When we are using video calling as our main form of communication, it can be incredibly frustrating if things doesn't go smoothly. Often, connecting sound or your video is the issue so we've put together some simple steps to troubleshoot your way through.
Firstly, if you are having trouble with video or your camera, check if the device's physical webcam privacy shield has been moved. The camera will not turn on if covered.
System Settings for video and sound
Go to Windows > Sound settings > Input device > Microphone. Check that the input on the right device. For laptops this will be Microphone Array or the name of your Headset, if you are using a Headset.
Further settings are found by clicking the Sound Control Panel under Related Settings on the right, as shown above. Once you have navigated to the Sound Control panel, right click on Stereo Mix under the Recording tab and disable it.
Right click and make sure that your “Default Device” and “Communications Device” is set to your Microphone Array or Headset Microphone. Below is an image of what this option box looks like, and the Stereo Mix that should be disabled.
Windows Privacy settings can completely disable all Microphones or Cameras on your device. You can check this by searching your Windows Settings for Camera or Microphone > Privacy.
Make sure your Camera is On.
This will look the same for both Microphones and Cameras.
Browser Settings for video and sound
If you are using your Chrome browser to video call (ie with Google Meet, Google Hangouts or Zoom) you can check the access settings the site has to your camera and microphone. Go to the following URLs to confirm that your Microphone and Camera settings are configured properly:
chrome://settings/content/camera
chrome://settings/content/microphone
Make sure the site is not blocked (and not in the "Not allowed to use your camera" section).
Alternatively you can access these settings by selecting the little padlock icon besides the URL.
Once you are in the Google Settings check the settings listed in the following image. You can change access to your Microphone and Camera to Allow if you are using the site regularly.
If these steps haven't resolved your issue with sound or video, we are here to help! Please contact our team for further support.