When they can see you but not hear you
Work out, in about twenty seconds, why nobody can hear you — and fix it.
Somebody is waving at you and mouthing. You are talking away and nothing is reaching them. This happens on every call ever made, to everybody, including the young.
There are four things it can be, and the order matters, because the first one accounts for nine times out of ten.
Key points
- Spot a line through the microphone and put it right in one press
- Work down the four checks in order instead of guessing
- Give an app permission to use the microphone once, for good
- Tell the difference between them not hearing you and you not hearing them
What to remember
- A line through a symbol always means “this is switched off”. It is the same on every device made.
- Nearest first. The fix is nearly always the button you can already see.
- Apps have to ask before they may use the camera, the microphone or your address book. You can change your mind later, in Settings.
- Out is the microphone. In is the volume. Two different buttons, and confusing them costs a great many minutes.
Try this
Open the video app you use and find the microphone button before you next need it. Press it once, watch the line appear, and press it again. Knowing what it looks like switched off is the whole lesson.
Practice: When they can see you but not hear you. Your first lesson is free, with no account or card; the rest are part of a Lantern plan. Interactive lessons require JavaScript.