Can’t Hear Anyone in Discord? Try These Fixes

Although chat in Discord is a useful, widely-used chat resource, it’s still a VoIP application focused on voice communication for gaming. Like most modern technology, Discord is an excellent service, but it isn’t without its flaws.

This article will teach you how to fix Discord when you can’t hear anyone.

Discord Audio – Basic Troubleshooting

The first step we’ll take you through is finding out what’s causing the problem. Upon discovering the culprit, we can approach the fix and get your audio working.

Let’s first ensure that your audio is working in other apps. Whether you’re using a Mac, PC, or Mobile device, we need to ensure that another VOIP-based service is working properly. Pull up Skype, Zoom, Facetime, or another similar service and make a test call. If your audio works properly, the issue is with Discord. If not, the issue is with your OS or your hardware.

Next, consider any changes you’ve recently made to your hardware or software. Did you get a new headset? Did your system recently perform an update? How about new speakers? If you’ve recently made changes to your peripherals or software, the issue is likely caused by those changes.

Discord requires enough bandwidth to stream audio, send and receive messages, and support whatever other games or software you’re using. Have you noticed any lag? Perhaps a slow start-up loading internet-based apps? Check your internet speeds and verify that your device is meeting the adequate speeds necessary for Discord and your other

Lastly, is Discord working on your other devices? Perhaps there’s a massive outage you aren’t aware of yet. Or, there’s an account-level issue. If Discord’s audio isn’t working on your phone or computer, there’s a bigger problem, and you’re going to need help from Discord’s support team.

Hopefully, taking the time to narrow down the problem has helped you find the source. Now, let’s fix your Discord audio problems.

How to Fix Audio Issues in Discord on Windows

There are a few ways to resolve audio issues in Windows; here’s a quick rundown.

The Basic Solutions

Your Discord audio issue may be a result of a more complex problem. When resolving technical issues, the best approach is to rule out the most basic potential issues.

Let’s start with restarting your device. This is generally the first thing you should do if any Windows problem appears.

Then, you need to see if your headphones are the problem. If the headphones aren’t working for other Windows sounds, the issue is probably not with Discord.

To check this, navigate to the bottom-right corner of your screen and click the speaker icon. A slider will pop up above it. Adjust the slider and see if there’s a sound when you release the left click. Alternatively, just play some music on your computer, YouTube, etc.

If the sound is playing properly outside of Discord, try unplugging the headphones and plugging them back in again. Then, restart both your PC and Discord. If this doesn’t work, uninstall and reinstall the Discord app itself. If none of these potential fixes works, you can proceed to more technical solutions.

Keep It Updated

This solution may sound like a default one, but you should definitely make sure that your Discord app is up-to-date. This is important for various reasons, not just because your headphones don’t seem to be working. Fortunately, Discord features frequent updates to ensure that the app is running smoothly for everyone.

Sometimes, however, the updates aren’t installed correctly. Other times, your Discord app may skip an update or two. That’s why it’s important to check periodically.

Reset the Discord App

1. With the Discord app open, type Ctrl + R; this will reset the app.

Reset Your Computer’s Audio

Sometimes Discord audio problems can be caused by OS issues; here’s how to reset your audio in Windows.

1. Type Windows key + R, then type “services.msc” into the Run text box and hit Enter.
   
2. Then, locate and right-click on Windows Audio Services.
   
3. Next, select Restart from the menu.
   
4. You might also want to restart Windows Audio Endpoint Builder and Remote Procedure Call (RPC).

Legacy Audio Subsystem

Sometimes, Discord will experience hardware compatibility issues with audio equipment. Discord’s latest audio subsystem is pretty neat, but it isn’t compatible with all headset devices, at least not now. If this is the case, reverting back to Legacy Audio Subsystem may solve the issue.

1. To do this, open the Discord app and navigate to the User Settings tab (the gear icon).
   
2. From this menu, select Voice & Video.
   
3. Now, navigate to Audio Subsystem. Here, you should find the Legacy option. Select this option and confirm.
   

Restart the Discord app and see if the issue persists when you’re done.

Set Input/Output Device

If your audio device in question isn’t set as the primary input & output device, chances are that this is the underlying cause behind the issue at hand. Setting the device as the primary input/output device is done in Windows.

1. To do this, go to the Open Sound settings command by clicking the speaker icon in the bottom-right corner in Windows.
2. A window will open, and you should see the Choose Your Output Device section. Use the drop-down menu under the section title and see if the headphones that you’re using are set as a default output device. If not, make sure that they are. Follow the same procedure for the input device.

Once you’ve selected the headphones as your primary input and output device, restart the Discord app to see if the problem is solved.

Default Communication Device

Your headphones should be set as a default communication device. A window prompting you to set such a device should appear as soon as you plug the headphones in, but this might not happen. If the said window doesn’t pop up, you must manually set your headphones as a default communication device.

1. To do this, navigate to the bottom-right corner in Windows and right-click the speaker icon.
2. Then, select Open Sound settings.
3. In the window that pops up, scroll down to Related Settings and click Sound Control Panel.
4. Now, find the headphones device in the list, right-click it, and then click Set as Default Communication Device.
5. Now, select OK.

Restart Discord and see if this solved the problem.

Use the Web Version

Yes, the app version of Discord is preferred by many. Although the functionalities are pretty much the same for both versions, people still prefer the desktop one. If the audio issue persists, try using the web version temporarily. If your headphones work on the browser version, contact Discord tech support and use the web version until they respond or solve your issue.

If your headset isn’t working on the web version of Discord, the issue is likely with your headset itself.

How to Fix Audio Issues in Discord on a Mac

Mac users can follow these steps to fix audio issues in Discord.

Reset Discord

As mentioned in the Windows section, you can also reset the Discord app with a similar command.

1. Type Command + R to reset the Discord app.

Although it’s a simple solution, it is often quite effective.

Check Discord Audio Output

1. Click on the Apple menu and select System Preferences.
   
2. Next, click on Sound.
   
3. Then, click Output in the menu bar at the top.
   
4. From here, select the audio output device you’re using, and then adjust the Output volume slider to ensure it’s set to a good level and ensure the Mute checkbox isn’t checked.
   

Use the Browser to Access Discord

If you’re having issues with the app, then try using your browser to use Discord without audio issues. Sometimes errors can occur on the app; by switching to the browser, you’ll be better able to determine the problem.

How to Fix Audio Issues in Discord on Android

Android users can perform the following steps to fix their Discord audio issues.

Restart Discord

Unlike on computers, you can’t use the Ctrl + R or Command + R shortcut to restart Discord, so you’ll have to do it the old-fashioned way.

1. Force close the Discord app, wait a few seconds, and reopen it. *Settings > Apps > Discord > Force Stop.
   

Reinstall Discord

1. Go to your phone’s app settings and uninstall Discord.
   
2. Then, go to the Google Play Store and reinstall Discord.

Reinstalling Discord will also reinstall the drivers needed for it, which can fix a lot of problems.

Use Your Phone’s Browser to Access Discord

If your phone’s browser has an option to view in Desktop mode, then you’re in luck. This means you’ll be able to run Discord through your web browser.

1. Open your browser, go to Discord’s login page, and sign in.

How to Fix Audio Issues in Discord on an iPhone

Perhaps you prefer the iPhone version of Discord. If so, here are some fixes for your audio issues.

Restart Discord

Again, you can’t use the Ctrl + R or Command + R shortcut to restart Discord, so you’ll have to close and reopen it.

1. Close the Discord app and wait a few seconds and then reopen it.

Although it seems like a simple solution, restarting an app will reload drivers, settings, and app data, which can fix all kinds of problems.

Reinstall Discord

1. Go to your phone’s app settings and uninstall Discord.
2. Then, reinstall Discord and test it out.

Reinstalling Discord will also reinstall the drivers needed for it, which can fix a lot of problems.

Use Your Phone’s Browser to Access Discord

If your phone’s browser has an option to view in Desktop mode, then you’re in luck. This means you’ll be able to run Discord through your web browser.

1. Open your browser, go to Discord’s login page, and sign in.

Still No Solution

If none of the above solutions helped, try using the headset on a different computer with Discord installed. If it works, your headset most likely has compatibility issues with your computer. Contact the headphones manufacturer/distributor to find a solution.

If your headset doesn’t work on Discord on another computer, it’s not compatible with Discord for some reason. Contact Discord tech support and see what they can do to help you solve this annoying issue.

Discord Sound Issues

As you can see, there are several potential underlying causes interfering with your headset for Discord gaming. One of the solutions provided here will likely work like a charm. However, if none do, your best bet would be to contact Discord’s tech support and work with them to solve this issue.

Have you experienced headphone problems on Discord? How did you solve the issue? What was the problem? Feel free to discuss your issue in the comments section below.