Why Can’t I Hear Anyone on Discord and How to Fix It

When I first started using Discord, the interface felt overwhelming. Things got confusing fast when my friends invited me to a voice chat for an Among Us session and I couldn’t hear anyone. Everything else on my laptop had sound, but Discord didn’t. I quickly searched why can't I hear anyone on Discord and realized I wasn’t alone. If you’re dealing with the same issue, this guide breaks down what’s causing it and how to fix it fast. I’ll also show you how Toolsmart AI can help make your digital life easier once you're back online.

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Common Causes of No Sound on Discord

Before you start clicking around in panic asking yourself why can't I hear anyone on Discord, take a breath. This usually isn’t some major tech meltdown. Most of the time, it’s a small setting messing things up in the background. I’ve been through it, and it took me way too long to realize it was something as simple as the wrong output device. So let’s break down the most common reasons your sound might be acting up.

Now that you know what might be stopping you from hearing your friends on Discord, let’s go over how to actually fix it.

Method 1: Check Output Device Settings in Discord

One of the first things I learned the hard way was that Discord loves to pick the wrong audio device for no reason at all. You’ll be wearing your headphones, but Discord decides to send sound to your monitor speakers instead. If you’ve ever thought why can't I hear people on Discord, chances are they’re talking. You just can’t hear them because the output device is set wrong.

Here’s how to double-check and fix it:

Step 1: Open Discord on your browser or desktop app and log into your account if you’re not already.

Step 2: Now look at the bottom left corner. You’ll see your name, and right next to it is a little gear icon. That’s your User Settings, click on it.

Step 3: Scroll down until you see the “Voice and Video” option under App Settings and click on it.

Step 4: Under Output Device,select the device you’re using. If you’re on headphones, choose those. If you’re using external speakers, pick that instead.

Step 5: Adjust the Output Volume by sliding it to the right. Sometimes it’s just too low to notice, so it’s worth checking.

Step 6: Click the “Let’s Check” button to test your audio. If you hear the test voice, you’re good to go.

Quick Reminder: Make sure you haven’t accidentally muted or deafened yourself. Look at the mic and headphone icons at the bottom left. If they’re red, tap them to unmute.

Method 2: Fix System-Level Audio Problems

So you’ve checked everything in Discord and it still sounds like your friends ghosted you. If you’re wondering why can't I hear my friend on Discord even though everything inside the app looks fine, the problem might actually be with your system settings. Sometimes your computer just decides to mute things on its own or route the sound somewhere weird. It’s annoying, but it’s fixable.

Here’s how to fix it on Windows:

Step 1: On the bottom right corner of your screen, you’ll see the little sound icon on your taskbar. Right-click on it and select "Sound settings."

Step 2: Under Output, make sure the right device is selected. If you’re wearing headphones but it’s set to something else like your monitor, switch it.

Step 3: Scroll down and click on “App volume and device preferences.” Check that Discord isn’t muted here. It happens more often than you’d think.

Step 4: Try increasing the overall system volume too. Sometimes the app’s fine but your system volume is just too low.

Using a Mac? Open System Preferences, go to Sound, and double-check your output device and volume levels there.

System settings can be sneaky. One small change and suddenly you can’t hear anyone. But once you’ve checked these, you’ll know it’s not your PC holding things back. If it’s still quiet, let’s try one more setting that might be messing things up.

Method 3: Disable “Exclusive Mode”

If nothing’s working and you’re still not hearing anything, there’s a sneaky little setting in Windows that might be messing things up. It’s called Exclusive Mode. Basically, it lets one app take over your sound, which means Discord might not be able to use it properly.

Here’s how to turn that off:

Step 1: On the bottom right corner of your screen, you’ll see the little sound icon on your taskbar. Right-click on it and select "Sound settings."

Step 2: Once you’ve opened Sound Settings, go to the far right where you’ll see “Sound Control Panel,” and click on it (it’ll open a little pop-up window).

Step 3: In that window, select your active playback device (like your headphones or speakers) and click Properties.

Step 4: After opening Properties click on the “Advanced” tab that shows up at the top.

Step 5: After opening the Advanced tab you’ll see two checkboxes under Exclusive Mode. Just uncheck both of them.

Step 6: After everything is done just simply click on Apply, then hit OK and close the window.

It’s a small setting, but turning it off fixes audio issues more often than you’d think.

Method 4: Update Drivers

If your sound’s still acting weird, it could be your drivers. Yep, those little pieces of software that tell your system how to use your hardware. If they’re outdated or corrupted, Discord might just not work right.

Here’s how to update them manually:

Step 1: Press Windows + X on your keyboard and select “Device Manager” from the list.

Step 2: In the Device Manager window, scroll down and open the section called “Sound, video and game controllers.”

Step 3: Right-click your audio device (it’ll probably be called something like “Realtek Audio” or “High Definition Audio”) and click “Update driver.”

Step 4: Choose “Search automatically for drivers” and let your system check if there’s something newer.

Step 5: If it finds one, install it and restart your PC.

If nothing shows up, you can also visit your laptop or motherboard manufacturer’s site to download the latest driver manually. It’s a bit more work, but still doable.

Use Toolsmart AI to Enhance Communication Clarity

Now that you’ve resolved your Discord sound issues, let me tell you a few things I’ve learned just from using Discord more regularly. Once I finally got past all the confusing settings and figured out how to actually use it, I realized how powerful this platform really is. People aren’t just using it to chat with friends anymore. Some are running communities, managing events, or even building income streams off of it.

So if you’re someone who wants to stand out on Discord, connect better with your audience, or just be more efficient when communicating, Toolsmart AI can really help you take things to the next level. Whether you’re replying to messages, writing up announcements, or running a remote team on Discord, this tool has your back.

Here’s what I use the most from Toolsmart AI:

Toolsmart AI is a powerful all in one productivity hub packed with over 50 free tools you can use right in your browser. There’s no need to download anything or create an account. It’s super beginner friendly and works across any device you’re using whether it’s a phone, tablet, or computer. I’ve used it to clean up images, polish documents, tweak my content, and even fix blurry screenshots after a Discord call. Everything loads quickly, the layout is simple, and you don’t get bombarded with ads or confusing menus. It’s honestly one of those tools you bookmark and keep coming back to because it just makes digital stuff easier to manage.

Here are some of the features of Toolsmart AI:

FAQs

1. Why is Discord silent while everything else has sound?

This usually happens when your system audio settings are clashing with Discord. Maybe Discord’s volume is turned down separately, or it’s sending audio to a different device altogether. Just open your volume mixer and make sure Discord is set to the right output. A quick check there often solves the silence.

2. Can outdated drivers cause Discord audio issues?

Yes, and it’s more common than you think. If your audio drivers are old or glitchy, they can mess with how Discord handles sound. Try updating them through Device Manager or your manufacturer’s website. A fresh set of drivers can make all the difference.

3. What if I reinstalled Discord and still can't hear anyone?

If reinstalling didn’t help, don’t stress. Try checking your audio drivers again, turn off exclusive mode in your sound settings, and test Discord on another device just to rule out any hardware or OS issues. It’s all about narrowing down what’s messing things up.

4. How do I fix “No Route” or “RTC Connecting” issues in Discord?

These are usually caused by network hiccups. Restart your router, change the server region in Discord, or disable any VPNs you’ve got running. Also, check if your firewall is blocking Discord by accident. A quick reset or server switch often gets you back on track.

5. How does Toolsmart AI boost productivity?

It’s honestly one of those tools that just makes life easier. You get a bunch of free AI features all in one place like writing help, content editing, image fixing, translating, and more. Whether you’re in school, gaming, running a community, or working remotely, Toolsmart helps you get stuff done faster without bouncing between a bunch of apps.