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Confirm the correct input device in Windows and Steam, join a voice channel, and test push-to-talk before reinstalling anything. Preview builds have also had acknowledged voice distortion, so not every problem has a player-side fix.

Run this checklist in order

  1. Check whether only one channel is affected. Test proximity, unit, and—if your role has access—command voice. A single unavailable channel is different from a dead microphone.
  2. Select the real microphone in Windows. Open Sound settings, choose the device you actually use, and confirm its input meter moves when you speak.
  3. Allow microphone access. In Windows Privacy & security settings, enable microphone access for desktop applications.
  4. Match the device in Steam. Open Steam voice settings and avoid leaving an unplugged webcam or controller microphone as the default input.
  5. Check push-to-talk bindings. Restore the voice bindings if they were changed, then hold the key long enough to see the channel indicator.
  6. Disconnect unused audio devices. VR headsets, monitors, controllers, and virtual mixers can silently become the default device.
  7. Restart the game after changing devices. Some games do not refresh the microphone route correctly while already running.

If you can hear players but they cannot hear you

This usually points to the input device, privacy permission, push-to-talk binding, or input level. Test the microphone in another application. If the same device fails there, fix the operating-system audio path before changing game files.

If voices sound distorted or robotic

The developers acknowledged voice distortion during testing and connected it to ongoing FMOD integration work. That kind of issue cannot be reliably fixed by copying random configuration files. Keep the game and audio drivers current, but expect the authoritative fix to arrive through a game update.

Avoid “guaranteed VOIP fixes.” Do not download unknown DLL files, registry cleaners, or replacement audio packages. They are unnecessary for basic diagnosis and can create security or stability problems.

What to include in a useful bug report

Source note: the official Steam community and developer updates have described preview-build voice distortion and ongoing audio integration work. This page will be rechecked against the launch build.