Can’t hear anyone in Zoom? Join audio and test your speaker

You can see the meeting before connecting to its audio. If the toolbar still says Join Audio, select it and join with computer audio if offered. If your host has set up another audio method, follow the meeting’s prompts. Leave your microphone muted if you only need to listen.

During the meeting, use the arrow next to Mute or Unmute to select a different speaker. Before a meeting, open the Zoom Workplace desktop app and go to your profile picture → Settings → Audio → Test Speaker. If the test is silent, choose another output and try again. Compare the built-in speakers with your headset or monitor speakers, especially if you just plugged in a device.

Play a short audio clip in another app through the same output at a comfortable volume. If both are silent, check the device connection and the computer’s output volume. If the other app works but Zoom’s test is silent, check Zoom’s selected speaker and volume again. On Windows, check the system volume mixer for Zoom while the app is open.

Ask in chat whether others can hear the person who is speaking. If just that person is silent for everyone, ask them to check their microphone. If everyone is silent only for you, confirm you joined audio and try reconnecting when it is convenient. If it keeps happening, use Zoom’s test meeting before your next call and note which speaker works.