Summary

This article helps resolve common issues where your microphone, speakers, or camera stop working during a Microsoft Teams call, including no sound, others cannot hear you, or your video feed shows a black screen.

Symptoms

• No sound from the Teams meeting at all — you can see people talking but hear nothing
• People say they cannot hear you, even though your mic icon is not muted
• Your camera tile shows a black screen or your initials instead of video

Before You Start

• A headset, microphone, or webcam connected to your computer (built-in or USB).
• Microsoft Teams desktop app installed and signed in.

Instructions

1. Check the Physical Camera Privacy Slider

Many modern laptops have a small physical privacy slider or shutter built directly onto the webcam. If the camera shows a black screen, check the top edge of your display for a small switch or sliding cover.

1. Look along the top bezel of your laptop screen for a tiny sliding tab.
2. Slide it to the open position (ensure the lens is uncovered).
3. If your device has a keyboard shortcut for the camera (often Fn + F8 or a key with a camera icon), press it to ensure the camera is enabled.

If there is no slider on the bezel, or the tile is still black with the lens uncovered, nothing physical is blocking the camera and the block is in software. Continue to Step 2.

2. Verify Device Settings Inside Teams

Teams may be pointed at the wrong microphone, speaker, or camera.

1. Open Microsoft Teams.
2. Click the three dots (...) in the top-right corner and select Settings.
3. Click Devices in the left sidebar.
4. Under Audio devices, confirm the correct Speaker and Microphone are selected.
5. Under Camera, confirm your webcam is selected. A preview of your video should appear.
6. Click Make a test call to verify both audio input and output.

If the test call plays nothing back, or the camera preview stays black with the right device already selected, Teams is pointed at the correct hardware and Windows is what is refusing it. Continue to Step 3.

3. Check Windows Sound Settings

Windows may have muted your device or set a different default.

1. Right-click the Speaker icon in the system tray (bottom-right corner of the taskbar).
2. Select Sound settings.
3. Under Output, verify the correct speaker or headset is selected.
4. Under Input, verify the correct microphone is selected.
5. Speak into your microphone and confirm the Input volume bar moves.

If the input bar stays flat while you talk, and the correct microphone is selected, Windows is blocking apps from reaching the device. Continue to Step 4.

4. Allow Camera and Microphone Access in Windows Privacy Settings

Windows can block apps from using the camera or microphone entirely.

1. Go to Settings > Privacy & security > Camera.
2. Ensure Camera access is toggled On.
3. Scroll down and ensure Let desktop apps access your camera is toggled On.
4. Go back and click Microphone.
5. Ensure Microphone access is toggled On.
6. Scroll down and ensure Let desktop apps access your microphone is toggled On.

If every toggle was already On and Teams still cannot reach the device, the driver behind it is the next thing to check. Continue to Step 5.

5. Update Audio and Video Drivers

Outdated drivers can cause devices to malfunction after a Windows update.

1. Right-click the Start button and select Device Manager.
2. Expand Sound, video and game controllers.
3. Right-click your audio device and select Update driver > Search automatically for drivers.
4. Expand Cameras.
5. Right-click your camera device and select Update driver > Search automatically for drivers.
6. Restart your computer after any driver updates.

If Windows reports the best drivers are already installed, or the device still fails after the restart, the fault sits in the Teams app rather than the hardware. Continue to Step 6.

6. Restart the Teams App

A quick restart clears temporary glitches in the app.

1. Click the X to close Teams.
2. Right-click the Teams icon in the system tray (bottom-right, click the ^ arrow if hidden).
3. Select Quit.
4. Reopen Microsoft Teams from the Start menu or taskbar.

If the microphone, speakers, or camera still fail after a full restart of Teams, raise a ticket naming which of the three fails, whether the same device works in another app such as the Windows Camera app or Sound Recorder, and what the Make a test call result was.

Troubleshooting

TIP

Before joining an important meeting, use the Make a test call feature in Settings > Devices to confirm your audio and video are working. Teams can also test your sound from the pre-join screen of the meeting itself: select Test mic and speaker to record a short audio clip and play it back. That route covers your microphone and speakers, so check the camera preview in Settings > Devices as well if video matters.

Symptom / Error	Potential Cause	Solution
Black camera screen	Physical privacy slider closed	Slide the webcam privacy shutter to the open position (Step 1).
"No audio device found"	USB headset not detected	Unplug the headset, wait 10 seconds, and plug it back in.
Echo or feedback	Speaker audio feeding into mic	Use a headset instead of built-in speakers, or see the dedicated echo and feedback guide.
Others can't hear me	Muted in Teams	Check the microphone icon in the meeting toolbar — click it to unmute.
Camera greyed out	Another app using the camera	Close other apps that may use the camera (e.g., Zoom, browser).
Devices work elsewhere but not Teams	Windows privacy blocking Teams	Follow Step 4 to allow desktop app access.

Related Articles

• How to Fix Common Computer Glitches by Restarting
• Understanding Teams Meetings — Features, Roles, and Best Practices

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