Can't Hear Anyone on Discord? Here's How to Fix It

Tech & Gaming
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not being able to hear people on discord while they can hear you is almost always an output device or volume issue. here’s the full fix process.

Step 1: Check Discord’s output device setting

This is the most common cause. Discord has its own audio device selection independent of Windows’ default.

Go to Discord Settings (gear icon bottom left) > Voice & Video > Output Device. Make sure this is set to either “Default” or the specific headset/speakers you want sound to come through.

If it’s set to a device you’re not using – an old headset, a monitor’s audio output, a virtual audio device – you won’t hear anything even though Discord is technically playing audio.

“Default” usually works, but if your Windows default output device isn’t set correctly, “Default” in Discord inherits that problem. In that case, select the specific output device by name rather than using Default.

Step 2: Check Discord’s output volume

Still in Voice & Video settings, look for the Output Volume slider. If this is at zero or very low, you won’t hear anyone regardless of the device setting. Make sure it’s at 100 or close to it and adjust Windows volume from there.

Step 3: Check individual user volumes

Discord lets you control each user’s volume independently. Right-click on a username in a voice channel or in a DM call. There’s a volume slider for that specific user. If someone has been accidentally set to 0%, you won’t hear them even if your output device and master volume are correct.

Step 4: Check if users are muted

Right-click on a user in the voice channel – if there’s a checkmark on “Mute” or their icon shows a muted state, you’ve muted them locally. You’ll hear no one from that user. This is separate from the server owner muting them.

Step 5: Check Windows volume mixer

Right-click the speaker icon in the Windows taskbar > Open volume mixer. Discord should appear as a separate app slider here. Make sure it isn’t muted or turned down independently of other apps.

Step 6: Try the browser version

If none of the above works, open Discord in a browser (discord.com) and test a voice channel. If you can hear people there, the issue is specific to the desktop app – a reinstall usually fixes it.

Also worth trying: Discord’s Public Test Build (PTB) – a separate Discord client with newer features, sometimes ahead of bug fixes.

Here’s a video walkthrough covering the output device, volume, and user-specific mute checks:

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The output device mismatch is almost always the answer. Discord defaulting to a device you’re not using – a virtual audio cable, an HDMI audio output on a monitor you’re not using for audio – is a classic gotcha. Going into Voice & Video and selecting the specific device by name rather than Default clears it up immediately.

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the individual user volume setting is one people forget about. had a situation where i couldn’t hear one specific person in a voice call and spent time troubleshooting my whole audio setup before noticing i had accidentally right-clicked their name at some point and dragged their volume to zero. embarrassing but a real thing that happens.

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The Windows volume mixer check is underused. Apps can have their volume independently muted there without you realizing it. Discord showing at full volume in its own settings but at 0% in the Windows mixer means you hear nothing. It’s a two-step volume system that catches people off guard.