4 Ways to Fix Zoom Audio Delay on Windows 11

Quick Fixes

• Update the microphone drivers from the Device Manager app > Audio inputs and outputs > Microphone, and retry the Zoom call.
• Enable Background noise suppression in the Zoom Workplace app from your profile icon > Settings > Audio.

Basic Fixes

• Check your network connection: Ensure your PC has a good internet connection. I recommend an internet speed of at least 5 Mbps to attend a Zoom call without audio delay.
• Verify the microphone in the Zoom app: Ensure that you pick the correct microphone and test it under the Zoom app settings. Open the Zoom app, click your profile icon at the top right, and select Settings. Select Audio from the left sidebar and pick your connected microphone on the right. Click the Test mic button to check if it is working accurately.
• Ensure listening through headphones/earphones: Connect your headphones/earphones to the PC and try listening to the Zoom call audio instead of the external PC speaker.
• Update or reinstall the Zoom app: Open the Zoom Workplace app, click your profile icon at the top right, and select Check for updates to install new updates. Alternatively, uninstall it from Windows Settings > Apps > Installed apps, and download its installer to install it afresh.
• Update Windows 11: Press the Windows + I shortcut to open Settings, select Windows Update from the left sidebar, and install available system updates.

Fix 1: Update the Microphone Drivers

Outdated microphone drivers may interfere with the Zoom audio output causing a delay. Head to the Device Manager app to update them manually.

Step 1: Press the Windows key, search Device Manager, and click to open it.

Step 2: Expand Audio inputs and outputs, right-click your microphone, and select Update driver.

Step 3: Finally, click Search automatically for drivers to update them online.

Fix 2: Change Display Settings to Fix Audio Lag

Windows 11 optimizes the native Camera app to save power by default, which may lead to audio or video delays in Zoom. To fix it, adjust the Camera app’s display settings to get the best performance.

Step 1: Press the Windows + I shortcut to open Settings, select System from the left sidebar, and click Display.

Step 2: Scroll down and click Graphics under Related settings.

Step 3: Select Camera under the list and click Options.

Step 4: Switch Graphics preference to High performance, and click Save.

Fix 3: Suppress Background Noise

The Zoom Workplace app on Windows offers an in-built option to eliminate background noise. Once enabled, it can filter out distracting sounds such as keyboard typing, paper crunching, etc. to improve the audio quality.

Step 1: Click your profile icon at the top right of the Zoom Workplace app, and select Settings.

Step 2: Select Audio from the left sidebar, enable Zoom background noise removal, and set Background noise suppression to High.

Fix 4: Disable Audio Enhancement on Windows

The Audio Enhancement feature in Windows improves audio performance but can sometimes cause an audio delay in the Zoom app. Disable it from Windows Settings to restore normalcy.

Step 1: Open Windows Settings, select System from the sidebar, and click Sound.

Step 2: Select the connected Microphone under Input.

Step 3: Scroll down, click the Audio enhancements drop-down menu, and set it to Off.