If you are reading this article, it is because the Google Meet microphone does not work on Windows and Mac, we have the solution, not one, but 10 ways to solve. For the most part, Google Meet offers a seamless browser-based video conferencing experience on Windows and macOS.
But just like with competing services like Zoom and Microsoft Teams, you may experience problems with the microphone that doesn’t work with Google Meet. This can happen when hosting meetings or attending meetings.
There are a number of simple and complicated reasons why Google Meet may not properly broadcast microphone sound on PC and Mac. After having encountered some problems in the past few weeks, I have compiled a list of solutions that can help you easily solve your problems. Google Meet microphone sound. Let’s start.
The Google Meet microphone does not work on Windows and Mac, it reactivates the audio
First of all- don’t discount the fact that you may have silenced yourself in Google Meet. Take a look at the bottom of the screen during a meeting- a red microphone icon with a bar indicates a muted microphone.
Click on it to turn the sound back on. You can also check the microphone status in the Google Meet preview pane before joining a meeting.
In addition to muting you (intentionally or accidentally), connecting to a Google Meet meeting after at least five attendees have already signed up will also automatically mute the microphone. In addition, the host can remotely mute the microphone. In both of these cases, only you can turn the sound back on.
Enable access to the microphone
As a privacy measure, most major web browsers block microphone access to websites and web apps like Google Meet by default. Your browser should have asked you to allow microphone access the first time you launched a meeting on Google Meet. However, you may have rejected the notification by mistake.
In this case, you need to manually provide the web app with the necessary permissions. The process changes from browser to browser.
- Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge Chromium- Click the lock icon in the left corner of the address bar, then set the Microphone to Allow.
- Firefox- Click the padlock symbol in the left corner of the address bar, then remove the restriction Temporarily blocked next to Use the microphone.
- Safari- go to Preferences (Safari menu> Preferences), click the Websites tab, select Microphone, then set meet.google.com to Allow.
Select your favorite microphone
If you have multiple audio devices connected to your PC or Mac, Google Meet may use a different microphone, such as the one built into your computer. Try to specify the exact microphone you want to use.
- Start by clicking Settings in the Google Meet menu.
- Under the Audio tab, select the correct microphone you want to use. The speakers can be set up to use the same hardware (if available) to avoid potential echo problems.
- Click Finish to save your changes.
Google Meet microphone issues are relatively easy to fix. Often, you may have ended up muting yourself or preventing the browser from accessing your microphone. If not, the other fixes listed above should put things right. The Google Meet microphone doesn’t work on Windows and Mac,
The Google Meet microphone does not work on Windows and Mac, check the microphone input
The microphone on your PC or Mac may have an input level that is too low to capture your voice.
- On your PC, open the Windows Settings app (via the Start menu or the Action Center), click System, click Audio, then click Audio Control Panel in Related Settings. Go to the Recording tab, select the microphone and then click Properties. Under the Levels tab of the Microphone Properties dialog, move the slider under the Microphone to a higher input level. Also, make sure the icon next to it isn’t turned off.
- On the Mac, go to System Preferences (Apple menu> System Preferences), click Sound, then switch to the Input tab. Select your favorite microphone, then adjust the input level accordingly. Your changes will be automatically saved.
Allow the browser to access the microphone
Both Windows and macOS have integrated privacy settings that can prevent programs from using the microphone. It is best to check if this prevents browsers from accessing the microphone.
- On Windows, go to Windows Settings> Privacy> Microphone. Make sure that the option “Allow apps to access the microphone” is set to Enable. Scroll further down and make sure that the option “Allow desktop apps to access the microphone” is set to Enable.
- On the Mac, start by going to System Preferences> Security and Privacy. Select Microphone, then make sure the box next to your favorite web browser is checked.
The Google Meet microphone does not work on Windows and Mac, restart the browser
Try closing and restarting the browser. This is a great way to resolve persistent microphone problems, such as in cases where audio is not heard after a few minutes in a Google Meet session. Once done, join the meeting. On the Mac, make sure to close the browser via the menu bar before restarting it.
Try to restart your PC or Mac
If restarting your browser didn’t help, try restarting your PC or Mac instead. This action also helps correct various microphone anomalies with Google Meet.
Troubleshoot the microphone with Windows
Windows 10 comes with an integrated troubleshooting tool that can detect and troubleshoot microphone problems.
- Go to Windows Settings> System> Audio.
- Scroll down to the Input section, select your favorite microphone using the menu under “Choose your input device”, then click Troubleshoot.
- If the troubleshooting tool detects problems with the microphone, follow the instructions on the screen to resolve.
Free the microphone on MAC
On the Mac, your microphone may end up being used by other apps or browser extensions, thus preventing Google Meet from using it effectively.
To check if this is your case, start by leaving all Google Meet meetings.
Then, open Terminal (Finder> Applications> Utilities> Terminal) and type the following command:
sudo killall coreaudiod
Press Enter and enter the Mac login password to run the command. Then restart your Mac. Then join the meeting.
Use Google Meet with Chrome
Google Meet is only accessible through a browser-based interface on PC and Mac. While it works on all major browsers such as Firefox or Safari, it’s a good idea to use it on Google Chrome. Usually, Google products and services work best on the Google web browser.
If you’re still having sporadic problems with your microphone, try using Google Chrome at least for meetings with Google Meet. Alternatively, you may want to consider using an alternative Chromium-based browser such as Microsoft Edge.
The Google Meet microphone doesn’t work on Windows and Mac- conclusion
Google Meet microphone issues are relatively easy to fix. Often, you may have ended up muting yourself or preventing the browser from accessing your microphone. If not, the solutions listed above should put things right.
