Audio problems with Skype

If you have problems with audio in Skype you should read this :)

Below are some suggestions to check and fix possible audio related problems.  Just try whichever are applicable or you haven’t tried yet.

1.    Double-check if your microphone/s and speaker/s are properly plugged-in, active, or turned on.  Be sure that they are also not muted.  You can also test them using other applications to make sure that they are working and not defective.

2.        Download and install the most recent version of Skype.  Issues, bugs, problems, and irregularities in older versions are often fixed or solved in the latest Skype version.

3.       Update your audio/microphone/webcam drivers.  You can use the Update Device Drivers function of your operating system, or visit the corresponding manufacturers’ site to check if there are new versions of drivers for your devices.  

4.  Download and Install remaining updates for your Operating System.

5.      Then click Tools >> Options >> General Audio Settings.

Now, if your Skype still doesn't work continue reading:

If the other party can’t hear you

Under Microphone, select the preferred microphone device that you want to use (there could be one or more options available when you click the dropdown selection arrow).  Check if the Volume Meter will respond when you make sounds. 

You can also try to uncheck Automatically Adjust Microphone Settings and manually Adjust the volume to 80%-90% full.

If you can’t hear the other party with Skype

Under Speakers, select the preferred speaker/headphone device that you want to use (there could be one or more options available when you click the dropdown selection arrow).   To test you speaker/headphone, click the check speakers option (green play icon) and check if the Volume Meter will also respond.

You can also try to uncheck Automatically Adjust Speakers Settings and manually Adjust the volume to 80%-90% full.

 You can also click the Show Advanced Options to change the order of preference of the available microphone and speaker devices in your computer.   For example;  you place your external microphone on the top of the list, followed by your internal microphone.  Skype will first look for your external mic, and will only use the internal mic of the external mic is not available or not plugged-in.

6.   Call echo123,  the Skype sound testing service to check if your mic and speakers are working.  If both are working, you should be able to hear the automated voice and the recording of your own voice.

This should work on Microsoft Windows Vista, Windows 7 , Windows 8 , Windows 8.1 Blue but probably it will work on Windows XP too.

This is what users says: 

ive done everything, i have audio in all other apps and even in my browser, the other side can hear me, but i cannot hear them, i dont even hear any ringing if i call them.  Tried Skype test call and its all silent, no ringing sound, nothing 

Thank you for your suggestions. I apparently have an unusual problem. I hear the normal sound when skype come on. I also checked speakers and the volumn meter responded. I went to sounds and the sounds played. However, when I tried a test call I could hear nothing. Any other suggestions??
Al

Alfred35 wrote:
Thank you for your suggestions. I apparently have an unusual problem. I hear the normal sound when skype come on. I also checked speakers and the volumn meter responded. I went to sounds and the sounds played. However, when I tried a test call I could hear nothing. Any other suggestions??
Al

---

Do you have all Windows updates and updates to your system and any hardware devices by the manufacturers?


This new version is 5.5.0.115 to check what version you have, using the main Skype client window please do:

---
 this does not work. i tried it many times. pl help
 --
i can not get my skype page i don't see my friends who are on skype i'm getting to upgrade and it doesn't work

I am having the same problem now, can not hear test call and when I cal someone they can not hear me, but I can hear them.  Any suggestions

I re-installed Skype but still no audio on Echo 123, re-checked the audio settings and it was set to independent headphones, don't know how that happened, selected speakers & headphones and all is well again. So simple!!

I set my Uncle up on Skype. Did Microphone test and all  Ok. When he calls I can see him with his external camera, but can't hear him, although I have checked and the sound monitor is moving up and down on the scale. What can I do.

i no my microphone is muted how do i unmute it

I have audio when I make a call, recieve a call, but not when someone leaves a voicemail message. I did the Skype audio test and could hear the message I spoke in the test. When someone calls me, Skype recorded the message BUT THE PLAYBACK IS SOUNDLESS

My problem is that my correspondent cannot hear me. All is working perfectly for audio settings. I was calling to the Seychelles Islands and I was able to hear my correspondent but he/she could not hear me. What's the problem ?!

I assume you did Echo sound test and everything worked fine.
1. Please make sure your correspondent did the same and everything's OK.
2. Try to use a different voice service (e.g. Gtalk)
3. Clean uninstall Skype (using MyUninstaller for example - there're lot of them free of charge on the market - which clean out registry of traces); then reboot and re-install Skype

Hi! Have a strange audio problem with Skype. Everything is in order, but when I call someone or someone calls me, I can't hear the other person. The other person can hear me. The same applies to Echo / Sound Test Service, I cannot hear the service's voice. However, there is one way of making it possible to hear the other person or the voice of Echo / Sound Test Service. That is, having Skype Options > Audio Settings GUI open. When this graphical user interface window is open, only then everything works as should! My platform is Win 7 Ultimate 64-bit. It would appear there is a bug in Skype (6.0.0.126). Skype developers, please help.

That is, having Skype Options > Audio Settings GUI open before and during the start of the call.

Checkplease what Audio source is hoghlighted, is it one that you're using by default? Before closing these settings GUI, Save all.
Second, open Volume Center's Mixer (left click on the Sound picture at the right down corher, then Mixer and make sure that Skype is not muted)
Third, open ControlPanel - Sound devices and make sure your sound device is set to default.
Hope this helps.

 

Thanks the attempt to help.

Have done all the things you suggest, unluckily without help.

Have also uninstalled Skype, deleted the contents of the %appdata%\skype directory, and removed all (Skype) entries from the registry.

Then have clean installed the latest Skype version.

All that has not helped. Suspect there is a bug in the program code of Skype.

So far, the only way to circumvent the problem is to open Skype Options > Audio Settings and have it open during the start of the call.

Am working with Skype Customer Service in order to solve the issue.

Honestly, that's strange. First time I am encountering such problem - I've got experience when Win lose audio due to different connections - like HD through HDMI cable or BT - for some (Win) reasons it switches focus on different channels/devices on its own, but, not like this. Please share your (and Skype's tech people) findings when you get it solved.
thx....Vlad

 

I'm having audio problems with Skype, I hope someone can help me.

I have a headset w/microphone that I use, as my computer has no speakers. I use this headset to listen to music, play games and Skype. However, I have a strange problem with it. When playing games, I hear music, but my microphone doesn't work. When Skyping, my friends can hear me, but I can't hear them. I checked my sound options, and I can't hear anything in the test call, not when I test the volume under Tools>Options>Audio. I have the latest version of Skype, all the latest Windows updates, and Windows 7 Professional 64-bit. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated, thank you.

 

lpenrose,

Have you tried to open Tools>Options>Audio Settings before you make the test call, and leave it open during the call? That is how I can circumvent the problem. When I do that, then I can hear the other person or the voice of Echo / Test Call Service.

Similarly I can hear any other person that calls me, if I open Tools>Options>Audio Settings before I answer the call and leave it open during the call.

The same applies, if I call someone. If I open Tools>Options>Audio Settings before I call and leave it open during the call, I can hear the other person.

Have you tried whether this procedure helps you? If not, please, give it a try.

In order to solve the problem, Skype developers are doing technical analysis on the data I have sent them on request by a Skype Customer Service Specialist.

Hope they are able to find the cause for this annoying issue and that they will to fix it in a future release of Skype.

In the meanwhile I keep doing what I described above, which helps circumventing the problem.

I also have the latest version of Skype (6.0.0.126) installed, and my platform is Win 7 Ultimate 64-bit.

Please, kindly let me know if the procedure described helps you too.

Did you try to change settings in your Control Panel -> Sound -> Manage Audio Devices to make your Headset as deafault device? Try it by right-clicking on the device in the list, set it as default and then Test it. Also switch to Recording tab and make sure your headset mike is set as a default device. WHile in Settings in Skype try to choose different Audio/Mike sources until you'll hear sound/see mike level jumping. Don't forget to Save  your settings to avoid play with them again. Hope this'll help

My daughter (Vancouver, BC) and I (Reno, NV) are new Skype customers. We have both registered and have successfully attached and configured our mic/camera devices to our computers.  There is another existing Skype customer in the form of another daughter in Sacramento, CA.  Here's the "rub".

1) All three of us can hit the Skype "test function" which connects you to the lady with the British sounding voice, allows you to say a few words, and plays those words back to you.  We three are completely successful with this test - loud and clear.

2) I can call my daughter in Sac and have a perfect call, audio and video, in both directions.

3) My daughter in Sac I can call me  and have a perfect call, audio and video, in both directions.

4) If either of us calls the daughter in Vancouver, the video connection works perfectly, the Vancouver daughter can hear the one calling perfectly, but the calling party cannot hear the Vancouver daughter (unless we make a land line telephone call at the same time).  Remember that when she uses the Skype test to the British lady, she hears her speach returned perfectly to her.

Help to fix this problem would be greatly appreciated.

 

 

When I talk to a person I hear sounds from his PC(windows,games,etc.) even if his mic is off. Is there any way that can be turned off because he is not hearing sounds from my PC?

 

I have a Lenovo tower connected to an Insignia LCD TV.  I have a Logitech webcam HD 720p that connects to the tower.  Whenever I call someone there is a tramendous amount af feedback on their end only.  I've called Logitech, talked to Best Buy, looked online, tried everything suggested, but it just won't clear up.  I only have the internet to use for my telephone, so what can I do to fix this problem, please?

Go to Tools -> Options -> Audio settings. Uncheck the option "Automatically adjust microphone settings". Also try to reduce the Microphone volume and make sure that your speakers are no too close to the microphone.

Answer was right in front of us.

Your computer, via the "control panel" has many setup functions including those for audio.  We had correctly adjusted all of those.

The "Skype window" has setup functions including those for audio. These had not been correctly set. The Skype Echo Sound Test Service will yield a positive response even if the Skype audio controls have not yet been correctly positioned.

This should be corrected.

 

 Hi everyone,
I basically have a similar problem to everyone here. I recntly updated skype on both my windows 7 and xp laptops. For some reason, I can't hear anything from the caller even though they can hear me very well. Funnily, it works fine on the xp laptop.
I checked the test call - that was fine. I checked the audio settings - i only have one speakers and microphone to choose from. I checked that my speakers and microphone are enabled (from the control panel).Music and computer sounds can be heard.  I checked that the speakers and microphone are working from the skype audio options  etc. So i have no idea why this only happen to the windows 7. Is it a windows 7 issue? Both laptops are updated to the latest versions. I've used skype previously and i never had any problems

Open the Skype window.
On the top edge click on the CALL button.
A "drop down" will open. Click on AUDIO SETTINGS...
New window opens with your settings for MIC and SPEAKER.
Set these drop downs accordingly.
Report back and let us know if it works, it did for me.


Is your platform a 64-bit Windows 7?

Have you tried to open Tools>Options>Audio Settings before you make the test call, and leave it (the GUI) open during the call? That is how I can circumvent the problem. When I do that, then I can hear the other person or the voice of Echo / Test Call Service.

Similarly I can hear any other person that calls me, if I open Tools>Options>Audio Settings before I answer the call and leave it (the GUI) open during the call.

The same applies, if I call someone. If I open Tools>Options>Audio Settings before I call and leave it open during the call, I can hear the other person.

Have you tried whether this procedure helps you? If not, please, give it a try.

In order to solve the problem, Skype developers are doing technical analysis on the data I have sent them on request by a Skype Customer Service Specialist.


Thanks for that! Once I did that it worked fine!!

Must be some silly bug issue....

Hi,

I'm currently having problems with the audio in Skype. I recently got new harddrives that were installed into my computer and after installing Win7 pro x64 and all other drivers I installed Skype. The problem is that there's no sound effects at all with Skype, whether I use the headphones or speakers I still can't hear the sound from login, log out, new messages or the call sound if someone calls. Though it should be noted that if I'm in a conversation the other party can hear me and I can hear them so it's just the sounds effects that aren't working, also all other sounds works, music, youtube, windows sounds etc it's just skype that doesn't work. It used to work with the same version of W7 etc, the only thing that's different is that it's on my SDD now.

I've uninstalled - cleared the register - removed %appdata% - restarted - reinstalled several times. Checked for updates for my drivers, checked all options in teh dropdown menu I could pick for outgoing sound in skype sound options, tried older and the newest version of skype. Also checked that the sounds aren't muted and tried reseting the settings in the preference, notification and made sure I'm online. Gone through the troubleshooting options and now I don't know what else to try so hope someone can help me.

First make sure that your connection status is not set to "Do not disturb".

In Skype go to Tools -> Options -> Sounds. Can you hear any sound when you press the "Play this sound" button?

Is the text on the button just below the test button saying "Mute all sounds"? Be aware that if the text is "Enable all sounds", then the sounds are actually muted.

What do you have selected for "Ringing" in Tools -> Options -> Audio settings?

 

Yes I've made sure my connection status was set as "Online" and not "Do not disturb".

No I can't hear any sound when I press the "Play this sound" button. If I press the button in the sound settings the meter won't move.

Yes I've made sure that the sound isn't muted.

I got all the standard sounds picked in the list, so it's just Skype, ringing (modern). It's in Swedish though so the translation I did might be wrong.

 

 What device have you selected for "Ringing" in Tools -> Options -> Audio settings? Have you tried with other selections?

If you mean which device I got for the outgoing sound then the speakers and yes I've tried all the other devices I can pick for outgoing sound.