Mic picks up everything
You hear
The mic hears the whole house: other people, the TV, the kitchen, the street.
A mic that hears everything is usually far away, turned up high or listening in every direction. Get closer, aim it, then try voice isolation.
Likely causes, in order
Check them top to bottom. The room and the mic come first because no setting can remove what a closer mic or a closed door would.
| 01 · Layer | 02 · Likely cause | 03 · Fix |
|---|---|---|
| 01 · Room | Other people talk, or a TV plays, in the same room | Close the door, or move to a quieter room for the call close the door |
| 02 · Mic | The mic is far away, so the room reaches it almost as loudly as you do | Bring the mic to 5–10 cm from your mouth and lower the gain closer |
| 03 · Mic | An omnidirectional mic, or a multi-pattern mic set to omni, picks up from every side | Use a cardioid mic, or switch a multi-pattern mic to cardioid, and point it at your mouth cardioid |
| 04 · System | High input volume or automatic gain lifts the room between your words | Lower the input volume, and turn off automatic gain if the room swells up in your pauses lower gain |
| 05 · App | Standard noise suppression leaves other people's voices in | Switch to a voice isolation mode: Voice isolation in Teams, Optimize for my voice in Webex, or Voice Isolation on Apple devices voice isolation |
By app
- Microsoft Teams
- Voice isolation suppresses other voices that come through your mic so the meeting hears only you. If you are not using a headset, it needs a voice profile, which takes about 30 seconds to make.
- Webex
- Optimize for my voice removes background noise and background voices. Webex suggests it for an open office or a coffee shop where others are talking.
- Zoom
- Zoom's High suppression level is its most aggressive and can remove background speech from others. Personalized audio isolation builds a voiceprint and is Zoom's suggestion for crowded rooms.
- Google Meet
- Meet's noise cancellation does not remove voices from a TV or people talking near you.
- Discord
- Krisp removes noise that isn't a human voice, so it won't filter out someone talking in your room.
- FaceTime
- Voice Isolation prioritizes your voice and blocks the sounds around you, while Wide Spectrum lets them all in.
Check it with the test
Have someone talk, or play the TV at normal volume, across the room while you stay quiet in the first step. The noise floor is what the call hears in your pauses. Then move the mic closer, aim it at your mouth, lower the gain and compare.
Run the noise test →Questions
Q.01Can any filter remove other people talking?
Some modes aim to: Voice isolation in Teams, Optimize for my voice in Webex, Zoom's High level and Apple's Voice Isolation. Krisp in Discord and Meet's noise cancellation leave voices in.
Q.02Is a cardioid mic enough?
It helps a lot if you point it at your mouth. Shure says a cardioid mic often cuts ambient noise to about a third of what an omnidirectional mic picks up.
Q.03Should I turn the gain down?
Yes, and move closer to make up for it. RØDE suggests a mic 5 to 10 cm from your mouth, which lets you lower the gain and keep your voice on top.
Related problems
Checked against
Vendor help pages and manufacturer guides, last checked :
- shure.com · Microphone Directionality and Polar Pattern Basics
- audio-technica.com · Do You Have Any Tips on Placing Microphones to Get the Best Possible Sound?
- help.rode.com · Why Does My Microphone Pick Up Background Noise and Keyboard Clicks?
- support.microsoft.com · Manage Audio Settings in Microsoft Teams Meetings
- support.microsoft.com · Voice Isolation in Microsoft Teams Calls and Meetings
- help.webex.com · Webex App: Change Your Audio Settings
- help.webex.com · Webex App: Remove Background Noise and Speech in Calls and Meetings
- support.zoom.com · Setting Up Professional Audio for Zoom Meetings
- support.zoom.com · Changing Settings in the Zoom Workplace Desktop and Mobile App
- support.google.com · Filter Out Noise from Your Meeting on Google Meet
- support.discord.com · Krisp FAQ
- support.apple.com · Use Voice Isolation, Wide Spectrum, or Automatic Mic Mode on Your iPhone and iPad