MS Phone Link calls - the caller hears themselves echoing back

Question

MS Phone Link calls - the caller hears themselves echoing back

Cliff Berman 0

MS Phone Link - People on the other end of a call can hear their own voices echoing when using my computer's speakers and microphone. MS Phone Link is the only app that has this issue - Zoom, Teams, Meet, etc., all work perfectly.

2 answers

Your answer

Answer 1

Hendrix-V 11,590 Microsoft External Staff Moderator

Hi Cliff Berman,

Welcome to the Microsoft Q&A forum.

Thank you for explaining the scenario so clearly. I understand your frustration - especially since Zoom, Teams, and Google Meet work perfectly on the same device setup.

In addition to the workarounds from Q&A Assist, you can try this setting to turn off Microphone Boost:

Go to Sound settings > Recording > Microphone properties > Levels and disable Microphone Boost if it’s enabled.

At the moment, Phone Link relies on the system‑default microphone and speakers and doesn’t provide an in‑app option to select audio devices. Because of that, it can be more sensitive to echo when desktop speakers and microphones are used together, compared to conferencing apps that apply stronger echo cancellation and device controls.

The most reliable workaround for now would be keeping your headset set as the Windows default audio device while using Phone Link.

Let me know if you need further assistance, feel free to ask me by clicking "Add Comment" or "Add Answer" if you cannot add comment so your response will be visible. Thanks for your effort.

Note: Please follow the steps in our documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread.

Cliff Berman 0 Reputation points

2026-02-12T01:42:05.7633333+00:00

Hi Hendrix, Thanks for the reply. Unfortunately, my Yeti Microphone doesn't have a "Microphone Boost" option.
I can't leave my headset set as the Windows default because I won't hear the other alerts when I'm not wearing my headset.

It's been years since Phone Link has relied on Windows Settings. It's time to step up and add the features that Teams and even Skype had: Microphone, Speaker, and Ringer Device settings inside the app, with all the bells and whistles (like noise and echo cancellation).
Hendrix-V 11,590 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-02-12T02:40:52.2066667+00:00

Hi Cliff Berman,

Thank you for sharing the additional details.

I completely understand why keeping a headset as the Windows default isn’t practical, since it can affect alerts and notifications when you’re not wearing it. In the meantime, using a headset only during Phone Link calls remains the most reliable way to avoid the echo, even though it’s not an ideal long‑term solution.

Your feedback around adding in‑app audio device selection and enhanced noise or echo handling is very valuable. Sharing this through through the official Microsoft feedback channels (or press Windows + F to open Feedback Hub app) is the best way to ensure it reaches the right team and helps shape future improvements.

Please note that I can provide suggestions and share any potential workarounds that might help while the issue is still being reviewed. In addition, I don’t have visibility into the internal workflow of Microsoft’s backend teams, so I’m unable to provide a timeline or guarantee when a fix or improvement will be released.

I hope you understand this limitation. I’m in the same position of waiting for updates, and I’ll continue to support you with any new information or alternative solutions I can provide in the meantime.

Answer 2

Q&A Assist

AI generated content. This question contains an answer created with AI from Q&A Assist. Learn more

The echo issue you are experiencing during calls with MS Phone Link can be attributed to acoustic echo, which occurs when the microphone picks up sound from the speakers, creating a loop that results in an echo. This can happen if the volume of the speakers is too high or if the microphone is too sensitive, allowing it to capture the audio output from the speakers.

To mitigate this issue, consider the following solutions:

Use Headphones: This is the fastest solution, as headphones prevent the microphone from picking up sound from the speakers.
Adjust Volume Levels: Lowering the speaker volume and adjusting the microphone sensitivity can help reduce echo.
Microphone Positioning: Ensure that the microphone is positioned away from the speakers to minimize sound pickup.

If these adjustments do not resolve the issue, it may be specific to the MS Phone Link app, as you mentioned that other applications like Zoom, Teams, and Meet do not have this problem.

References:

Cliff Berman 0 Reputation points

2026-02-11T15:47:10.08+00:00

MS Phone Link is the only app that has this issue - Zoom, Teams, Meet, etc., all work perfectly.
Cliff Berman 0 Reputation points

2026-02-11T16:34:16.2+00:00

It would be helpful to be able to assign the Microphone and Speakers used in the Phone Link, rather than relying on the System Default/settings. I could leave it set to my headset rather than my desktop speaker and microphone until you fix the echo back issue.

Share via

MS Phone Link calls - the caller hears themselves echoing back

2 answers

Your answer