Turning off noise suppression in Microsoft Teams is useful when Teams is removing background sounds that you actually want other people to hear. The basic process is to open Teams Settings, go to Devices, locate Noise suppression, and select Off when that option is available.
After making the change, verify that Teams is using the correct microphone and test your audio before an important call. Remember that disabling suppression can also make unwanted background sounds more noticeable. If your environment is noisy, you may get better results by keeping some level of suppression enabled.
Let’s learn in detail!
Turn Off Noise Suppression in MS Teams
To turn off noise suppression in Microsoft Teams:
- Open Teams and select Settings and more (…) near your profile picture.
- Select Settings, then open Devices.
- Find the Noise suppression option under the audio or microphone settings.
- Change Noise suppression to Off or select the lowest available suppression setting.
- Test your microphone to make sure Teams is now transmitting the sound you want.
Now, It’s time to learn everything in detail!
Step 1: Open Microsoft Teams Settings
Start by opening the Microsoft Teams desktop app on your Windows computer. Give Teams a moment to finish loading, especially if you have just started your computer or signed into your Microsoft account.
Once Teams is open, look toward the top-right corner of the window. You should see your profile picture, initials, or account icon. Near this area, look for the Settings and more (…) button. Select it to open the Teams menu.
From this menu, select Settings. This takes you to the main Teams configuration area, where you can manage options for your account, notifications, privacy, devices, and other features.
If you are using a different version of Teams and the menus look slightly different, do not worry. Microsoft periodically changes the Teams interface, but the Settings area is still the place to look for microphone and audio controls.
Step 2: Open the Devices Settings
After opening Settings, look through the categories on the left side of the window. Select Devices.
The Devices section controls the hardware Teams uses for meetings and calls. This includes your microphone, speaker, and camera.
Under the audio section, check which microphone Teams has selected. If you have several devices connected, such as a laptop microphone, USB microphone, headset, or webcam microphone, make sure you are adjusting the settings for the microphone you actually use.
Step 3: Find the Noise Suppression Setting
Once you are in Devices, look for the section containing your microphone and audio processing options. Depending on your Teams version, you may see an option labeled Noise suppression.
Noise suppression determines how aggressively Teams attempts to remove unwanted sounds from your microphone feed.
The available choices can vary. You may see an Off option along with one or more levels designed to reduce background noise. Some versions of Teams may present the choices differently, so focus on finding the setting specifically related to noise suppression.
If you cannot immediately see the option, scroll through the Devices page and look carefully around the microphone settings. You can also check the audio settings available when you are preparing to join a meeting.
Step 4: Set Noise Suppression to Off
When you find Noise suppression, select Off.
This is the main change that disables Teams’ noise suppression for your microphone. With the setting turned off, Teams should apply less processing intended to remove background sounds.
After changing the option, give yourself a moment to check the microphone behavior. If you are currently in a meeting, you can speak normally and ask another participant whether your voice sounds different.
If you regularly switch between quiet work calls and situations where you need natural audio, remember that you can return to this setting later and choose a different suppression level.
Select the Correct Microphone
Before testing the result, verify that Teams is using the microphone you intend to use.
In Settings > Devices, locate the microphone selection area. If multiple microphones are available, select the correct device from the available choices.
For example, if you have connected a USB headset, you may want to select its microphone instead of your computer’s internal microphone. If you are using an external studio microphone, make sure Teams recognizes and selects that device.
This is especially important when troubleshooting. A microphone that sounds muffled or unusually quiet may not have a noise suppression problem at all. The issue could be that Teams is using a different microphone.
Test Your Microphone
After turning off noise suppression, test your microphone before an important meeting.
You can use the microphone testing option available in Teams’ device settings when it is provided in your version of the app. Speak at your normal volume and listen to the resulting audio if Teams provides a test or preview.
Pay attention to whether your voice sounds natural and clear. Also check whether background sounds that you intentionally want to transmit are now being picked up.
For the most useful test, speak from your normal position instead of holding the microphone directly in front of your mouth. Your actual meeting setup will give you a better idea of how your audio will sound to other people.
Adjust the Settings Before a Meeting
You can also manage your microphone settings before joining a Teams meeting.
When you select a meeting and reach the pre-join screen, check the available audio and device settings. Depending on your Teams version, you may be able to access microphone options from this screen.
This can be useful when you only want noise suppression disabled for a particular meeting. For example, you might normally keep suppression enabled for everyday work calls but turn it off when you need participants to hear music, instruments, demonstrations, or other environmental audio.
Taking a few seconds to check your settings before joining can prevent an awkward situation where participants cannot hear the sound you intended to share.
Check Your Meeting Audio Settings
If you are already inside a Teams meeting, open the meeting controls and look for More actions (…) or the device and audio settings available in your version of Teams.
Open the relevant Audio settings or Device settings area and check your microphone configuration.
The available controls can differ depending on whether you are using the Teams desktop app, web version, organization-managed settings, or a particular meeting configuration. If you do not see the noise suppression control during the meeting, use the main Teams Settings > Devices area instead.
Consider Your Environment
Once noise suppression is disabled, your physical surroundings become more important.
If you are in a quiet room, you may notice little difference other than your voice sounding more natural. In a noisy environment, however, participants may hear fans, air conditioners, typing, traffic, conversations, or other background sounds more clearly.
Try to position your microphone appropriately and reduce unwanted noise where possible. A good microphone position can often improve call quality more than repeatedly changing software settings.
If you need to transmit natural audio, turning off noise suppression makes sense. If your priority is keeping a busy environment quiet for other participants, using a suppression setting may be the better option.
Faqs
Can I turn off noise suppression in Microsoft Teams?
Yes. In supported Teams versions, you can open Settings, go to Devices, find Noise suppression, and select Off. The exact location or available choices may vary depending on your Teams version.
Why would I turn off noise suppression?
You may want to disable it when Teams is removing sounds that you actually want people to hear. This can include music, instruments, demonstrations, presentations, or natural environmental audio.
Will turning off noise suppression make my voice louder?
Not necessarily. Noise suppression primarily controls background-noise processing. It does not automatically increase your microphone’s volume. If your voice is too quiet, check the selected microphone, microphone position, and your computer’s audio settings.
Why does my Teams microphone still sound filtered?
If your microphone still sounds processed after disabling noise suppression, another audio-processing feature or your microphone hardware may be affecting the sound. Check your microphone settings, headset software, Windows audio settings, and any audio effects provided by the microphone manufacturer.
Can I turn noise suppression back on?
Yes. Return to the same Noise suppression setting and choose an available suppression level. This is useful if you move from a quiet environment to a noisy one.
Does turning off noise suppression affect everyone in the meeting?
No. The setting affects the audio processing applied to your microphone. Other participants control their own microphone and audio settings.
Why can’t I find the noise suppression option?
Teams interfaces can differ by version, platform, account configuration, and organization settings. If you cannot find the option, check the microphone controls in Settings > Devices and the audio controls available before or during a meeting.
Should I keep noise suppression off all the time?
Not necessarily. If you work in a quiet room and need natural audio, keeping it off can work well. If you frequently join calls from noisy locations, using an appropriate suppression level may provide a better experience for everyone.