In this article, we are going to be covering how to fix the Overwatch 2 mic not working, so you can enjoy the game and communicate with your team.
Overwatch 2 would be unplayable without voice chat. When the functionality isn’t working, you’re certain to be frustrated. Fortunately, we will demonstrate how to resolve Overwatch 2 mic not working issues. Examine this full description of how to use each option. If the first technique does not work, try the next until your voice chat becomes operational.
How to fix the Overwatch 2 mic not working?
Here are 9 different methods that will help you resolve Overwatch 2 mic not working.
Check your microphone
The first step is to inspect your hardware. The problem might be as straightforward as:
- Your headset/mic is either not plugged in or is only loosely plugged in.
- The mute button on your headset/mic is depressed.
After you’ve addressed those two issues, check to see if Overwatch 2 mic not working is solved.
Check your Overwatch in-game audio settings
The problem might be with Overwatch’s audio settings. Changing the settings can quickly restore voice chat. To repair it, follow these steps:
- Open Overwatch 2, then pick Sound from the Options menu.
- Turn your microphone or speakers up to an audible level.
- TEAM VOICE CHAT and GROUP VOICE CHAT should be set to AUTO JOIN.
- Ascertain that the appropriate VOICE CHAT DEVICES are selected.
- If voice chat is set to “Push To Talk,” change the key binding. In the Controls menu, change “Push to Talk” to a different key.
- Join the team chat after that. Check to see whether the Overwatch 2 mic not working has been repaired.
Update your PC’s audio driver
What if, after attempting the previous approach, voice chat still does not function in Overwatch 2? If the easy modifications in Overwatch did not help, it is now time to conduct a more thorough study of the root reason. Begin by looking at the most fundamental prerequisite for audio to work: your computer’s audio driver. You may be using the incorrect audio driver, or it may be out of date. This entails looking for and installing the appropriate audio driver online.
Set your PC’s default devices
If installing the audio driver does not resolve Overwatch 2 mic not working, there may be an issue with your PC’s settings. It’s possible that when you connected in your audio device, your Windows computer identified it but didn’t designate it as the default playing device. This means you’ll have to manually configure the default audio input and output devices. Take the following steps:
- Begin by quitting Overwatch 2.
- On your keyboard, press the Windows key + R. On the new tab, write “mmsys.cpl” (without quotation marks), then click Enter.
- Navigate to the Playback tab in the window that displays. Determine the speaker or headphones you will use. Right-click it and choose Default device.
- On all devices except the one you wish to set as the default, right-click and select Disable.
- Go to the Recording tab now. Determine the speaker or headphones you will use. Right-click it and choose Default device.
- Select OK.
Relaunch Overwatch and join a voice conversation to see whether the Overwatch 2 mic not working has been resolved.
Disable PC audio device exclusive mode
If the default audio device settings on your PC did not help, you most likely have a third-party program that is blocking Overwatch from utilizing your audio devices. This requires you to turn off the exclusive mode on your speakers, headset, or microphone. Take the following steps:
- On your keyboard, press the Windows key + R. On the Privacy & Security page, click the tab that displays, type “mmsys.cpl” (without quotation marks), then hit Enter.
- Navigate to the Playback tab in the new window that appears. Locate your default device, right-click it, and then choose Properties.
- Click the Advanced tab in the Properties box. Uncheck the box next to ‘Allow application to take sole control of this device.’
- Click OK, then Apply.
Allow apps access to the microphone
What if Overwatch 2’s voice chat doesn’t work on Windows 11? This might be because certain apps are not allowed to use the system’s microphone. As a result, you can follow the steps below to allow applications permission to utilize the microphone on Windows 11 and 10.
On Windows 11:
- To enter the Settings app, use the Windows key + X shortcut to open the Power User menu and then click Settings.
- On the left navigation pane, choose Privacy & Security.
- Select Microphone at the bottom of the Privacy & Security page.
- Check that the “Microphone access” toggle is turned on.
- Set the “Let applications access your microphone” setting to On as well.
- Locate Overwatch 2 by scrolling down the list. Turn on the microphone access toggle.
On Windows 10:
- Navigate to the bottom left corner of your screen and hit the Start button/Windows logo. Select Settings when the Start menu displays. You may also use the Windows key + I shortcut to open the Settings app directly.
- On the home page of the Settings app, there will be a slew of options. Select Privacy.
- Select Microphone from the left navigation pane on the Privacy page.
- Make sure the “Allow applications to access your microphone” toggle is turned on on the Microphone screen.
This should help to resolve the problem with Overwatch voice chat not functioning on Windows.
Check for Windows Updates
If you’re still trying to figure out how to fix Overwatch voice chat not functioning in Windows 11 without success, you may need to upgrade Windows. Sometimes the current irritation is a symptom of a larger problem caused by an obsolete operating system. Installing Windows updates on a regular basis helps to keep your computer safe and bug-free. You can get the most out of your system while correcting any difficulties that may arise, such as failed voice chat for games.
On Windows 11:
- To open the Settings app, press the Windows key + I hotkey.
- On the left navigation pane, click Windows Update. It is the very last item on the menu, so you can’t miss it.
- Click the Check for Updates button on the Windows Update screen.
On Windows 10:
- To open Start, press the Windows key and then click Settings.
- Go to Update and Security > Windows Update.
- Click the Check for Updates button on the Windows Update screen.
- Windows will automatically download all available updates. It will install the minor updates automatically and advise you to reboot the system so that the more essential ones may be installed.
This should take care of the problem. If not, try a different solution.
Install the latest game version
Patches are often released by game developers to address reported flaws in their games. If the Overwatch voice chat function isn’t working for you, installing the most recent game patch may help.
- Start the Battle.net program on your PC.
- Choose Overwatch from the list of installed games.
- Choose Options.
- Select Patch Notes from the Options menu.
All patches that are currently available will be displayed here. Download and install the latest updates before launching the game to see whether the problem has been resolved.
Reinstall the game
If none of the above remedies have worked for you, it might be a matter of missing files. It’s conceivable that the installation was incomplete or that some files were damaged during the process. If some game audio files are missing or corrupted, for example, using the in-game voice chat function would most certainly fail. The answer is to reinstall Overwatch fully. It is advised to erase your existing game installation files and download a new package.
We hope that you enjoyed this article on how to fix the Overwatch 2 mic not working. If you did, we are sure that you will also enjoy reading some of our other articles, such as Overwatch 2 friends list empty: How to fix the OW2 error, or is Overwatch good? OW’s success story explained.