If you disabled the Automatic Input Sensitivity setting of the Discord app then there’s a chance that this is what’s preventing the microphone from working. If this is what’s causing the problem then the steps listed below should fix this.
- Click the User Settings icon in the bottom-left corner of the Discord application.
- Click on Voice & Video
- Scroll down to Input Sensitivity and turn on the switch next to Automatically determine input sensitivity, if it’s not already enabled. Check if the bar is glowing green when you talk then move to the next step.
- Disable the switch, and make sure the manual slider is positioned somewhere in the middle. If the manual bar is pulsating when you talk then the problem is now fixed.
Make sure the Discord app is using the correct microphone
If you are gaming on a laptop that has a built in microphone then the app might be using this as the default microphone instead of your headset. You will need to specify which microphone the app should be using.
- Click the User Settings icon in the bottom-left corner of the Discord application.
- Click on Voice & Video
- Use the drop-down menu under Input Device to select the microphone from your headset. Make sure the headset is connected to your computer.
- Make sure that the Input Volume slider for your microphone is set to the maximum level.
Check if the Discord not picking up mic issue still occurs.
Disable Exclusive Mode in Windows
Certain apps installed in your computer are sometimes set to take control of the audio device driver when running. This will sometimes cause issues with the Discord app. Try to disable this setting to check if this is what’s causing the problem.
- Right-click on the sound/volume icon in the bottom-right corner and select Recording Devices.
- Select the microphone from your headset and click on Properties
- Select the Advanced tab and deselect the check boxes under Exclusive Mode. Select on Apply to confirm.
- Restart your computer.
Check if the Discord not picking up mic issue still occurs.
Reset the Voice Settings
If the problem only occurs on the Discord app then this might be caused by a glitch in the app which can be fixed by resetting the voice settings.
- Click the User Settings icon in the bottom-left corner of the Discord application.
- Click on Voice & Video.
- Click on Reset Voice Settings.
- Click Okay to confirm your selection and wait for Discord to reinitialize.
Check if the Discord not picking up mic issue still occurs.
Try using the Push to Talk mode
You should try switching the mode from Voice Activity to Push to Talk and see if this works. The difference between the two modes is that you will have to press a button if you want to talk in the Push to Talk mode. This can be inconvenient but if it works, then you will be able to communicate with your teammates.
- Click the User Settings icon in the bottom-left corner of the Discord application.
- Click on Voice & Video.
- Tick the box next to Push to Talk to enable this feature.
Check if the Discord not picking up mic issue still occurs.