7 Ways to Fix Discord Audio Not Coming Through Headset

Quick Tips

• Check the default audio output set on your computer and in Discord’s in-app settings menu.
• Switch to Discord’s Legacy Audio Subsystem and avoid using apps that modify or enhance sound quality.
• Consider resetting voice settings in the Discord app if the issue remains.

Fix 1: Check the Default Audio Output Device on Your System

To start, check the default audio output device on your Windows or Mac computer and ensure that audio is set to come from your headset. Here’s how:

On Windows

Step 1: Right-click on the speaker icon on the taskbar and select Sound settings.

Step 2: Under the Output section, select your headset as default.

Step 3: Scroll to the Advanced section and click Volume mixer.

Step 4: Use the slider next to Discord to increase app volume.

On Mac

Step 1: Click the Apple menu at the top left > select System Settings from the list.

Step 2: In the System Settings window, click the Sound tab on the sidebar.

Step 3: Switch to the Output tab and select your headset instead of the built-in speakers. Also, check the Output volume from the same menu.

Fix 2: Check the Audio Output Device in Discord

Discord lets you change the audio input and output device via its in-app settings menu. So, you must also check that.

Step 1: Open the Discord app and click the gear-shaped icon at the bottom left.

Step 2: Switch to the Voice & Video tab and use the drop-down menu to select your headset. Then, use the slider to increase the Output Volume to your liking.

Fix 3: Enable Legacy Audio Subsystem

Another reason the audio may not come through your headset is if it is incompatible with Discord’s latest audio subsystem. Fortunately, Discord includes an option to use the Legacy Audio Subsystem, which can help fix the issue.

Step 1: In the Discord app, click the gear icon at the bottom left.

Step 2: Switch to the Voice & Video tab and scroll to Audio Subsystem. Click the drop-down menu to select Legacy.

Fix 4: Change the Server Region

Are you experiencing audio issues on a specific Discord server? If so, try changing the server region to fix the problem. Note that you can only do this if you are the server owner or have permission to manage channels.

Step 1: Open the Discord app and click on your server on the left. Right-click on a voice channel > select Edit channel.

Step 2: Click the Region Override drop-down menu > select a different nearby region.

Fix 5: Reset Discord Voice Settings

Incorrect audio settings in Discord can also cause these issues. Instead of going through each voice setting one by one, consider resetting them all and starting over. Here’s how to do that.

Step 1: Open the Discord app settings menu.

Step 2: Select Voice & Video from the sidebar. Scroll down to click the Reset Voice Settings button.

Fix 6: Restart the Audio Service (Windows)

If you still can’t hear Discord audio through your headset, there might be a problem with your Windows computer. Try restarting the Windows Audio service to see if that fixes the issue.

Step 1: Press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box. Type services.msc in the box and press Enter.

Step 2: Locate the Windows Audio service on the list. Right-click on it and select Restart.

Fix 7: Disable Any Headset Software

Many modern headphones include software that enables users to personalize their sound quality and performance. However, using such software might sometimes cause audio issues with apps like Discord. For instance, one Reddit user reported having audio issues while using their Corsair headset with the iCUE software.

If your wired or Bluetooth headphones are not producing any sound, try disabling any headset software and see if that fixes the problem.