This pandemic has really boosted the trend of online meetings. And Zoom is the most used cloud-based video conferencing service for online meetings. However, like any other software, users experience glitches too with Zoom. One frequently reported issue is Zoom’s audio keeps switching automatically between the headset, speakers, and other audio output devices even if you didn’t charge it.
It can be very disruptive and annoying when Zoom keeps switching audio while you’re trying to have a conversation. Things can really get messed up if this audio glitch happens during an online meeting.
Therefore, we have looked into this issue and tried some troubleshooting techniques to find a solution to the audio issue. In this article, we have created this easy-to-read guide to help you understand why it happens and how to fix this audio glitch.
Why is my audio switching from headphones to speakers?
This audio glitch can be a Zoom app issue, or a device level error. We need to run a proper troubleshoot to identify reasons that cause the sudden switch of the Zoom audio device. But, prior to troubleshooting, we must get a clear knowledge of why it happens. So let’s first look into the possible reason behind this Zoom audio error.
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Zoom audio settings
When it comes to Zoom audio issues, you must start by checking its audio settings. Although there aren’t any specific options that will directly change the audio output device, the selection of certain settings can ultimately lead the audio to switch automatically due to random glitches. Therefore you need to look into the audio settings of the Zoom app and select the options conveniently.
If your microphone not working on Zoom meetings, read our article on Zoom Microphone Not Working: Fix Your Mic With This Guide.
Zoom keeps switching audio due to a flawed wire connection
In case your headset has a loose connection, it can frequently get disconnected and reconnected from your computer. What happens is when the headset (or other audio devices) gets disconnected, the computer automatically switches to another device, say speaker. You may reconnect the headset, but due to an unstable connection, the audio will again shift to the speaker. So if the Zoom audio is selected as the system default, the audio will keep switching on the Zoom too.
The flawed connection can be caused by the loose USB or audio port connection, also due to damaged wires.
Audio driver error
This may happen due to computer-related issues. Suppose, you have selected your headphone as the output device. But if there’s an error with the headphone driver, the Zoom app won’t be able to detect the headphone.
Drivers are like adapters for computer hardware devices. Basically, your computer’s operating system (OS) doesn’t know how to communicate with the hardware. Therefore specific software (known as Driver) is designated to specific hardware. Drivers translate the communication of hardware to OS and connect hardware to the computer.
From the discussion, it is understandable that if the headphone drive has some error, both the computer and Zoom app can’t connect the headphone. Therefore the Zoom app will automatically switch to the default audio output device of your computer.
Zoom keeps switching audio because of distortion in Bluetooth connection
If you are using a Bluetooth audio device, a distortion in the connectivity can cause the issue. Just like the wired connection, the audio device will get disconnected if the Bluetooth connectivity gets distorted. Due to pairing issues, unstable connectivity can lead the Zoom app to switch back and forth between devices randomly.
Remote Control mode
If you enable the Remote Control mode, it is possible that a glitch in the remote controlling user can cause the unusual switching of the Zoom audio. In that scenario, you can disable the Remote Control mode. Then ask the user to check his/her PC and run troubleshooting if required.
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The troubleshooting: How to stop Zoom from keep switching audio
Let’s now do the troubleshooting to fix this audio glitch on Zoom. The following approaches may help you to stop the Zoom from switching back and forth between devices.
Fix-1: Adjust Zoom audio settings
Adjust the following settings on your Zoom application and observe the audio performance then.
Step-1: Launch the Zoom app on your PC and open the settings. Then select Audio in the settings option.
Step-2: In Audio settings, choose the Speaker and Microphone. Make sure you change the Speaker and Microphone from “Same as System” to the specific device you want to connect the audio to.
Step-3: Under the Speaker, uncheck the “Use separate audio device to play ringtone simultaneously” option to avoid possible conflict. Also, uncheck the “Automatically join audio by computer when joining a meeting” option.
Adjust Zoom audio settings
Fix-2: Check the wire connection if Zoom keeps switching audio
As discussed earlier, the flawed wire connections also cause this issue. Therefore you need to inspect the wire connection of your audio device.
Step-1: Check along the full length of the wire. Examine the cable if it has any cut, burnt, or damage that could interrupt the connection.
Step-2: Then inspect the ports. Whether it’s an audio port or a USB port, check if the port is damaged or broken.
If you can’t detect any visible damage, there can be internal issues too. Try with a different audio device. If the other device works seamlessly, then the problem lies in the first audio device.
Fix-3: Update and reinstall the audio driver
Outdated drivers can cause glitches. Therefore, to update the Windows audio driver:
Step-1: Press the Window Key + X, then select Device Management. Now expand the “Audio inputs and outputs”. There you will see the list of your audio devices.
Step-2: After that, select and right-click on the audio device you want to connect to Zoom. Click the to Update Driver then go ahead with the further update procedure.
Update and reinstall the audio driver
In case of an audio driver error, you can also try to reinstall the driver. To reinstall the audio driver:
Step-1: To reinstall the driver, first uninstall the driver. Open the Device Management > Audio inputs and outputs.
Step-2: Then select and right-click the audio device you want to connect to Zoom again. This time click the Uninstall to delete the driver.
Step-3: After the uninstallation is done, restart your PC. Once your computer is restarted, the driver will automatically reinstall.
Now test the audio on the Zoom app and see if it’s working properly.
Fix-4: Update the Zoom app
The older version of the Zoom app can have some bugs. Those bugs can cause glitches like audio switching between devices. Therefore you need to install the latest version of the Zoom app. To update the application:
Update the Zoom app
Step-1: Launch the Zoom application, click on your profile picture on the top right corner.
Step-2: In the profile drop-down menu, select Check for Updates. If an update is available, it will appear on the screen. Install that update, then relaunch Zoom.
Lastly
If you follow the procedures described above, this audio glitch must get fixed. We have included every possible way to fix this error in this article. However, if the Zoom keeps switching audio automatically between headphones and speakers you should contact Zoom Support and keep looking for bug-fix news from the developers.
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