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Why Can’t I Hear My Friend’s Stream on Discord?

The silence is deafening. You’re eager to catch your friend’s gameplay, a new movie they’re sharing, or just hang out while they code, but all you hear is… nothing. Not being able to hear a friend’s Discord stream is a common, yet frustrating, issue, and the culprit could be lurking in various corners of your settings, connections, or even hardware. The reasons range from simple, easily-fixed volume adjustments to more complex codec incompatibilities and firewall interferences. Let’s dive deep into the potential causes and how to troubleshoot them effectively, so you can banish the silence and get back to enjoying the stream.

The Prime Suspects: A Breakdown of Common Issues

Before we start delving into the troubleshooting steps, it’s important to understand the potential root causes. Here’s a quick rundown of the usual suspects:

Volume Control Issues: Your own Discord volume settings, your friend’s broadcast volume, or even your system’s volume mixer could be the culprit.
Incorrect Audio Output Device: Discord might be sending audio to the wrong speakers or headphones.
Discord Permissions and Server Settings: You may lack the necessary permissions within the Discord server, or the server itself might have muted you.
Outdated Discord Application: An outdated client can have compatibility issues with new features, including streaming.
Driver Problems: Outdated or corrupted audio drivers can cause havoc with audio input and output.
Codec Conflicts: Occasionally, Discord’s audio codecs might clash with your system’s audio settings.
Hardware Issues: Faulty headphones, speakers, or a damaged audio card can prevent you from hearing anything.
Firewall and Antivirus Interference: These security measures can sometimes block Discord’s audio streams.
Operating System Settings: Certain OS configurations, particularly related to sound devices, can interfere with Discord.
Background Applications: Resource-intensive applications can sometimes hog audio resources, hindering Discord’s performance.
Network Connectivity: A poor or unstable internet connection can disrupt the audio stream.
Friend’s Broadcasting Setup: Your friend’s streaming settings, microphone issues, or broadcasting software configuration can affect audio transmission.

Troubleshooting Steps: Restoring the Sound

Now that we know the potential causes, let’s get our hands dirty with troubleshooting. Follow these steps methodically to identify and resolve the issue:

1. The Obvious Checks: Volume and Mute

Let’s start with the basics. First, check your main system volume. Ensure your speakers or headphones are turned on and the volume isn’t muted or set too low. Next, inside Discord, hover over your friend’s name in the voice channel. Look for the volume slider and make sure it’s not muted or turned down. Also, verify that you haven’t accidentally muted the entire server.

2. Dive into Discord’s Audio Settings

Head into Discord’s User Settings (the gear icon at the bottom left). Navigate to Voice & Video. Here’s what to look for:

Input Device: Confirm that the correct microphone is selected. Even though you’re not streaming, an incorrect input device setting can sometimes affect output.
Output Device: This is crucial. Ensure the correct speakers or headphones are selected as your output device. Try switching to a different device and then back to your preferred one.
Output Volume: Adjust the output volume slider here to a comfortable level.
Advanced Settings:
- Attenuation: Check if “Attenuation” is enabled. If so, it automatically reduces the volume of other applications when someone speaks on Discord. Adjust the slider to a lower percentage or disable it completely.
- Advanced Voice Activity: This can sometimes interfere with audio. Try disabling “Automatically determine input sensitivity” and adjusting the input sensitivity manually.
- Use Legacy Audio Subsystem: As a last resort, try enabling this. It might resolve compatibility issues, but can sometimes introduce other problems.
Reset Voice Settings: If nothing else works, click the “Reset Voice Settings” button at the bottom. This will revert all audio settings to their defaults.

3. Examine Windows’ Volume Mixer

Windows’ Volume Mixer allows you to control the volume levels of individual applications. Right-click on the speaker icon in your system tray and select “Open Volume Mixer.” Ensure that Discord’s volume is not muted or set too low. Also, check if any other applications are hogging audio resources.

4. Update Audio Drivers

Outdated or corrupted audio drivers can wreak havoc. To update them:

Right-click on the Windows Start button and select “Device Manager.”
Expand “Sound, video and game controllers.”
Right-click on your audio device (usually your sound card or motherboard audio) and select “Update driver.”
Choose “Search automatically for drivers.”

If Windows can’t find updated drivers, you might need to visit the manufacturer’s website (e.g., Realtek, NVIDIA, AMD) and download the latest drivers manually.

5. Restart Discord and Your Computer

Sometimes, a simple restart is all it takes. Close Discord completely (including the system tray icon) and relaunch it. If that doesn’t work, restart your computer. This can resolve temporary glitches and refresh system processes.

6. Check Discord Permissions and Server Settings

Ensure you have the necessary permissions within the Discord server to hear the stream. The server owner or administrator can adjust your roles and permissions. Also, verify that you haven’t been muted or deafened in the voice channel. Look for muted icons next to your name.

7. Update Discord

An outdated Discord client can cause compatibility issues. Discord usually updates automatically, but you can force an update by closing Discord completely (including the system tray icon) and relaunching it. Alternatively, check for updates in the Discord settings.

8. Check Your Friend’s Broadcasting Setup

Your friend’s streaming settings can also be the problem. Ask them to:

Check their microphone volume and mute status.
Ensure they are broadcasting the correct audio source.
Verify their streaming software is configured correctly.
Restart their streaming software and their computer.

9. Firewall and Antivirus Exceptions

Your firewall or antivirus software might be blocking Discord’s audio streams. Add Discord as an exception to your firewall and antivirus settings. Refer to your firewall and antivirus software’s documentation for instructions on how to do this.

10. Network Connectivity

A poor or unstable internet connection can disrupt the audio stream. Check your internet connection speed and stability. Try restarting your router and modem.

11. Reinstall Discord

If all else fails, try reinstalling Discord. This will ensure that you have a clean installation and eliminate any corrupted files.

12. Hardware Issues

Consider the possibility of hardware failure. Try using a different pair of headphones or speakers. Test your current headphones or speakers with another device to rule out hardware problems.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are some frequently asked questions related to Discord audio streaming problems:

Q: Why is Discord not detecting my microphone?
- A: This can be due to incorrect input device selection in Discord’s settings, outdated audio drivers, or microphone permissions within your operating system. Ensure the correct microphone is selected, update your drivers, and check your OS’s privacy settings for microphone access.
Q: How do I fix Discord audio cutting out?
- A: Audio cutting out can be caused by network connectivity issues, high CPU usage, or Discord’s Quality of Service (QoS) High Packet Priority setting. Check your internet connection, close unnecessary applications, and try disabling QoS High Packet Priority in Discord’s Voice & Video settings.
Q: What does “Attenuation” mean in Discord’s Voice & Video settings?
- A: Attenuation automatically reduces the volume of other applications when someone speaks on Discord. You can adjust the slider to control the amount of volume reduction or disable it completely.
Q: How do I give Discord access to my microphone on Windows 10/11?
- A: Go to Settings > Privacy > Microphone. Ensure that “Allow apps to access your microphone” is turned on and that Discord is listed and enabled.
Q: My friend’s stream is lagging. What can I do?
- A: Lagging streams can be due to your friend’s internet connection, their computer’s performance, or Discord’s server load. Suggest they check their internet speed and close unnecessary applications. You can also try lowering the stream quality settings.
Q: Why is my Discord audio distorted?
- A: Distorted audio can be caused by incorrect audio settings, outdated drivers, or hardware issues. Check your input and output device settings, update your audio drivers, and test your headphones or speakers with another device.
Q: What is “Voice Activity” and how does it affect my audio?
- A: Voice Activity automatically detects when you’re speaking and transmits your audio. You can adjust the input sensitivity or switch to “Push to Talk” mode. Incorrect sensitivity settings can cause your audio to be cut off or transmit unwanted background noise.
Q: How do I disable noise suppression on Discord?
- A: Noise suppression is enabled by default in Discord’s Voice & Video settings. You can disable it to improve audio quality, but it might also transmit more background noise.
Q: Why can’t I hear game audio on my friend’s stream?
- A: This can be due to your friend not broadcasting the game audio source correctly, or a privacy setting on their computer preventing the audio from being shared. Ask them to check their streaming software settings and ensure the game audio is being captured.
Q: What does “Use Legacy Audio Subsystem” do in Discord?
- A: This setting uses an older audio processing method that can sometimes resolve compatibility issues with certain hardware or software configurations. However, it might also introduce other audio problems.
Q: How do I adjust the volume of individual users in Discord?
- A: Hover your mouse over the user’s name in the voice channel and adjust the volume slider that appears.
Q: Can firewall settings affect Discord audio?
- A: Yes. Firewalls can sometimes block Discord’s audio streams. Adding Discord as an exception in your firewall settings can resolve this issue.

By systematically addressing these potential issues, you’ll greatly increase your chances of restoring audio and enjoying your friend’s Discord stream. Remember to be patient and methodical in your troubleshooting, and don’t hesitate to reach out to Discord’s support team for further assistance if needed. Happy streaming!