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If VALORANT voice chat is not working, first run the game’s Loopback Test to see whether VALORANT can use your selected microphone and audio output. If you hear yourself, check that the right chat channel is enabled and that you are holding its push-to-talk key. If the test fails, check your headset, Windows sound settings, and microphone permissions before considering network troubleshooting.
1. Test your selected devices in VALORANT
- Open the gear menu and select Settings > Audio > Voice Chat.
- Choose the microphone you intend to use for input and the headphones or speakers you want for output.
- Enable Loopback Test and speak into your microphone. If you hear your voice, Riot says this group of settings is working; continue to the channel and push-to-talk checks below.
- If you do not hear your voice, continue with the hardware and Windows checks. The failed test points to a problem earlier in the audio chain, such as device selection, mute or volume, the connection, or Windows configuration. It does not by itself identify which one is responsible.
These steps follow Riot’s VALORANT Voice Chat Troubleshooting guide, published May 25, 2026. The guide covers PC-style sound controls; console-specific steps are not established here.
2. Check the voice channel and push-to-talk key
Party voice chat and team voice chat are separate controls. Party chat is for your premade party and can use push-to-talk or automatic voice activation. Team chat is for your team and is push-to-talk only. Both are enabled by default, but push-to-talk is the default mode, so you must hold the key for the channel you want to use.
- Party chat: Riot lists U as the default push-to-talk key.
- Team chat: Riot lists V as the default push-to-talk key.
Check that the channel you need is enabled and hold its assigned key while speaking. If you changed keybinds, use the key shown in your settings rather than assuming the defaults. Riot’s guide states: “Team Voice Chat is push-to-talk (PTT) only; V is the default keybind.”
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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors#1 Best Overall
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If push-to-talk still does not activate
- Close other programs that may be using the microphone.
- Restart VALORANT.
- Check your other voice-communication apps for a duplicate push-to-talk binding and change one of the conflicting keys.
3. Check the microphone, headset, and Windows settings
If the Loopback Test fails, or the game still cannot hear you after the channel checks, determine whether the microphone and audio devices work outside VALORANT.
- Check that the headset and microphone are not muted, and that hardware and computer volume are audible.
- Test the microphone and headphones or speakers in another app. This helps separate a VALORANT-specific problem from a device or Windows problem.
- In Windows sound settings, set the intended microphone as the default recording device. Speak and check that its recording indicator responds.
- Set the headphones or speakers you intend to use as the default playback device, then verify that sound is audible.
- Search Windows for Microphone privacy settings and allow apps to access the microphone. Windows labels and paths may vary by version.
- In the microphone’s Properties > Advanced settings, disable applications’ exclusive control and set the format to 16-bit, 44.1 kHz, as Riot’s guide recommends.
If your microphone or headset also fails in another app after checking mute, volume, and connections, the problem may be with the peripheral rather than VALORANT. Replacing it is only relevant in that case; a new headset will not fix a disabled chat channel, an incorrect push-to-talk key, or denied Windows microphone access.
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4. Treat router settings as a later step
Consider router port forwarding only if Loopback Test works, push-to-talk conflicts have been ruled out, and in-game voice chat still fails. Riot lists port forwarding as a possible troubleshooting step, not a guaranteed fix. Follow its port-forwarding tutorial and VALORANT port list if you choose to try it. If the issue remains, Riot’s troubleshooting guide directs players to submit a support ticket.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Voice recording and privacy notices
Riot’s June 24, 2022 voice-evaluation update described regional notices and opt-outs at that time. Do not assume those historical rollout details apply universally today: check any current in-client notice and Riot’s applicable privacy information for your region.
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