If you hear yourself echo on a conference call, the problem is almost always at someone else's end: their speaker is playing your voice and their microphone is picking it back up. The usual causes are two devices with audio on in the same room, a laptop or phone on speaker without good echo cancellation, or speakers turned up too loud next to the mic. Find the person whose mic is live when the echo happens, then have them mute, use a headset, or switch to a proper speakerphone or room system.
Who has the problem?
| What you notice | Where the problem is |
|---|---|
| You hear your own voice back | The other end: their speaker leaks into their mic |
| Others hear themselves when you talk... and stop when you mute | Your end |
| Everyone sounds hollow and distant | Reverb in someone's room, not true echo |
| Squealing or howling | Feedback: two devices in the same room |
To find the source fast: ask everyone to mute, then unmute one at a time until the echo returns.
Most common causes and fixes
| Cause | Fix |
|---|---|
| Two people in the same room both joined with audio | Only one device in the room should use audio. Others join with audio off. |
| Laptop on built-in speakers, volume high | Use a headset or lower the volume |
| Phone on speakerphone | Use earbuds or a handset; or use a dedicated speakerphone |
| Wrong audio device selected | Pick the same device for mic and speaker in the app |
| External speakers far from the mic | Use a combined speakerphone so echo cancellation works |
| Room system's AEC disabled or overloaded | Check room DSP settings; keep speakers away from mics |
| Bluetooth headset in "hands-free" mode issues | Reconnect, or use USB |
Teams echo problems
- In Teams, go to Settings > Devices and confirm the speaker and microphone are the same device (your headset or speakerphone).
- Turn on noise suppression (Settings > Devices > Noise suppression, Auto or High).
- If you're in a room with a Teams Room, join on your laptop with audio off, or let Teams detect the room and join with room audio.
- Make a test call (Settings > Devices > Make a test call) to hear what others hear.
Zoom echo problems
- In Zoom, open Settings > Audio, choose the same device for speaker and mic, and test them.
- Leave echo cancellation on its automatic setting.
- In a shared room, choose Leave computer audio on extra laptops.
iPhone conference call echo
- Echo when the iPhone is on speaker usually means it's too loud or too close to a hard surface. Lower the volume, or switch to earbuds.
- Turn off Voice Isolation or try Standard mic mode (Control Center > Mic Mode during a call in supported apps) to see if processing helps or hurts.
- Make sure the iPhone isn't connected to a car or Bluetooth speaker you forgot about.
- If others hear echo from you on cellular calls, try a different network or a headset.
Microsoft Teams Rooms echo cancellation
Teams Rooms systems rely on the room device's built-in acoustic echo cancellation (AEC), and the device should be certified. If remote people hear echo from a Teams Room:
- Check that only one speaker and microphone are selected in the room's device settings.
- Make sure the display's TV speakers aren't playing audio alongside the bar's speakers. Turn TV volume to zero or disable TV audio.
- Keep expansion mics away from the speakers.
- For DSP-based rooms, confirm the AEC reference signal is wired correctly.
- Update the device firmware and Teams Rooms app.
- Treat the room if it's very reflective; reverb makes AEC work harder. See how to reduce room echo.
More in Teams Rooms audio and Teams Rooms troubleshooting.
Hardware that prevents echo
- Headsets are the simplest fix for individuals.
- Speakerphones combine mic and speaker with built-in echo cancellation: the Jabra Speak2 75, Jabra Speak 750 or Poly Sync 60 for small rooms. See best speakerphones.
- Video bars like the Logitech MeetUp 2 handle echo cancellation for the whole room. See best video bars.
For broader room audio, read the conference room audio guide and common video conferencing problems.
Still fighting echo in a meeting room? Tell us what's in the room and we'll suggest a fix.
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