Google Meet is an amazing video conferencing app used by millions of people worldwide. You can use Google Meet to talk, connect, meet, and face users in another corner of the world. But, like other video conferencing apps, Google Meet also has some problems that must be addressed frequently. Your mic is muted by system settings is a common problem faced by many users, and this is frustrating, especially when you are in the middle of the meeting. If you face the same problem, you are at the right place! This guide will help you resolve if your mic is muted by your system settings Google Meet issue whether you use it in the desktop app or browser version.

How to Fix Your Mic is Muted by System Settings in Google Meet

There are so many reasons that contribute to this issue. A few of them are listed below. Analyze them deeply, so you will know how to resolve the same.

• Audio output is not configured properly
• Sound settings for Google Meet are not appropriate
• Some other program on your PC is interfering with Google Meet
• Audio access not allowed for Google Meet
• Your audio device is not set as default on your device
• Corrupt files on PC
• Audio services are not running
• Google Meet on the browser does not have permission to access audio
• Corrupt browser cache
• Outdated browser, audio drivers, and Windows operating system
• Conflicts in Microphone settings and browsers

The following methods are arranged according to their efficiency level, and you must follow them in the same order to attain the best results.

Note: For demonstration purposes, we have performed the following methods on the Google Chrome browser.

Method 1: Basic Troubleshooting

Before getting into more complex solutions, let us first see if the basic checks and troubleshooting steps can fix the said issue for you.

Method 1A: Preliminary Checks

Before resolving any advanced troubleshooting methods, there are a few simple methods that will help troubleshoot Your mic is muted by your system settings issue within a few simple clicks. If you did not get any fix by implementing them, move to the next methods.

1. Reboot Windows PC to resolve any temporary issues associated with your computer.

2. You have to make sure whether there is proper internet connectivity while using Google Meet. This will prevent audio problems that occur in the middle of the meeting due to insufficient bandwidth.

3. Always use branded headphones. It is firmly connected to your computer. This will prevent any external noise from interfering with the audio.

4. When other programs on your Windows 10 computer using the default audio device, you may face this issue. To resolve the problem, you are advised to close all other programs or applications running in the background or force them to shut down using Task Manager.

5. Stay in a calm environment without any traffic sounds or crowd noises in the background. This will prevent Google Meet audio from being faded away.

Apart from these preliminary checks, you can try below basic method to resolve the issue.

Method 1B: Check Google Meet Audio Output

If you are using two or more audio devices on your Windows 10 PC, you must ensure which device is default to access all general audio contents. To check them, follow the below-mentioned steps.

1. Click on the Speakers icon from the right corner of the desktop screen, as shown below.

2. Expand the audio devices by clicking on the arrow icon.

3. Now, click on your desired audio device and check if the audio plays through the selected device.

Method 1C: Check Audio Volume

1. Go to the bottom right corner of the screen and right-click on the Speakers icon. Then, click on Open Volume mixer.

2. Ensure that all audio levels are not muted in the Volume Mixer window. When there is a Forbidden icon, as depicted, click on it and unmute the audio.

Also Read: Fix Google Meet Grid View Extension

Method 2: Run Audio Troubleshooter

Since Your mic is muted by system settings is an audio-related issue, you can use the audio troubleshooter on your Windows PC to fix the problem. This inbuilt troubleshooting tool scans all the audio devices connected with the computer and identifies the associated problems. Then, all the identified issues can be troubleshot very easily. Read our guide on How to Run Hardware and Devices Troubleshooter to resolve all the audio-related hardware issues on Windows 10 PC.

Also, use this guide, How to Run Windows Update Troubleshooter, for reference, and you can manually run the audio troubleshooter. Ensure you select Playing Audio troubleshooter while following the steps.

Method 3: Allow Microphone Permissions

If you are using the web version of Google Meet, you must enable audio permissions to access audio contents in any applications, specifically Google Meet in our case. To allow microphone access in Chrome, follow the below-mentioned steps.

1. Launch Chrome and click on the three-dotted icon > Settings, as shown.

2. Now, click on Privacy and security from the left pane.

3. Click on Site settings.

4. Scroll down the right pane and click on Microphone under Permissions.

5. Then, click on the radio button next to Sites can ask to use your microphone, as shown.

Also Read: How to Fix Microphone not Working on Mac

Method 4: Disable Hardware Acceleration (If Applicable)

Few of your web pages and browser sites consume extra GPU resources when the hardware acceleration feature is turned on. Follow the below-mentioned steps to disable this feature to fix Your mic is muted by system settings issue.

1. Launch Google Chrome and click on the three-dotted icon.

2. Click on Settings.

3. Click on System under the Advanced section in the left pane.

4. Now, turn off the toggle for the Use hardware acceleration when available option, as shown below.

5. Finally, click on Relaunch and check if you were able to hear the audio in Google Meet.

Method 5: Run SFC/DISM Scan

If you want to enjoy uninterrupted audio in Google Meet, you must check all the programs and files on your PC are corrupt-free. But, if they are corrupt or misconfigured, you will face the your mic is muted by system settings issue. Nevertheless, all these misconfigured files can be repaired using the inbuilt utilities of your Windows 10 PC, namely System File Checker and Deployment Image Servicing and Management. Read and follow our guide on How to Repair System Files on Windows 10 as instructed to repair all the corrupt files on your computer. Wait for the commands to be executed and check if you have fixed Your mic is muted by your system settings issue.

Also Read: What are Google Meet Codes?

Method 6: Modify Audio Settings

It is necessary to confirm whether the sound settings in your Windows 10 PC and your audio device properties are compatible. This helps you fix this issue. Follow as instructed.

1. Press the Windows + I keys simultaneously to launch Windows Settings.

2. Click on System, as shown below.

3. From the left pane, click on Sound.

4. Click on Device properties under the Output menu from the right pane.

5. Uncheck the Disable box, as depicted.

6. Repeat Steps 4 &5 for input devices too.

Now, check if you have fixed Your mic has been muted by a system settings error.

Method 7: Allow Audio Access in Settings

If your Windows 10 PC has access to only a few particular programs, you will face the Your mic is muted by a system settings issue. If in case, Google Meet is not on this list, you cannot access audio for it. So, ensure you have enabled all the audio accesses for Google Meet in Settings as instructed below.

1. Navigate to Windows Settings by pressing Windows + I keys simultaneously.

2. Then, click on the Privacy option.

3. Click on the Microphone option under App permissions.

4. Turn on the toggle for the Allow apps to access your microphone option, as depicted.

5. Since Google Meet is being used in Chrome, make sure Google Chrome is the allowed list of desktop apps using the audio, as depicted.

Also Read: How to Fix Microphone Too Quiet on Windows 10

Method 8: Set Audio Device as Default Device

Sometimes, your device may pick some random audio devices plugged into your PC, and you cannot hear anything when you listen to some other default devices. To avoid and fix this issue, you must set audio devices as default ones as instructed in this method.

1. As you did earlier, right-click on the Speakers icon and click the Sounds option.

2. Navigate to the Playback tab and right-click on the desired audio device you want to set as the default one.

3. Then, click on Set as Default Device.

4. Finally, click on Apply > OK to save the changes.

Method 9: Restart Sound Card

You can easily fix Your mic is muted by system settings, by restarting the sound card as instructed below.

1. Hit the Windows key and type Device Manager. Now, click on Open.

2. Now, double-click on Sound, video and game controllers to expand it.

3. Here, right-click on the desired sound card and click on Disable device.

4. Then, click on Yes to confirm the prompt.

5. Restart Windows PC.

6. Again, repeat Steps 1 & 2. Now, right-click on the disabled sound card and click on Enable device.

Also Read: Fix Low Microphone Volume in Windows 11

Method 10: Disable Audio Enhancements

You must check the sample rate if you can access audio in other video conferencing applications but not in Google Meet. Any low-frequency sample rate will lead to Your mic has been muted by your system settings issue. To fix the problem, disable the audio enhancements feature in audio settings as instructed below.

1. Right-click on the Speakers icon and click on the Sounds option.

2. Switch to the Playback tab and click on the desired audio device > Properties option.

3. Now, switch to the Advanced tab and select the highest frequency range (24 bit, 48000 Hz) under Default Format as depicted.

Note: Uncheck the Disable audio enhancements setting under Signal Enhancements.

4. Click on Apply > OK to save the changes.

Note: Check if you face the Your mic is muted by your system settings issue again. If so, switch to other frequency ranges by repeating these steps and check which range solves your mic is muted by your system settings Google Meet issue.

Method 11: Clear Browser Cache

Although cache improves your browsing speed, it may gather over days and thus causes several issues in the browser. Hence, you are advised to clear the browser cache and cookies to fix your mic is muted by your system settings Google Meet issue as instructed below. Read our guide on How to Clear Cache & Cookies in Google Chrome and clear the browsing data.

Also Read: How to Change Chrome as Default Browser

Method 12: Update Browser

If you face Your mic is muted by system settings in the web version, it may be due to an outdated browser. The best way to deal with this problem is to update your browser as instructed below. After updating your browser, check if you have fixed the problem.

1. Launch Google Chrome and click on the three-dotted icon > Help option.

Note: You can also type chrome://settings/help to launch the About Chrome page directly.

2. Then, select the About Google Chrome option, as shown.

3A. If Google Chrome is updated to its latest version, it will show Chrome is up to date.

3B. If a new update is available, the browser will automatically update to the latest version. Click on Relaunch to complete the update process.

Method 13: Update Windows

If any new Microsoft updates are pending to be installed, a few bugs and problems cannot be resolved on your computer. As suggested by many users, updating Windows 10 computers will help you resolve Your mic is muted by your system settings Google Meet issue. Follow our guide on How to Download and Install Windows 10 Latest Update to update your Windows 10 computer. After updating your Windows OS, ensure whether you can access audio in Google Meet.

Also Read: Fix Microsoft Teams Microphone Not Working on Windows 10

Method 14: Update Audio Drivers

Any incompatible and corrupt microphone drivers will always result in your mic is muted by system settings issue. You must confirm that you use an updated version of audio drivers, and if your Windows 10 PC do not have them, you are advised to update them as instructed in our guide How to Update Realtek HD Audio Drivers in Windows 10.

Method 15: Restart Audio Services

Few necessary Windows audio services help tackle this issue. By any chance, if these services are turned off, you may face several conflicts like what we are discussing now. Hence, you are advised to restart a few essential audio services as instructed below steps.

1. Type Services in the Windows search bar and click on Run as administrator.

2. Then, scroll down and double-click on the Windows Audio service.

3. Next, change the Startup type to Automatic, as depicted.

Note: If the Service status is Stopped, click on the Start option. If the Service status is Running, click on Stop and Start it again.

4. Click on Apply > OK to save the changes.

5. Repeat all these steps for other Windows services like Windows Audio Endpoint Builder and Remote Procedure Call (RPC).

Also Read: How To Fix No Camera Found In Google Meet

Method 16: Roll Back Audio Drivers

Sometimes, the current version of audio drivers may cause any audio conflicts. In this case, you have to restore previous versions of installed drivers. This process is called rollback of drivers, and you can easily roll back your computer drivers to their previous state by following our guide on How to Rollback Drivers on Windows 10. Wait until the previous versions of drivers are installed on your Windows 10 PC. Once done, check if you have fixed the Your mic is muted by system settings issue.

Method 17: Reinstall Audio Drivers

Incompatible drivers should be reinstalled rather than updating them to resolve the Your mic has been muted by your system settings issue. You are advised to reinstall device drivers only if you cannot attain any fix by updating them. You can manually reinstall the drivers by following the steps as instructed in our guide, How to Uninstall and Reinstall Drivers on Windows 10. After reinstalling audio drivers, check if you can hear the audio in Google Meet.

Also Read: 13 Best Free Voice Changer Software for Windows 10

Method 18: Reset Browser

Resetting Chrome will restore the browser to its default settings, and there are more possibilities that you will face the your mic has been muted by your system settings issue again. Follow the below-mentioned steps to reset Google Chrome.

1. Launch Google Chrome and click on Settings, as done earlier.

Note: You can also type chrome://settings/reset to launch the Reset Chrome page.

2. Click on the Reset and clean up option in the left pane.

3. Click on the Restore settings to their original defaults option.

4. Confirm the prompt by clicking on the Reset settings option, as depicted.

5. Relaunch Google Meet.

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We hope that this guide was helpful and you could fix your mic is muted by system settings issue in your device. Let us know which method worked for you the best. Also, if you have any queries/suggestions regarding this article, feel free to drop them in the comments section. Also, let us know what you want to learn next.