You and your friends can't hear each other? Don’t worry, it happens! If your voice chat isn’t working on your PS5, here are a few quick fixes you can try before diving into the deeper troubleshooting steps.
Verify Your In-Game Audio Settings
Let’s make sure everything’s set up right inside the game.
- From the main menu, go to the Settings in the top-right corner
- Select Audio > Voice Chat
- Input Device / Output Device: Make sure these are set to Default System Device or, if available, your specific headset
- Incoming Volume: Set this to a high value (e.g., 80-100%) to ensure you can hear others
- Mic Volume: Set this to a high value
-
Loopback Test: Turn this ON and speak. If you hear yourself, the mic is working!
Can’t hear yourself? The issue’s with your mic input or PS5 settings.
Hear yourself but not others? It’s likely your output device or mute settings.
- Mic Sensitivity Threshold: If your voice is cutting out, try lowering this value. If teammates hear a lot of background noise, raise it
Check the PS5 Control Center
This one trips up a lot of us. The PS5 can mute all in-game voice chat on a system level, so let's fix that!
- While in game, press the PS Button on your DualSense controller to open the Control Center
- Navigate to the Sound icon
- Find the setting Mute Game Voice Chat
- Turn it OFF. If it is On, no in-game voice chat will work, even if your in-game settings are correct.
For more details on PS5 chat settings, see PlayStation's official guide on how to use party voice chat.
Check Your In-Game Mute Status
It’s easy to accidentally mute yourself or your team (happens to the best of us), so let's make sure that's not the case.
- While in a match, press the Touchpad to open the Scoreboard
- Find your name in the player list
- Check if the microphone icon next to your name is crossed out. If it is, navigate to your name and select the icon to unmute yourself
You can also mute/unmute teammates from this screen.
Toggle Voice Chat Off and On (In-Game)
A quick reset can fix temporary chat bugs:
- Before you join a match (while in the main menu), press the Options button to open the main menu
- Go to Settings > Audio > Voice Chat
- Turn Team Voice Chat and Party Voice Chat to OFF
- Join a game
- Once in the match, press the Options button
- Go back to Settings > Audio > Voice Chat and turn Team Voice Chat back ON
Check Your PS5 Audio Output Device
Sometimes, your PS5 routes sound to the wrong place, like your controller speaker instead of your headset.
- Press the PS Button to open the Control Center
- Go to the Sound icon
- Select Output Device
- Make sure your headset is selected (not “Controller Speaker”)
Verify Your PS5 Microphone Settings
If your Loopback Test in the beginning didn’t work, the console may not detect your mic.
- From the PS5 Home Screen, go to Settings
- Go to Sound > Microphone
- Input Device: Ensure this is set to your headset's microphone (e.g., Microphone on Controller or your wireless headset)
- Adjust Microphone Level: Follow the on-screen prompts to speak into your mic. The Input Volume bar should move. If it doesn't, your PS5 is not detecting your microphone.
You can check PlayStation’s support article on changing audio settings for more detail.
Check Your Hardware
If the console still doesn’t detect your mic, let’s rule out the basics:
- DualSense Mute Button: The button directly below the PS Button on your controller. If it’s orange, your mic’s muted. Press it to unmute.
- Headset Mute Button: Some headsets have a physical mute toggle, make sure yours is off.
- Headset Volume Dial: Make sure the volume dials on your headset are turned up.
- Controller Port: If it's wired, unplug and reconnect the headset firmly.
- Try a Different Controller: If possible, test your headset connection with a different DualSense controller.
Check for System Software Updates
Unlike PC, PS5 doesn’t use separate audio drivers. Everything’s bundled in system updates, so let's make sure they're updated!
- Go to the PS5 Home Screen
- Select Settings > System > System Software
- Select System Software Update and Settings
- Choose Update System Software
- Select Update Using Internet
Restart Everything
If all the steps don't work, a clean restart can usually clear things up!
- Completely close the game application
- Turn off your PS5 console completely (do not use Rest Mode)
- Restart your internet router (unplug it for 30 seconds, then plug it back in)
- Once you're back online, turn on your PS5 and launch the game
If it still doesn’t work after all this, it might be something deeper with your console or network. For advanced help, check out the PlayStation's official PSN voice chat troubleshooting guide.