In some games, communication is one of the most important tools you need to win, so you will want to know to change mic in CS:GO. If you cannot communicate effectively with your teammates, you cannot coordinate your efforts. And that usually ends poorly, especially against a highly competent team that won’t give you any room for mistakes.
When you communicate with your team, the message must be delivered quickly. Otherwise, when the message is received, it’s already too late to utilize the information.
Some esports will not allow players to communicate using voice chat. But CS:GO certainly gives you that possibility. Without it, the game wouldn’t be the same. However, to communicate in CS:GO, you need a good headset and the ability to use your microphone inside the game.
From time to time, there is a problem that you need to fix to this, and the solution to that problem is presented below.
Steam Settings – How to Fix the Problem
When you want to use a mic in CS:GO, the first thing that you’ll need to do is go to Settings, find the Audio tab, and then customize your audio experience. The Audio Device option allows you to select your output device. The input device needs to be changed from somewhere else, though.
You can use the Enable Voice setting to utilize your voice by pressing a key. Make sure you choose a key that’s easy to press on your keyboard because you will be using it relatively frequently.
Steam Settings – How to Fix the Problem
Fixing the most annoying problem related to the mic in CS:GO requires you to open your Steam Account and go to your friend’s list. You must click on the Settings button and then select the Voice tab. The only remaining thing that you need to do is to modify the Voice Input Device.
Here, you should select the microphone option and then adjust the volume so that you don’t accidentally scream in other people’s ears.
Before you modify anything, the Voice Input Device will probably have the value Default. This indicates that your CS:GO mic problem was coming from here.
After fixing the problem, you can press the Start Microphone test button to do a microphone test. If it doesn’t work, restart the game and Steam itself if needed and then try again. Occasionally, the program will not use the new settings immediately and may require a restart.
After you’ve done all this, when you press the key to talk to people in CS:GO, your teammates should hear you. However, remember that if they’ve muted you, your mic will not appear to be working, even though it works very well.
To further tweak things, you can adjust your audio settings and ensure you use the best. This can be done from inside the game’s main menu.
Other Considerations
When you change your default device in CSGO to solve your mic problem, you don’t need to change your game files or Windows audio service. Nor do you need to modify your game’s files from the local files tab, which is now located in Manage and is called “Browse local files“.
None of these things need to be changed to gain microphone access. You need to tweak the audio output from the audio settings tab to ensure that everything runs smoothly in terms of volume and sound quality, but no other changes are needed. Just modify your default device in your Voice Input Device drop-down, and that’s it.
If you want to record your voice or your entire CS:GO session, there’s no recording tab in Steam. But there are all kinds of high-quality programs that you can use for this, such as OBS Studio.
TLDR
From time to time, there is a problem that you need to fix about your microphone, and the solution to that problem is presented below.
- Open your Steam account
- Click on the Friends & Chat icon, located in the bottom right corner of your Steam window
- Click on the settings wheel in the top right corner of your Friends List window. That will open the Friends List Settings window
- Select the Voice tab on the left-side menu in the Friends List Settings window.
- After clicking on Voice, you will see some drop-down menus with settings for the Voice Input Device and Voice Output Device. Your microphone is set from the Voice Input Device.
What is the best CS:GO audio output configuration?
The best audio output configuration in CS:GO (Counter-Strike: Global Offensive) highly depends on the type of audio equipment you are using and your personal preferences. Here are some general tips:
- Audio Device: In the audio settings of CS:GO, you should select the audio device that you are using. If you’re using speakers, select ‘Speakers’, if you’re using headphones, select ‘Headphones’. The game uses different audio processing for speakers and headphones, so choosing the right setting is important.
- Audio Output Configuration: This is where your personal preference comes into play. Several options are available – Stereo Headphones, 5.1 Speakers, 4 Speakers, 2 Speakers, etc. If you’re using standard stereo headphones or speakers set, then ‘Stereo Headphones’ or ‘2 Speakers’ would be the best option. If you have a surround sound system, then select the option that matches your system.
- Volume: This should be set according to your preference. However, make sure it is loud enough that you can hear footsteps and other in-game sounds clearly, but not so loud that it could cause hearing damage.
- Advanced 3D Audio Processing: As of my knowledge cut-off in September 2021, this option should generally be enabled. It improves the spatial recognition of sounds in the game, allowing you to better pinpoint the direction of footsteps, gunfire, etc.
- External Software: Avoid using external software that modifies the sound output, as it can interfere with the game’s sound processing.
- Operating System Settings: Make sure your operating system is also configured correctly. For example, in Windows, you should match the configuration in the Sound settings with your actual setup.
CS:GO Mic Settings
Remember that the best settings can vary from person to person, and it can take some time and experimentation to determine what works best for you. It can also be beneficial to watch professional players or streamers and see their settings.
With over 20,000 hours myself playing CSGO, I usually stick with 0.1 in output, but this completely depends on your Windows settings and mic quality.
TIP: Experiment with a friend until they tell you it’s a good volume for your output.
Frequently Asked Questions
The issue might be with your microphone settings in Steam. You need to open your Steam account, go to your friends list, click on the Settings button, and then select the Voice tab. Here, you should select the microphone option and adjust the volume. Also, remember that if your teammates have muted you, your mic will appear not to be working, even though it’s working properly.
In the game settings, find the Audio tab, and look for the ‘Enable Voice’ setting. This allows you to utilize your voice by pressing a key. Make sure you choose a key that’s easy to press on your keyboard, as you’ll be using it often.
There’s a big chance the issue is within your Steam settings, not the game itself. You need to adjust the Voice Input Device in the Steam settings to ensure it matches the microphone you want to use.
You don’t need to modify your game files or Windows audio service to fix the mic problem. The issue can usually be fixed by adjusting your Steam settings.
There’s no recording tab in Steam. However, there are various high-quality programs that you can use for this, such as OBS Studio.
