Can't hear people

n9neman

Honorable
Aug 2, 2014
128
0
10,710
When I'm on steam, or skype, or any app i can test my voice on, i can't hear myself. I can't hear ANY one elses voice either, but they can here me. I went to the microphone in my sound devices, and clicked listen, yet I was able to hear myself. I've tried uninstalling the sound driver, and that didnt work. Im not sure what to do. On steam, ive detected devices to make sure that wasnt it, ive disabled and enabled again, i dont know what else to do.
 
Solution
This is a random guess, but I'm guessing that your default playback devices are set up wrong. With your headset (or whatever speakers you want hear voice chat out of) plugged in, go to control panel > sounds. In the Playback tab, set your headset as the default communications device.

Now go to the recording tab. Make sure your headset is set up as the default mic, then open up properties for that device. Go to the Listen tab, and set the Playback through this device drop down to default.

Now go into Steam, or whatever voice chat program you are using and set your chat devices to the default devices. Note: if any of these programs were open when you made your changes in control panel then you may have to restart them to get them to...
This is a random guess, but I'm guessing that your default playback devices are set up wrong. With your headset (or whatever speakers you want hear voice chat out of) plugged in, go to control panel > sounds. In the Playback tab, set your headset as the default communications device.

Now go to the recording tab. Make sure your headset is set up as the default mic, then open up properties for that device. Go to the Listen tab, and set the Playback through this device drop down to default.

Now go into Steam, or whatever voice chat program you are using and set your chat devices to the default devices. Note: if any of these programs were open when you made your changes in control panel then you may have to restart them to get them to notice the changes.
 
Solution


See, thats where it starts to not make any sense. I can hear myself in the listen tab, but once i startup steam, and make sure its also set for steam, I cant hear myself anymore. Same with skype. Listen tab is the only one i can hear myself in.
 


Another weird thing, I can hear people in game. Just not in steam calls or skype calls. And it isnt my friends mic, as I just cant hear anyone at all, unless its in game.
 
Go to your Playback Devices and make sure something else isn't set as the default communication device. Wherever you want to hear people needs to be set as the default communication device. It's indicated by a little green circle with a telephone in it. A default audio device has a check mark in a green circle. They are two different things. You can also make a default audio device do both. In which case there will be no little green phone, just one device with the check.

When in a game, the game itself usually routes other people's audio to your main speakers that are set up. When using chat programs like Steam or Skype, it will use the default Communication Device most of the time.