# Fixing Microphone and Audio Issues

> Calm, step-by-step fixes for the common sound problems - they can't hear you, you can't hear them, choppy audio, or echo - on computer or phone.

**TL;DR:** Can't be heard? It's almost always the microphone permission - allow it via the browser's padlock icon or your phone's app settings. Choppy sound is the internet connection; echo is fixed with headphones.

Sound problems feel alarming, but they nearly always come down to one of three simple things: the **microphone permission** (your device politely blocking CallTuv from hearing you), the **wrong device selected** (sound going to or coming from the wrong place), or the **internet connection** wobbling. Find your symptom below and work through the steps in order - each one takes under a minute.

## "The other person can't hear me"

**If you're calling from a computer:**

1. **Check the browser permission.** Look at the address bar at the top of the browser - click the small **padlock** (or settings) icon next to the web address. A little menu opens; make sure **Microphone** is set to **Allow** for calltuv.com. If you once clicked "Block" - maybe by accident, months ago - the browser silently remembers, and this is where to undo it.
2. **Check the right microphone is chosen.** If your computer has several (a built-in mic, a headset, a webcam), the call screen's audio settings let you pick which one to use. Choose the one you're actually speaking into.
3. **Check the computer's own permission.** The computer itself can also block browsers from the microphone. On a Mac: Apple menu → System Settings → Privacy & Security → Microphone - make sure your browser is switched on. On Windows: Start → Settings → Privacy → Microphone.
4. **Do a quick test.** Our free [mic test tool](https://calltuv.com/tools/mic-test) shows you instantly, with a moving indicator, whether your browser hears you.

**If you're calling from the app:** check the phone gave CallTuv microphone permission - on iPhone: Settings → CallTuv → Microphone (switch it on); on Android: Settings → Apps → CallTuv → Permissions → Microphone → Allow. Also close any other app that might be using the microphone at the same time (a video call app, a voice recorder), and glance at the call screen to make sure you're not [muted](/help/8064193-in-call-controls-mute-speaker-and-keypad) - it happens to everyone.

## "I can't hear them"

- **Check where the sound is going.** If Bluetooth headphones were connected earlier and then switched off or wandered out of range, the sound may still be routed to them. Reselect your speakers or headset - on the phone, just tap the **speaker** button.
- **Check the volume** - both the device's volume buttons and any volume control on the call screen. It sounds obvious, but it's the answer surprisingly often.
- **If there's simply silence,** hang up and call again. A network switch mid-call (Wi-Fi dropping to mobile data, a VPN connecting) can silently lose the audio stream - a fresh call fixes it.

## "The sound is choppy, robotic, or delayed"

This one is almost never the microphone - it's the internet connection straining:

- Move closer to your Wi-Fi router, or try switching between Wi-Fi and mobile data to find the steadier one.
- If you use a **VPN**, turn it off for calls - the detour adds delay.
- Pause anything downloading or streaming in the background (videos, large files, cloud backups) while you talk.

If calls keep cutting off entirely, there's a dedicated guide: [Calls Keep Dropping or Cutting Off](/help/4165207-calls-keep-dropping-or-cutting-off).

## "I hear an echo of my own voice"

Echo means your microphone is picking up the sound from your speakers and sending it back. The one-step fix that works nearly every time: **use headphones or a headset**. Any kind - wired earbuds are perfect.

## Still stuck?

If the sound is fine but calls won't start at all, that's a different problem - see [Why Your Call Won't Connect](/help/5108742-why-your-call-wont-connect). Otherwise, [contact us](https://calltuv.com/contact) and mention what device and browser you're using and what exactly you hear (or don't) - we'll dig in with you until it's solved.