How to Fix Mic Echo Before Everyone Bails on the Call

If you’re on a phone or video call and suddenly hear your voice being slightly delayed, you’re likely experiencing microphone echo.

Even with modern calling technology, this situation is still common, and it can be frustrating for anyone—especially when time is short and you need to present yourself as a polished, well-prepared communicator.

Fortunately, this type of microphone echo is usually caused by a variety of factors that are easy to fix, including:

• Where your microphone is located. This is the most common cause of echo problems. If you use an external microphone, it may be too close to the speaker, causing it to pick up and emit your voice in an infinite loop.
• Speaker volume level. If your speakers are too loud, the microphone’s output may be picked up no matter where it is located.
• The number of microphones in use. Having multiple running microphones can multiply your sound. Make sure your primary microphone (whether it’s headphones, laptop, phone, or other independent source) is the only microphone being used.

Some readers can eliminate microphone echo with just a few instructions.

In the rest of this article, I’ll detail these fixes, why they work, and other steps you can take to stop this annoying problem.

Why does the microphone echo?

During a normal call, the microphone captures the person’s voice, transmits it through the system, and then plays it back to the listener in real time. The sound is clear and direct, with no delay or duplication.

Microphone echo occurs when sound from a speaker is picked up by a microphone and retransmitted, causing the sound to be delayed or repetitive. Delayed retransmission can cause an echo effect, disrupting the normal communication flow.

This phenomenon seems to be VoIP phone systems vs. landlines.

Identify the source of microphone echo

When microphone echo occurs, it may not always be clear what or who is causing the problem. If everyone else on the call hears your voice echoing, you’re most likely the source, even if your voice sounds normal on your own speakers. The same goes for any other participant.

Fix microphone echo (without stopping calls)

Once you identify yourself as the source of the echo, you should be able to quickly resolve the issue without interrupting the conversation.

Try this series of quick fixes first:

Turn down speaker volume

Access your device settings or press the external volume button to reduce speaker volume to minimum. Then, slowly start raising the volume until you can hear the conversation, checking for any remaining echo. This method works well if the problem is caused by feedback in the speakers.

Lowering the volume is a very common solution for Use your computer or tablet as a softphone Call up.

Move the microphone away from the speaker.

Another way to reduce microphone feedback is to move the microphone away from the speaker. This may resolve the issue if you use an external device (such as a webcam or lavalier microphone) paired to your computer or phone speakers.

Switch to headphones or headphones with built-in microphone

If you’re trying to lower the speaker volume and keep the microphone farther away from the speaker, your next best option is to switch from an external device to a headset or headphones with a built-in microphone. Any decent VoIP headset will do a good job of reducing ambient noise picked up by the microphone.

See: View our Your Complete Guide to the Best VoIP Headsets.

Disable all other nearby microphones

Many modern devices come with microphones, including game controllers, laptops, cell phones, smart watches, smart speakers, TV remotes and webcams. If you’re still experiencing microphone echo, one of these might be the culprit. Make sure to check your device audio settings or turn them off completely to reduce additional sound pickup.

Adjust call recording software settings

If you want to record a call for later reference, you may need to adjust the call volume setting in your business phone service interface or app. This is usually done through the main settings menu, where you can search for audio options to adjust the input (microphone) or output (speaker) volume.

See: Looking for a new phone system? take a look at our Best Business Phone Service Choice.

Disable SIP ALG on router

SIP ALG (Session Initiation Protocol Application Layer Gateway) is a feature typically enabled by default in routers to help manage VoIP traffic. Unfortunately, this feature often causes more problems than it solves, causing latency and audio distortion that can lead to microphone echo during calls.

To solve this problem, SIP ALG can usually be disabled through the router’s settings, usually under the Advanced Network or Firewall Settings options.

This is a slightly more technical fix than most of the others, but I guarantee you won’t be the first person to Google “disable SIP ALG” for your particular VoIP router. This problem is very common, so it’s not difficult to find guidance for beginners.

See: Discovery The best VoIP router.

Other fixes for microphone echo

If you’ve tried every quick fix imaginable and are still having problems, there are a few other things you can do to resolve the issue:

• Restart your computer or device. Turning your device off and on again will clean up your system for a better connection by closing any programs that may be cluttering the sound.
• Restart the router. Disconnect power from the router for a full minute and then reconnect it. Once the light shows that the router has restarted successfully, try using the microphone again. This should resolve any connection or memory storage issues causing the issue.
• Update your device. Making sure all software updates on your laptop, tablet or smartphone are up to date helps ensure optimal sound performance and seamless compatibility with VoIP services.
• Upgrade your hardware. By investing in quality headphones, you can take advantage of the latest microphone technology to help reduce speaker feedback and ambient noise. You can choose between wireless Bluetooth-enabled options or traditional wired options, many of which cost under $100.

If microphone echo is just one of many call quality issues, you may want to try some basic VoIP troubleshooting. The bandwidth required for VoIP is fairly light, but the connection must be rock solid. Due to the immediacy of the call, even the slightest delay or echo can cause a host of problems.