Why can't my team hear me on Fortnite?

If your team can't hear you in Fortnite, it's typically due to incorrect in-game voice chat settings, issues with your system's audio configuration, or problems with your microphone hardware. Addressing these areas systematically will help you identify and resolve the issue.

Check Your Fortnite Voice Chat Settings

Fortnite has specific settings that control how your voice chat functions. These are often the first place to look when experiencing communication issues.

Voice Chat Privacy Settings

Your in-game voice chat settings dictate who can hear you. Ensure these are configured correctly for team communication:

• Voice Chat: This setting needs to be enabled.
• Voice Chat Method:
  • Friends Only: Only players on your Epic Games friends list can hear you.
  • Friends and Teammates: This is often the ideal setting, allowing both friends and random teammates to hear you.
  • Everybody: Anyone in the game session can hear you.
    To ensure your team hears you, set your Voice Chat method to Friends and Teammates or Everybody.

Push-to-Talk (PTT) Configuration

Push-to-Talk (PTT) requires you to hold a specific key or button to speak. If PTT is enabled and you're not pressing the assigned key, your team won't hear you.

• Enable/Disable PTT: Check if Push-to-Talk is turned on in your Fortnite audio settings. If you prefer to speak freely without holding a button, disable PTT.
• Verify Keybind: If PTT is enabled, make sure you know which key is assigned to it and that you are pressing it when speaking.

Input and Output Device Selection

Fortnite usually defaults to your system's primary audio devices, but sometimes this can be incorrect, especially if you have multiple microphones or headsets connected.

• Voice Chat Input Device: In Fortnite's audio settings, ensure the correct microphone (e.g., your headset mic) is selected as the input device.
• Voice Chat Output Device: While this affects what you hear, it's good practice to ensure the correct output device (your headphones or speakers) is also selected.

Verify Your System Audio Configuration

Even if Fortnite settings seem correct, your operating system (Windows, macOS, PlayStation, Xbox, or Nintendo Switch) also has master audio controls that can override game settings.

Default Microphone Selection

Your computer or console needs to recognize and use the correct microphone as its primary input device.

• For PC (Windows):
  1. Right-click the speaker icon in your system tray (bottom-right corner of your screen).
  2. Select Sound settings or Open Sound settings.
  3. Under the "Input" section, ensure your desired microphone is selected from the "Choose your input device" dropdown.
  4. Speak into your microphone and check the "Test your microphone" bar to see if it registers sound.
• For Consoles: Navigate to your console's system settings (e.g., PlayStation settings > Sound > Microphone) and confirm the correct input device is selected and functioning.

Microphone Privacy Settings

Some operating systems have privacy settings that prevent applications from accessing your microphone.

• For PC (Windows):
  1. Go to Settings > Privacy > Microphone.
  2. Ensure "Allow apps to access your microphone" is turned On.
  3. Scroll down to "Choose which apps can access your microphone" and ensure Fortnite (or Epic Games Launcher) is permitted.

Troubleshoot Microphone Hardware

Physical issues with your microphone or headset can also prevent your team from hearing you.

• Physical Connection: Ensure your microphone or headset is securely plugged into the correct port. If it's a USB device, try a different USB port.
• Mute Button: Many headsets have a physical mute button or a mute switch on the cable. Double-check that your microphone is not accidentally muted.
• Test the Microphone: Test your microphone outside of Fortnite using another application (e.g., Windows Sound Recorder, Discord, a voice recorder app on your console) to confirm it's working properly.
• Drivers and Firmware: Ensure your audio drivers (for PC) or headset firmware are up to date.

Other Potential Solutions

If the above steps don't resolve the issue, consider these additional troubleshooting steps:

• Restart Fortnite: Close and relaunch the game.
• Restart Your Device: A full restart of your PC, console, or Switch can often clear temporary glitches.
• Check for Game Updates: Ensure Fortnite is updated to the latest version.
• Reinstall Fortnite: As a last resort, reinstalling the game can fix corrupted files that might be affecting voice chat.

By systematically going through these checks, you should be able to pinpoint why your team can't hear you and get back to clear communication in Fortnite.