Static and hiss
You hear
A steady hiss or static sits under your voice and stays when you stop talking.
A steady hiss is usually gain set too high or electrical noise reaching the mic. Static that comes and goes is often the network.
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 | A fan, air conditioner or computer fan makes a steady rush that sounds like hiss on a call | Turn the fan off for the call, or move the mic away from it and closer to your mouth fan off |
| 02 · Mic | The mic's gain or boost is set high, so the mic's own hiss is lifted along with your voice | Turn the gain or boost down and move the mic to 5–10 cm from your mouth, so your voice needs less gain lower gain |
| 03 · Mic | A USB mic or interface picks up electrical noise from a laptop charger, a USB hub or a worn cable | Unplug the charger for a test call, plug the mic straight into the computer instead of a hub, and try another cable charger out |
| 04 · System | Audio enhancements in Windows add distortion or crackle on some devices | In the Sound Control Panel, open the Recording tab, then your mic's Properties, and turn off its enhancements enhancements off |
| 05 · App | Noise suppression is off, so the app passes steady noise straight through | Turn suppression on. Teams on iPhone has a Low level for steady noise like a fan; in Zoom, use Auto or Medium suppression on |
| 06 · Network | Jitter or lost packets on the connection make static and dropouts that are not in your mic at all | Use a wired connection or 5 GHz Wi-Fi, and pause big downloads for the call wired |
By app
- Microsoft Teams
- In the Teams iPhone app, the Low level suppresses persistent background noise such as a computer fan or air conditioner. Microsoft also says calls that have static and cut out can be caused by jitter or packet loss on the network.
- Zoom
- Zoom's Low level blocks only low levels of persistent background noise, and Medium targets fans and tapping sounds. Auto, the default, applies moderate reduction only when it is needed.
- Steam voice chat
- Valve says that if others hear white noise or background sound, raise the voice transmission threshold to High. If your words then get cut off, lower it again.
- Discord
- For Windows, Discord's troubleshooting guide suggests turning off optional microphone enhancements: Sound Control Panel → Recording → your mic → Properties.
Check it with the test
Stay quiet through the first step. Hiss shows as a noise floor well above −60 dBFS (decibels below the loudest level a sample can hold) and a spectrum that is lifted across the whole range. Unplug the laptop charger and run the test again: if the floor drops, the charger was adding it.
Run the noise test →Questions
Q.01Is the hiss in my mic or in the call?
Run the noise test. It reads your mic before anything is sent, so if the test is quiet but people still hear static, it is added later, often by jitter or packet loss on the connection.
Q.02Will turning the gain down make me too quiet?
Not if you move closer at the same time. RØDE suggests about 5 to 10 cm from your mouth, which lets you lower the gain and still sound clear.
Q.03Why does the hiss stop when my laptop runs on battery?
Laptop chargers can put electrical noise into USB audio devices. RØDE and Focusrite both suggest unplugging the charger to test, and Focusrite recommends a power supply made or approved by the computer's maker.
Q.04Can noise suppression remove hiss?
Usually, because hiss is steady. Teams describes its Low level for persistent noise like a fan, and Zoom's Medium level targets fans. It has less to do if the hiss is quiet to begin with.
Related problems
Checked against
Vendor help pages and manufacturer guides, last checked :
- support.microsoft.com · Reduce Background Noise in Microsoft Teams Meetings
- learn.microsoft.com · Prepare Your Organization's Network for Teams
- support.zoom.com · Setting Up Professional Audio for Zoom Meetings
- help.steampowered.com · Voice Chat Connection and Quality Issues
- support.discord.com · Discord Voice and Video Troubleshooting Guide
- support.microsoft.com · Fix Distorted or Crackling Audio in Windows
- support.microsoft.com · Fix Microphone Problems
- help.rode.com · Why Does My Microphone Pick Up Background Noise and Keyboard Clicks?
- help.rode.com · Techniques for Gaining Stage Your Microphone During Recording
- help.rode.com · USB Microphone Noise Troubleshooting
- support.focusrite.com · Why Is There Unwanted Hum/Noise in My Monitors?
- support.google.com · Troubleshoot Video & Audio Quality in a Meeting