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In VRChat Desktop Mode, hold V to speak when push-to-talk is enabled. If you use toggle talk, press V once to turn your microphone on and again to turn it off. In VR, use the microphone control assigned to your configured controller bindings; there is no single button sequence established for every headset setup.
Activate voice chat in Desktop Mode
- Join VRChat and check that you are not muted.
- With push-to-talk enabled, hold V while speaking. Releasing the key mutes the microphone again.
- With toggle talk enabled, press V to enable your microphone, then press it again when you want to disable it.
- Watch for the microphone indicator as you test. Its position and appearance can vary with settings and client version.
VRChat’s Keyboard and Mouse controls describe V as enabling the microphone while held for push-to-talk, or enabling and disabling it when toggle talk is used.
Choose between push-to-talk and toggle talk
| Option | How it works | Best fit |
|---|---|---|
| Push-to-talk | Hold the assigned control while speaking; release it to mute. | You prefer the microphone to be active only while you deliberately hold a control, and can reach that control comfortably. |
| Toggle talk | Press the assigned control to turn the microphone on; press it again to turn it off. | You prefer not to keep holding a control while speaking and can remember to switch the microphone off when finished. |
VRChat documents the two control behaviors but does not recommend one over the other. Choose the option that suits how you play and how easily you can reach its control.
Find the microphone control in VR
VRChat supports both desktop play and VR control schemes, but the available documentation does not establish one universal microphone-button sequence for every headset and controller binding. Open VRChat’s controls or settings and inspect the voice or microphone binding for your configured controllers. Make sure the microphone is not muted and that the intended input device is selected for VR mode. VRChat’s Controls documentation covers its different play schemes.
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If other people cannot hear you
- Check the mute state and speaking control. For push-to-talk, hold the assigned control while speaking. For toggle talk, make sure voice is switched on.
- Check the selected microphone for your current mode. VRChat documents microphone selection and live audio-device switching in its release notes. Desktop and VR microphone selections can be configured separately, so verify the input for the mode you are using.
- Use the indicator as a clue, not a fixed landmark. The microphone indicator’s placement can depend on settings and client version. A note for the 2026.3.3 Open Beta describes a Desktop option at Main Menu → Settings → Audio & Voice → Mic Icon Position; that beta-specific menu detail is not guaranteed to be present on every live build. See the Open Beta notes.
- Check other input controls if applicable. If you control voice through OSC, VRChat documents
/input/Voice. With Toggle Voice enabled, a transition from 0 to 1 toggles the mute state; with Toggle Voice disabled, the input acts like push-to-mute. See the OSC as Input Controller documentation.
If these checks do not help, check the microphone permissions and hardware controls for your operating system and headset, then verify the current VRChat controls for your platform. The sources above do not cover every OS permission screen, headset microphone switch, or controller binding. A replacement microphone is not required just to activate voice chat; consider different hardware only if your current input is unavailable or unsuitable.
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