Mic Not Working In CSGO? Here’s How to Fix it On Windows

Competitive multiplayer games require teamwork and communication. It’s hard to win in a team-based game if you don’t work as a team. So, let’s help you fix your mic not working in CSGO issue. 

CSGO is available for Windows, Linux, macOS, and Xbox One. The classic Counter-Terrorists vs. Terrorists first-person shooter is one of the most popular games of its kind.

Even though the game debuted in 2014, it’s still not free of problems and errors. For instance, many users find their mics become unusable when playing on Windows PCs. 

The error happens while playing on Steam. It mainly relates to outdated software, wrong privacy configurations, and corrupted files. 

Mic Not Working In CSGO Causes

How to Fix Mic Not Working in CSGO?

We’re going through the list of solutions to help you fix the problem. You can try them individually until you make the mic work on CSGO.

We’re assuming your mic works appropriately. You can test it quickly on the built-in Windows “Sound Recorder.”

Enable the Mic Options on CSGO

Let’s start with the in-game configurations. If this is all you need, you will save a lot of time.

See, sometimes, you disable the mic with key combinations, or you may now know which key combination enables the mic. 

1. Open the game and click the Gear icon at the top left.
2. Go to the Audio tab.
3. On Enable Voice, select “PRESS TO USE MIC.”
4. Go to Game settings.
5. Go to Communications. Here, make sure you have not muted your squad members.
6. Go to the Controller tab.
7. Go to Use Mic and select a key to use the mic. 

You can now check again to see if this solved the issue. In the example above, if you press “K,” you’d be able to use the mic. 

Enable Your Mic as The Default Input

The best option is to make your mic the default operating system input.

1. Click on the Windows icon and type “sound mixer” on the search bar.
2. Open “Sound mixer options.”
3. On “Input device,” select your mic.
4. Go back to “Sound.”
5. Select “All sound devices.”
6. Select your microphone.
7. Make sure it is enabled (the button should be “not allow” rather than “allow”). Also, make sure it has volume. You can also test it.

It’s also a good idea to reach the advanced sound configurations menu. Follow these steps:

1. Select “More sound settings” on the System – Sound menu.
   
2. Go to the recording tab.
3. Make sure your mic is enabled.
4. Right-click your mic and select it as default.
5. While the mic is selected, click on Properties.
6. Make sure it has volume.

Give CSGO Access to Your Mic

The next step is to make sure CSGO has access to your mic. We can do this by going to the Privacy & security menu.

1. Click on the Windows icon and select Settings.
2. Go to Privacy & security.
3. Select Microphone from the App permissions list.
4. Enable the option on the top to permit apps to access your mic.
5. Also, ensure CSGO has access by moving the slider to its ON position. 

Restart the Windows Audio Service

Another common issue is the Windows Audio Service, which manages the audio of all apps.

You can try resetting the service to see if it fixes the issue: 

1. Type “services” on the Windows search bar. 
2. Open “Services.” 
3. Find Windows Audio near the bottom of the list.
4. Right-click the service and select Restart.

Turn Off the Xbox Game Bar

The Windows’ built-in Xbox Game bar may also be causing the problem. This overlay records clips, take screenshots, monitors performance, and has some community features tied to the Xbox app.

For now, let’s disable the app: 

1. Click the Windows button and the X button at the same time.
2. Select Installed apps.
3. Type “Xbox” on the search bar.
4. Select Advanced options on the Xbox Game bar. 
5. Disable the app’s permissions.

Update Windows

Now, let’s try updating Windows to solve potential drive issues: 

1. Type “check for updates” on the search bar and select Check for updates.
2. Click “Check for updates.” Alternatively, select “Download and install updates.”
3. If Windows finds an update, select “Download and install.”
4. After the system installs the update, restart the system. 

Update the GPU drivers

Here’s how you can update your graphic card’s drivers using the device manager: 

1. Type “device manager” on the search bar.
2. Open “Device Manager.”
3. Click “Display Adapters” to expand the list.
4. Right-click your graphic card (it’s either an Nvidia or an AMD. You may also be playing CSGO on an Intel HD integrated GPU).
5. Select “Update driver.”
6. Select “Search automatically for drivers.” Let the system download and install available drivers. 

If you have the proprietary GPU software, open it to check if there’s a driver update. On AMD’s option, you’d see it on its home page; on the Nvidia GeForce Experience software, you’d see it on the Driver tab. 

Update the Mic’s Driver

Lastly, you can try updating the mic drivers: 

1. Type “device manager” on the Windows search bar.
2. Open Device Manager. 
3. Find your device under the Sound, video and game controllers tab.
4. Right-click your mic and select Update driver.
   
5. Use the Search automatically for drivers option to find a driver.

Verify the Integrity of The Game Files

Now, let’s go to Steam to verify the integrity of game files. Perhaps the file is corrupted. 

1. Open Steam.
2. Go to the Library tab.
3. Right-click on CSGO and select properties.
4. Go to Local Files.
5. Select “Verify integrity of game files.”
6. If the process finds errors, it will re-download the needed files and let you know.