Teams or video calls have bad audio and video
Call quality problems are usually wireless, a wrong device selected, or bandwidth being used elsewhere. These checks take a minute each and fix the majority of cases.
Step-by-step troubleshooting
- 1
Check the selected microphone, speaker and camera
In Teams, open Settings, then Devices, and make a test call. A headset that is connected but not selected is the single most common cause.
- 2
Unplug and replug the headset
Reseat the USB or dock connection, avoid unpowered hubs, and try a different port. Bluetooth headsets should be re-paired if audio is choppy.
- 3
Get off congested Wi-Fi
Plug into a cable if you can. If not, move closer to the access point, stay out of lift wells and kitchens, and avoid sitting between the access point and a concrete wall.
- 4
Close what else is running
Quit other video apps, pause large uploads and cloud syncs, and close unused browser tabs. Check nothing is downloading updates in the background.
- 5
Restart Teams properly
Quit from the system tray rather than closing the window, then reopen. If it persists, restart the computer and test again.
- 6
Note who was affected and when
Record the meeting time, whether it was your audio or theirs, and whether it was one call or every call. Teams keeps call analytics we can review with those details.
Contact us straight away if…
- Every call is poor for everyone at the site.
- Desk phones or the phone system are affected as well as Teams.
- Calls drop out completely mid-conversation.
Include this in your ticket
- The date, time and participants of a bad call
- Whether you were on cable or Wi-Fi
- The headset or device model
- Whether the problem is your audio, their audio, or video
Still stuck? We'll take it from here
Log a ticket with what you already tried and our Australian help desk will pick it up. Anything urgent, phone 1300 904 635.
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