Audio settings on MS Teams not working but audio drivers all up to date

Question

Hello there

The problem relates to MS Teams - it does not allow me to use my microphone or video during a call.

In the settings of MS Teams, the drop down menu for both Audio Settings and Video Settings are showing as greyed out, i.e. disengaged, so I cannot change the settings.

The audio drivers on my device itself (Samsung Laptop) are all up to date.

I am using Windows 11 Home package and the updates are 'paused' with no option to unpause them so I'm not sure whether this is related to the problem.

This problem is only occurring on MS Teams and no other software.

What shall I do?

Thanks

Nadine

Answer 1

Hi Nadine,

This usually occurs when:

Teams doesn’t have permission to access your camera and microphone in Windows Privacy settings.

Updates are paused, which can prevent Teams from applying required patches or syncing with Windows components.

A policy or app glitch can lock the device settings, especially if Teams is running in restricted mode or has cached incorrect permissions.

 

What you can do is:

Check Windows Privacy Settings

Go to Settings → Privacy & Security → Camera and Microphone.

Make sure “Allow apps to access” is turned ON, and Teams is listed and enabled.

Unpause Windows Updates

Go to Settings → Windows Update.

If the option to unpause is missing, restart your PC and check again.

If still stuck, run Windows Update Troubleshooter Settings → System → Troubleshoot → Other troubleshooters.

Reset Teams Permissions

Sign out of Teams and close the app.

Press Win + R, type %appdata%\Microsoft\Teams, and delete the contents of the folder.

Restart Teams and sign in again this forces Teams to re-request permissions.

Test in Teams Web

Go to Teams Web and join a call.

If audio/video works there, the issue is with the desktop app.

Update or Reinstall Teams

Download the latest version from Microsoft Teams Download.

Reinstalling often fixes greyed-out settings caused by corrupted cache.

 

If the problem persists It may be linked to a Windows component update. Once updates resume, the issue often resolves automatically. If not, contacting Microsoft Support via support.microsoft.com/contactus is the next step. Let me know how it goes, Happy to help!

Answer 2

It sounds like you're experiencing issues with your audio and video settings in Microsoft Teams. Here are some steps you can take to troubleshoot the problem:

1. Check Device Permissions: Ensure that Microsoft Teams has permission to access your microphone and camera. You can check this in the Windows settings under Privacy > Microphone and Camera.
2. Restart Teams: Sometimes, simply restarting the Teams application can resolve temporary glitches. Close Teams completely and then reopen it.
3. Reconnect Your Devices: If you are using external audio or video devices, try unplugging and reconnecting them. This can help reinitialize the connection.
4. Check for Updates: Even though you mentioned your audio drivers are up to date, ensure that your Teams application is also updated to the latest version. You can check for updates within Teams by clicking on your profile picture and selecting Check for updates.
5. Reinstall Teams: If the issue persists, consider uninstalling and then reinstalling Microsoft Teams. This can help resolve any corrupted files or settings.
6. Windows Updates: Since your Windows updates are paused, consider checking if there are any critical updates that need to be installed. Sometimes, system updates can affect application performance.
7. Check for Known Issues: There might be known issues with specific devices or configurations. You can refer to the Microsoft documentation for any updates regarding Teams certified peripherals or common issues.

If none of these steps resolve the issue, you may want to reach out to Microsoft support for further assistance.

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References:

• The microphone or speaker status is Unhealthy
• Known issues when you use Teams certified peripherals