Before changing your CS2 voice settings, work out which direction has gone quiet. If teammates hear you but you can’t hear them, start with incoming volume. If they can’t hear you, check the mic and its activation mode. For one noisy player, leave those settings alone and use the scoreboard mute.
A push-to-talk setup gives you direct control over when your microphone transmits. Incoming volume and communication filters are separate controls.
CS2 Voice Commands Quick Reference
Turn on Settings > Game > Enable Developer Console, then press your console key, usually ~. You can enter the commands below without enabling sv_cheats. They change your own controls, not who the server permits to hear a call.
| What you want | Command to enter | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Turn voice communication on | voice_modenable 1 | Enable the game voice module, including microphone communication. |
| Turn voice communication off | voice_modenable 0 | Disable the voice module; this is broader than silencing other players. |
| Toggle the voice module | voice_modenable_toggle | Switch between the current enabled and disabled states. |
| Speak while holding a key | bind "v" "+voicerecord" | Hold V to transmit; release it to stop. Choose an unused key. |
| Use an open microphone | voice_vox 1 | Let your voice activate the mic instead of holding a key. |
| Return to push-to-talk mode | voice_vox 0 | Disable voice activation; speak using your push-to-talk bind. |
| Switch microphone mode | voice_toggle_open_mic | Toggle between open-mic and push-to-talk behavior. |
| Adjust other players’ volume | snd_voipvolume 0.7 | Reduce incoming voice without disabling your own mic. |
| Silence all incoming voices | snd_voipvolume 0 | Mute received player voice while leaving microphone transmission available. |
| Block enemy communication | cl_mute_enemy_team 1 | Filter communication from opponents, including text and voice. |
| Hear only friends and party | cl_mute_all_but_friends_and_party 2 | Filter out players who aren’t friends or party members, including in competitive modes. |
| Test your microphone | voice_loopback 1 | Hear your own microphone locally; turn off with voice_loopback 0. |
Important distinction: Turning down snd_voipvolume doesn’t turn off your microphone. Disabling voice_modenable does affect the voice system as a whole. voice_vox chooses how the microphone activates. If an old CS:GO config tells you to use voice_enable or voice_scale, don’t substitute those for the CS2 controls.
Commands to Enable or Disable Voice Chat
voice_modenable is the broad on/off switch. That makes it the wrong choice if you only want a loud teammate to stop talking in your ears. To silence everyone you hear while keeping your own calls available, set snd_voipvolume 0 instead.
Enable or disable the voice system
To restore voice after using the global mute control, enter:
voice_modenable 1To switch off the in-game voice module, enter:
voice_modenable 01 is on and 0 is off, covering your microphone as well as received voice. You can put the toggle on F9 with bind "f9" "voice_modenable_toggle". If the mic seems to fail immediately after pressing that key, check the module state before changing your device or permissions.
Mute enemies or restrict communication to friends
To filter the opposing team’s communication, enter cl_mute_enemy_team 1. Use cl_mute_enemy_team 0 to allow it again. This includes enemy text as well as voice and leaves your own team unmuted.
| Command | Value | Effect |
|---|---|---|
cl_mute_enemy_team | 0 / 1 | Allow enemy communication / block enemy communication. |
cl_mute_all_but_friends_and_party | 0 | Do not apply the friends-and-party-only filter. |
cl_mute_all_but_friends_and_party | 1 | Apply the filter in non-competitive modes only. |
cl_mute_all_but_friends_and_party | 2 | Apply the filter in every game mode, including competitive. |
The matching menu options are under Settings > Game > Communication. If party members are audible but unfamiliar teammates aren’t, a friends-and-party value of 2 is worth checking. These are filters on your end; they don’t decide who hears you or make a muted teammate listen.
How to Change Teammate Voice Volume
snd_voipvolume is the listening-side adjustment: 0 to 2, with 1 as the default. Your mic sensitivity, push-to-talk key and game effects stay as they were. Turning this up helps you hear others; it won’t make them hear you more loudly.
Set a comfortable incoming voice level
Start with a moderate setting, then have a teammate speak while you adjust it. For example:
snd_voipvolume 0.7| Console value | Practical use |
|---|---|
snd_voipvolume 0 | Silence incoming player voices without switching off your own microphone. |
snd_voipvolume 0.3 | Very quiet comms when teammates’ microphones are overpowering. |
snd_voipvolume 0.7 | A reduced level that keeps calls audible alongside game audio. |
snd_voipvolume 1 | Return to the default incoming-voice level. |
snd_voipvolume 1.5 | Boost quiet player voices above the default. |
snd_voipvolume 2 | Use the maximum setting exposed by this console variable. |
For an ordinary adjustment, the Other Player Voice Volume slider is in Settings > Audio. Don’t assume its displayed percentage maps directly to the console multiplier, especially above 1. If you boost the console value and later move the slider, the menu may write a different value over it.
If nobody is audible, check for snd_voipvolume 0 or a disabled voice_modenable before increasing the volume. When only one person is too loud, the scoreboard’s individual speaker control avoids lowering everyone else. Keep the final level comfortable enough to hear footsteps and utility alongside calls.
Do not use the old voice_scale recommendation from CS:GO. For CS2, snd_voipvolume is the current incoming-player volume control.
How to Mute and Unmute Players
You don’t need the console to silence one player. Use the speaker control beside their name in the scoreboard. Old instructions for voice_mute, voice_unmute and voice_show_mute will not give you that player-by-player control in CS2.
Mute one player through the scoreboard
- Open the scoreboard during the match.
- Enable the scoreboard cursor if it is not already active. The required mouse or secondary key prompt may vary with your current key bindings.
- Find the player you want to mute.
- Select the speaker icon associated with that player.
- Use the same speaker control again when you want to unmute the player.
The scoreboard lets you choose the player directly. You do not need a slot number, copied Steam identifier or hidden console command.
The group filters are useful when the problem isn’t one person. They apply to categories of players, not a specific scoreboard entry.
Match the mute to the problem. One loud player needs a scoreboard mute. The whole enemy team needs cl_mute_enemy_team 1. To hear only friends and party members, including in competitive modes, use cl_mute_all_but_friends_and_party 2.
Useful CS2 Voice Chat Binds
These binds let you manage voice chat without opening the console during a round. Choose keys that do not conflict with movement, utility, purchases or the scoreboard.
Push-to-Talk Bind
Bind +voicerecord to a comfortable key. A push-to-talk setup transmits while that key is held rather than leaving the microphone open.
bind "v" "+voicerecord"The plus sign matters. Holding the bound key starts +voicerecord; releasing it automatically runs -voicerecord to stop. You don’t need another key for the release.
Toggle All Voice Chat
Use voice_modenable_toggle for an all-voice switch, with one important catch: it stops your microphone too. That may suit an emergency silence key, but not a clutch bind where you still intend to make calls while other voices are muted.
bind "f9" "voice_modenable_toggle"Toggle Open Mic and Push-to-Talk
voice_toggle_open_mic switches between two ways of starting transmission. Open mic listens for input that reaches voice_threshold. Push-to-talk waits for your held key. If the key is wrong, changing the open-mic threshold is the wrong fix.
bind "f8" "voice_toggle_open_mic"CS2 includes an open-mic setting. If your microphone goes quiet when you join a match, check the selected input and transmission mode, then the microphone permissions in your operating system or platform. Make sure your voice is loud enough to reach the activation threshold.
Optional teammate-volume bind
This example puts incoming volume on numpad Plus. Each step changes snd_voipvolume by 0.1 within the 0 to 2 bounds. Your own mic remains available because the bind adjusts received audio, not the voice module.
bind "kp_plus" "incrementvar snd_voipvolume 0 2 0.1"Copy the quotation marks too. The key name goes in one pair, and the command goes in the next. A semicolon separates commands within that second pair; it isn’t needed for a single command.
CS2 Voice Commands Not Working
Before reinstalling anything, narrow down the failure. Is the voice module off, is CS2 receiving the wrong microphone, or does a saved config undo your change at launch? Work through the checks below with a short test after each change.
- Confirm that the voice system is enabled. Start with
voice_modenable 1. A forgotten press ofvoice_modenable_togglecan leave both your microphone and received voices off. - Verify the transmission method. A push-to-talk key must actually be bound to
+voicerecord, not another action. If you selected open mic instead, test that mode rather than expecting the key to behave exactly as it did in push-to-talk. - Check the selected microphone and permissions. The wrong input device is a possible cause of a CS2 microphone problem. Compare the device selected in CS2 and Steam with the one you intend to use, and confirm that the operating system allows microphone access.
- Run a short local loopback test. With
voice_loopback 1, speak and listen for your own voice. Then entervoice_loopback 0; leaving it on means you’ll keep hearing yourself during play. - Check open-mic activation settings. If you’re using open mic, confirm
voice_vox 1and checkvoice_threshold, the decibel level that activates transmission. That threshold doesn’t control a normal held push-to-talk input. - Confirm that incoming volume is not muted. Your teammates may hear you perfectly while
snd_voipvolume 0silences them on your end. Try a value above zero;1is the default. - Hunt for the setting that changes it back. Search your autoexec, copied cfg files, Steam Cloud copy and other actions on the same key for conflicting CS2 console commands. A line loaded at startup can overwrite the value you just set.
Change one thing, then test it. A successful loopback test tells you the local capture and playback work. You still need the correct transmission mode and server channel for teammates to hear you, so don’t mistake local playback for proof that everyone is receiving the call.
Voice Commands vs Radio Commands in CS2
Your live microphone and the game’s preset radio lines are different systems. +voicerecord, voice_vox and voice_toggle_open_mic deal with microphone transmission. snd_voipvolume is the listening side, controlling received player voice.
Radio commands send preset tactical callouts rather than microphone audio. The available CS2 radio commands can communicate a short request or warning without speaking.
Who can hear whom is a server decision. Settings such as sv_alltalk and sv_deadtalk govern communication between teams, living players, dead players and spectators. You cannot change those server rules through a personal bind in an official queue.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between voice_modenable and snd_voipvolume?
voice_modenable 0 switches the voice module off, affecting both your mic and what you hear. snd_voipvolume only adjusts incoming voices. Use the latter if you want quiet teammates but still need to make your own calls.
How do I mute one player in CS2 through the console?
Use the scoreboard rather than legacy mute commands. Open it, enable its cursor if needed and select the speaker icon beside the player. Select that icon again to unmute them.
Can I bind voice chat on and off to one key?
Yes: bind "f9" "voice_modenable_toggle" puts the voice-module switch on F9. Pressing it off also stops your own microphone, so it isn’t the same as turning down teammates while continuing to make calls.
Why does my CS2 voice volume reset after restarting the game?
snd_voipvolume normally stays saved. Check your autoexec, other CFG files, launch script and Steam Cloud copy for a conflicting value. The Audio-menu slider can also overwrite a console adjustment when you move it.
Can the other team hear me when I am playing in Premier or Competitive?
Living opponents do not receive your live team voice under normal official Premier and Competitive rules. The server determines the channels for teams, dead players and spectators. Typing sv_alltalk or sv_deadtalk as an ordinary matchmaking player doesn’t give you authority to change them.
Does open mic work in normal CS2 matchmaking?
CS2 exposes open mic as a regular client setting. Select it with voice_vox 1 or voice_toggle_open_mic, then check whether your input reaches voice_threshold. You still need the correct microphone selected and permission for the game to use it.
Are voice chat commands and binds allowed on FACEIT?
+voicerecord, voice_modenable_toggle and voice_toggle_open_mic are normal CS2 controls, not cheats. They are separate from FACEIT Voice’s own hotkeys. If you use that feature, check its settings too rather than expecting a CS2 bind to change it.
