Skip to main content

Can’t Hear or Poor Audio During Calls

Step-by-step troubleshooting for fixing poor call audio in CloudTalk

V
Written by Valeriia Volobrinskaia

If you’re experiencing poor audio during calls in CloudTalk, such as choppy sound, echo, or delay, this article helps you identify and fix the issue step by step.

User Level: Admin

Symptoms

You may notice one or more of the following:

  • Audio cutting in and out, robotic, or distorted sound

  • Delay or echo during calls

  • The other party cannot hear you, or you cannot hear them (if callers cannot hear you, see When Callers Can't Hear You below)

  • Voice quality is fine on some calls but poor on others

  • Call recordings sound clear, but live audio is bad

Root Cause

These issues are usually caused by one or more of the following:

  • Network instability such as Wi-Fi interference, high latency, or packet loss

  • Device setup, such as a faulty headset, built-in laptop microphone, or Bluetooth delay

  • Browser or app environment, such as unsupported browser, outdated app, or missing permissions

  • VPN or firewall interference blocking voice traffic

  • No Quality of Service (QoS) configuration, so competing data traffic affects voice packets

  • Microphone selection or permission issues, causing one-way audio (see When Callers Can't Hear You below)

  • A temporary service-wide event affecting multiple agents at once (see When the Issue Affects Your Whole Team below)

Quick Checklist

Before diving into full troubleshooting, try these common fixes:

  • Use Google Chrome or the CloudTalk desktop app

  • Switch to a wired Ethernet connection

  • Temporarily disable VPN and test again

  • Use a wired headset instead of Bluetooth

  • Close background apps that consume bandwidth (e.g. video calls, streaming)

Note: When a VPN can actually help

In some countries or with certain internet providers, VoIP traffic may be restricted or blocked.

In these cases, enabling a VPN can temporarily improve call quality by routing traffic through a non-restricted region.

A VPN can also help determine whether the issue is caused by the client’s local network. If calls work normally with a VPN, the problem is likely related to the original network or ISP.

Additional recommended best practices:

  • Use a high-quality Ethernet cable (Cat 5e minimum, Cat 6 recommended).

  • Check that CloudTalk is not blocked by your antivirus or firewall.

  • Make sure ports 80 and 443 to *.cloudtalk.io are open and unfiltered.

Step-by-Step Solution

1. Start with a Test Call

If you’re unsure whether the issue is with CloudTalk itself or with your local setup, you can run a quick self-test in the app.

  1. Go to Profile > Settings > Microphone & Speakers.
    ​

  2. Click Start test call.

  3. Speak into your microphone.

  4. When playback starts, check the audio quality:

    • Clear playback: Your microphone and speakers are working correctly. The issue may be related to your internet connection, firewall, or VPN.

    • Distorted, delayed, or no playback: The problem is likely local. Try changing your microphone/speaker settings, switching headsets, or checking network/system requirements.

  5. You can repeat the test as often as you like.

2. Check Your Headset and Devices

  • Use a wired headset whenever possible (USB or 3.5mm). Wireless devices can introduce lag and instability.

  • Confirm your headset is properly connected and selected in Settings > Microphone & Speakers.

  • Avoid built-in laptop mics/speakers for professional calls.

3. Use the Right Browser or App

  • CloudTalk officially supports Google Chrome and the CloudTalk Phone desktop/mobile apps.

  • Other browsers (Safari, Edge, Firefox) may work but aren’t fully supported.

  • Keep your app and browser versions up to date.

4. Verify Your Network Connection

Voice quality depends heavily on network stability.

  • Use a wired Ethernet connection instead of WiFi where possible.

  • If using WiFi, stay close to the router and avoid interference (walls, other devices).

  • Disconnect unnecessary devices or apps competing for bandwidth (video streaming, large downloads, etc.).

If your device lacks an Ethernet port, use an Ethernet-to-USB or Ethernet-to-Thunderbolt adapter.

5. Disable VPNs and Firewalls That Block Voice

  • VPNs often conflict with real-time voice services. Disable them during calls.

  • If your firewall blocks outbound connections by default, whitelist CloudTalk’s domain and ports. Router firewall settings usually require admin access, ask your IT admin if necessary.

  • Make sure your firewall/antivirus is not blocking CloudTalk traffic.

    • Allow outbound traffic to *.cloudtalk.io on ports 80 and 443.

    • Ask your IT admin to whitelist CloudTalk if needed.

6. Set Up Quality of Service (QoS)

If your office network is shared between voice and heavy data traffic, QoS ensures CloudTalk calls get priority.

  • Configure QoS on your router to prioritize CloudTalk IPs or general VoIP packets.

See our guide: Setting Quality of Service (QoS).

Common Causes of Poor Call Quality

  • Packet loss causes audio gaps, dropped words, or disconnections

  • Jitter causes choppy or scrambled sound

  • Latency causes a noticeable delay between speakers

  • ISP or router misconfiguration can prevent calls from being prioritized

See our detailed guide: Fix Call Quality

When Callers Can't Hear You

If you can hear the caller clearly but they cannot hear you, or your voice fades out after a short time, the most likely cause is a microphone configuration or permissions issue on your device. Follow these steps before escalating.

Step 1: Check your microphone is selected in CloudTalk

  1. Open the CloudTalk app and go to Profile > Settings > Microphone & Speakers.

  2. Make sure the correct microphone is selected in the Microphone dropdown. If you see "Default" or a device you don't recognise, switch to your actual headset or built-in mic.

  3. Click Start test call. Speak into your microphone and listen to the playback:

    • Clear playback: your microphone is working. One-way audio with a working mic is often caused by a firewall or VPN blocking voice traffic in one direction. See Disable VPNs and Firewalls That Block Voice above.

    • No playback or distorted playback: your mic is not being captured correctly. Try selecting a different microphone in the dropdown and repeat the test.

Step 2: Check microphone permissions

In a browser (Chrome/Edge/Firefox):

  1. Click the padlock icon in the address bar while the CloudTalk web phone tab is open.

  2. Make sure Microphone is set to Allow (not "Block" or "Ask").

  3. Reload the page and test again.

On Windows:

  1. Go to Start > Settings > Privacy & Security > Microphone.

  2. Make sure Microphone access is turned on and that your browser or the CloudTalk desktop app is listed and allowed.

On macOS:

  1. Go to System Settings > Privacy & Security > Microphone.

  2. Make sure your browser or the CloudTalk desktop app has the checkbox ticked.

  3. If you just granted permission, restart the app or browser.

Step 3: Check for Bluetooth or device conflicts

  • If you are using a Bluetooth headset, try switching to a wired headset. Bluetooth devices can lose the microphone stream when the audio profile switches during a call.

  • Avoid using the built-in laptop microphone for professional calls. It picks up background noise and can be affected by power-saving settings.

  • If you are on a MacBook, make sure the lid is open. The built-in microphone disables itself when the lid is closed. See Known issue: microphone not working with MacBook lid closed.

Still not resolved?

If the test call sounds clear but live calls still have one-way audio, the issue is likely intermittent and may be related to your network. Contact our Support team and include:

  • The date and time of affected calls

  • Which app surface you use (Desktop app on Windows/Mac, browser, or mobile)

  • Your operating system and app version

  • The result of your test call

When the Called Party Can't Hear You on International Calls

If your device and network check out fine — your test call sounds clear, your microphone is working, and local calls are unaffected — but the person you're calling on a specific international destination still cannot hear you, the issue may be with how your call is being routed by the telephone network between countries.

This type of problem is not something you can fix by changing your headset or network settings. It requires investigation by CloudTalk's support team, who can check the call path and escalate to the relevant carrier if needed.

How to recognise this scenario:

  • The called party cannot hear you, but you can hear them clearly

  • The issue only affects calls to a specific country or region (for example, calls to Germany work fine from some numbers but not others)

  • Local calls or calls to other countries work normally

  • The problem affects multiple calls over several days, not just a one-off

What to do:

  1. Note the Call IDs of the affected calls. You can find these in Analytics > Call History — each call has a unique ID listed in the call details. See Report Call Issues for how to locate them.

  2. Note the destination numbers and dates and times of the affected calls.

  3. Contact our Support team and include:

    • The Call IDs from step 1

    • The destination country and any pattern you've noticed (e.g. "only calls to Dortmund, Germany")

    • Whether the issue affects all agents or just specific users

    • Whether the problem started recently or has been ongoing

CloudTalk's support team will review the call path and, if a carrier routing issue is confirmed, work with the carrier to apply a fix. Routing adjustments on international paths can take a few days to implement.

When the Issue Affects Your Whole Team

If audio problems appear suddenly across multiple agents at once, the cause is usually not any individual device or network. These situations are typically temporary and resolve on their own within minutes.

How to recognize this scenario:

  • Muffled or echo-like audio affects all agents at the same time, not just one person

  • Call recordings sound clear, but live audio during calls is degraded

  • Local troubleshooting (restarting the app, switching headsets, checking your network) doesn’t help

  • The issue started suddenly and affects calls across your whole team

What to do:

  1. Wait a few minutes and check with your agents whether audio quality has improved — these events often resolve quickly.

  2. If it has resolved, no further action is needed. Note the approximate start and end time in case the issue recurs.

  3. If it is still ongoing, contact our Support team and include:

    • The approximate time the issue started

    • A few recent Call IDs from Analytics > Call History. See Report Call Issues for how to locate them

    • A description of the symptom (e.g. “agent audio sounds muffled, caller audio is clear, recordings are fine”)

  4. If the issue recurs regularly, let Support know. Repeated incidents may point to a configuration or routing issue that needs investigation.

Note: If restarting the app appeared to fix the issue once but does not work a second time, the cause is likely not your local setup — report it to Support with the details above.

Still Having Issues?

  • Double-check System & Network Requirements.

  • Try a different headset or device.

  • Contact our Support team with:

    • Call examples (date/time, number dialed)

    • A description of the issue (choppy audio, dropped call, etc.)

    • Your network setup (WiFi vs Ethernet, VPN, router model)

Need help or have a question? Just reach out through our Support portal — we’re here for you.

Related Articles
Did this answer your question?