Zoom/Teams/Meet
Fix Echo and Feedback in Zoom, Teams, and Meet
Stop echo fast by switching to headphones, matching devices in your call app, and validating your audio path with quick tests.
Check mic + speakers together so you can remove echo before joining the call.
Echo happens when your microphone picks up your speakers (or when the wrong devices are selected), so someone hears their own voice back. The fastest fix is usually headphones plus correct mic/speaker selection. This guide helps you identify whether you’re the echo source, remove speaker-to-mic pickup, and re-test before rejoining.
What this guide covers
- People hear their own voice (echo) in Zoom, Teams, or Google Meet
- Echo happens when you use speakers but disappears with headphones
- Your microphone picks up speaker audio or the room sounds very echoey
Quick wins (2 minutes)
- Use headphones or earbuds while troubleshooting; speakers are the #1 cause of echo.
- Lower your speaker volume to 25–40% and move the mic farther from the speakers.
- In your call app (Zoom/Teams/Meet), pick your microphone and speaker by name instead of Default.
- Windows: disable “Listen to this device” for your microphone to prevent feedback loops.
- Turn off any “Original sound” or “music mode” settings that reduce echo cancellation while you debug.
- Ask the person hearing echo to mute when not speaking; it helps identify who is causing it.
Step-by-step fix
- Run the DevicePrep Pre-Call Test and (optionally) the DevicePrep Echo Test to validate your mic + speakers together before changing settings.
- Put on headphones/earbuds and rejoin; if echo disappears, your speakers were feeding your mic.
- In Zoom/Teams/Meet audio settings, pick your mic and speakers by name (avoid Default) and set volume to a moderate level.
- Windows: Sound -> More sound settings -> Recording -> your mic -> Properties -> Listen -> ensure “Listen to this device” is off.
- If you’re using an external speaker, move it away from the mic and aim it away from the microphone pickup.
- Disable virtual audio devices or “mix” inputs (Stereo Mix, Loopback) that can route call audio back into the mic.
- Retest with Speaker Test and Mic Test, then rejoin and confirm echo is gone for 30+ seconds.
Deep fixes
Decision tree: are you the echo source?
First, mute yourself for five seconds. If the echo stops, your setup is the source (speaker-to-mic pickup or a loopback setting). If the echo continues while you are muted, someone else in the meeting is the source. You can still help by explaining the “headphones first” fix and asking them to run a quick Speaker Test + Mic Test to validate.
Identify the type of “echo” you have
Most “echo” reports are one of two things: feedback (a loud squeal) or voice echo (someone hears their voice back a split-second later). Feedback usually means the mic is too close to speakers or the volume is too high. Voice echo usually means your mic is picking up your speaker output and sending it back into the call. Start by muting yourself for five seconds; if the echo stops, you’ve found the source and can fix it locally.
Use headphones and reduce speaker pickup
Headphones are the fastest and most reliable fix because they remove the speaker-to-mic path entirely. If you must use speakers, turn the volume down, move the speaker farther away, and aim it away from the microphone. Laptop mics are wide and sensitive, so even moderate speaker volume can be captured. After changing placement/volume, run the Speaker Test at a comfortable level and then check the Mic Test; if the mic meter jumps when the speaker plays, the mic is hearing the speakers too strongly.
Match devices inside Zoom, Teams, and Meet
Even if your OS is set correctly, the call app may be using different devices. In Zoom, use the arrow next to the mic/speaker icons to pick the exact microphone and speaker. In Teams, go to Settings -> Devices and choose devices by name. In Google Meet, open Settings -> Audio and select the mic and speaker you actually want. Avoid “Default” while debugging; defaults can change when you connect Bluetooth, dock, or plug in USB devices.
Fix Windows “Listen to this device” and loopback sources
On Windows, “Listen to this device” can route your microphone back to your speakers, which can spiral into feedback or echo when combined with a meeting app. Open Sound -> More sound settings -> Recording, select your mic, then Properties -> Listen and make sure it’s disabled. Also watch for loopback sources like Stereo Mix or virtual cables (VB-Audio, Loopback, BlackHole) that can send call audio back into the mic. If you don’t intentionally use them, disable them while troubleshooting.
Retest before you rejoin the meeting
After each change, retest quickly: run the Speaker Test to confirm output, then the Mic Test to confirm your input is clean and doesn’t spike from speaker playback. Finally, run the Pre-Call Test to ensure the whole chain is stable. If echo returns only when the call starts, double-check “music/original sound” modes and any external speakerphones, because they can change echo cancellation behavior. When audio stays clean for 30+ seconds in tests, rejoin the meeting and ask for confirmation.
Quick checklist
- Headphones eliminate echo (or speakers are far/quiet enough)
- Correct mic and speaker selected in the call app
- “Listen to this device” disabled on Windows
- No virtual/mix devices routing audio back
- Speaker Test plays left/right clearly
- Mic Test shows clean input without feedback
FAQs
How do I know if I’m the one causing the echo?
If the echo stops when you mute, your mic is picking up speaker audio. Put on headphones or lower/move speakers, then unmute and check again.
Why does echo happen only in Zoom (or only in Teams)?
Each app can select different devices and apply different noise/echo processing. Make sure the app is using the same mic/speaker as your OS and avoid “music/original sound” modes while troubleshooting.
Can a second device in the same room cause echo?
Yes. If two people join the same meeting in one room with speakers on, the microphones can create a loop. Use headphones or mute one device’s mic and speakers.
Does Wi‑Fi cause echo?
Wi‑Fi issues cause dropouts and delay, not true echo. Echo is almost always an audio routing or speaker-to-mic feedback problem.
Sources
Documentation referenced while maintaining this guide.
Wrap up
Use headphones first, then line up your mic and speaker selection and remove any audio “loopback” settings. When the Pre-Call Test is clean, you can join Zoom, Teams, or Meet with confidence.