Microphone keeps switching | Community
Skip to main content
S
Newcomer
SafeTex
Newcomer
October 7, 2021
Question

Microphone keeps switching

  • October 7, 2021
  • 45 replies
  • 2 views

Hello

 

I've never had this problem before but my computer seems to have 2 or 3 audio options that I don't fully understand.

1. Nvidia

2. Realtek

 

I think that one is for the inbuilt speaker in the screen while another one is when I plug in a mic and speaker probably.

 

The third option while in Zoom is system.

 

Anyway, in my Zoom session a couple of minutes ago, a screen kept appearing that the audio output had been changed and the sound kept switching from the speaker in the screen to the headphones every few seconds


I tried forcing Zoom to stay with one system  by making a choice in audio options, but this got overridden and the problem started again

 

After a few minutes, only the speakers in the screen worked and the headphones were dead which was hard as I had to take the headphones off and then could not easily use the microphone attached to the headphones

 

But why did I get this problem today? I have a really important Zoom meeting on 14Oct and I need to fix it before then

 

Thanks for any help in advance

 

 

      45 replies

      Show previous replies
      M
      Newcomer
      maronson22
      Newcomer
      February 24, 2022

      I'll pile on here too. Zoom, please fix this.

        C
        Newcomer
        CathrynLawrence
        Newcomer
        February 24, 2022

        I'm the same person as CathrynL earlier in this thread. After extensive back and forth with Zoom technical support who couldn't solve the problem, I found a way that did fix it. I was having the problem on a Mac and the problem started with the app update from Zoom when MacOS (12) Monterey was released by Apple. I was running MacOS (11.6) Big Sur. I didn't want to update to Monterey immediately as it always takes a few updates before the new MacOS version is stable enough for my personal tastes. Eventually I checked and saw that version 12.2.1 was available and decided to upgrade to that version. The switch from 11.6 (latest version that was available) to 12.2.1 fixed the problem for me. Good luck to all. The bug in the Zoom app is terrible to deal with. If you write to tech support directly for help and stick with it they will try to help you. Recommend giving the chance to try.

        N
        Newcomer
        Norton1
        Newcomer
        March 3, 2022

        I have a 2015 mac book pro running version 10.15.  Are you saying we need to jump to OS 12.2.1 to fix this zoom mic toggling glitch?  I am a standup comedian and just watched a recording if a gig as I kept seeing on the screen as I was performing that notice of the default microphone toggling between my the built in mic. with the one I chose for the zoom event: handheld SM58 mic via my rodecaster soundboard via usb   That glitch clipped so many punchlines.  UGH!! Not good for my comedy biz.  Do I have to upgrade to fix it?  I would think that zoom could fix it at their end, so it doesn't toggle.

        C
        Newcomer
        CathrynL
        Newcomer
        March 3, 2022

        None of the solutions that Zoom had me try worked. They were not able to help me though they did try. I understand your pain in dealing with the bug. I don't know whether it will work for you but  what worked for me was updating to MacOS 12.2.1 on my 2020 MacBook Air.

          B
          Newcomer
          bmannix
          Newcomer
          May 2, 2022

          This started happening to me all of a sudden last week.  Zoom refuses to pick the default microphone that I selected in the configuration when I join a new meeting, although the config itself seems to remember this is the intended default.  Very frustrating.

          C
          Newcomer
          CathrynL
          Newcomer
          May 2, 2022

          I worked extensively with Zoom on this problem when I had it. None of the things they suggested worked. I finally updated to OSX Monterey and that fixed the problem for me. Apparently this is a rare problem  relative to the millions of Zoom users so Zoom hasn't pursued finding the bug and fixing it. Recommend upgrading to the latest version of the operating system on your computer. If that doesn't work, suggest that you go directly to Zoom tech support. They were responsive in trying to help though in my particular case they didn't find a solution for me. It was when I updated to the latest version of the OS that my problem resolved. Good luck!

           

          The microphone switching made Zoom a nightmare for me. During my switching period I had to login to every Zoom on both my computer (for the camera and to share screen) and on my phone for audio and mike. The key to making this work is to mute your audio on the computer so that all of the sound is handled by the phone. It is a bit to keep up with as you have to run the video settings on the computer but the audio on the phone. That's 2 devices each with an audio mute and video on/off. 

           

          Good luck and I hope you find a resolution as I know how frustrating it is!!

            J
            Newcomer
            JohnEBurke
            Newcomer
            June 2, 2022

            Some progress seems to have been made on this - the system is not actively switching among available mics for me. But, every 10 seconds or so, it is popping up a note telling me my default microphone has changed to my external mic (a Røde USB model), and that is annoying. I'm still on Big Sur too, and have to be for a bit longer yet for reasons of other tools that are not going to survive in Monterey.  Zoom! Help!

             

              S
              Newcomer
              SafeTexAuthor
              Newcomer
              June 20, 2022

              Hello

              I just had my worst Zoom meeting ever🤐

              I kept losing sound in my headphones and in 2 hours , I was unable to see any logical explanation for the problem or its general behaviour
              Sometimes ticking a specific speaker option would work, but at other times it didn't.

              The system also continually offered me either 3 or 4 choices of speaker but why it toggled between 3 or 4 was unclear

              At other times, it would flash up a warning of a change of speaker, I'd lose sound in my headphones for a few seconds, but then it would come back. At other times though it did not come back and I'd have to try all the options, but could only get the speakers in the screen to work. At other times, I could eventually get the sound to come back to the headphones, but only after clicking the 3 or 4 options available maybe twenty times until one suddenly worked.

              A nightmare 😑

              D
              Newcomer
              David-Hubbard
              Newcomer
              September 2, 2022

              I am having this problem too

               

                R
                Partner
                RussLowenthal
                Partner
                September 22, 2022

                Same problem here - every few minutes. It makes zoom almost unusable. I'm on 5.11.11 (8425) on a Windows 11 pc

                 

                  B
                  Newcomer
                  billy1
                  Newcomer
                  September 26, 2022

                  I am having the same issues!

                  P
                  Newcomer
                  perfectpitch22
                  Newcomer
                  November 15, 2022

                  Like others, I came here looking for a solution and instead find there doesn't appear to be one.  My selected speaker and mic inputs keep switching between all available options.  Not only this, but each time they switch the "Professional Sound" option I've previously selected is disabled. Please suggest a fix Zoom.

                  B
                  Newcomer
                  Bodhi
                  Newcomer
                  November 25, 2022

                  I am using Zoom on Mac and used a USB Microphone and then had similar problems - from time to time I got a notification screen that the USB Microphone used switched to the built in microphone of the MacBook. Then after a couple of seconds, it jumped back to USB Microphone - leaving my Meeting Recording with unpleasant and clearly noticeable audio differences while speaking.

                   

                  I will now try the following (maybe solution?) :

                   

                  In the Zoom Meeting Audio Options (where you can mute or unmute yourself and where you can set your used microphone for the meeting) there is an option to chose "Same as System Settings" - if you chose this one, the microphone used, should be fixed on the System Settings Microphone. I went into the System Settings and chose the USB Microphone and did not experience any switching for a while.

                   

                  But I haven't yet tried this on a longer meeting - so have to see if this works in the long run or not.

                  Show more replies
                  Terms & ConditionsAccessibility statement
                  Copyright © Zoom Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.