Valorant Voice Chat Not Working? Fixes That Work

If your Valorant voice chat is not working, the fix is usually a quick check of your in-game audio settings, Windows microphone privacy permissions, or the Riot Vanguard driver. This guide walks through the most common causes and the exact steps to get your mic and speakers working again in Valorant.

Why Voice Chat Fails in Valorant

Valorant relies on the Riot Voice Chat system, which is separate from your Windows or console audio settings. When voice chat stops working, it is often because of one of these issues:

In-game settings: Voice chat is disabled or set to the wrong input/output device.
Windows privacy settings: Microphone access is blocked for Valorant or for desktop apps in general.
Riot Vanguard: The anti-cheat driver can interfere with audio drivers or fail to load, causing voice chat to break.
Outdated or conflicting audio drivers: Especially on Windows, driver issues can prevent the mic from being recognized.
Network issues: Voice chat uses a different connection than game data; strict NAT or firewall rules can block it.

Quick Fixes to Try First

Start with these fast checks—they solve most cases:

Restart Valorant and Riot Client: Fully close both and relaunch. This resets the voice chat connection.
Check the in-game voice chat settings: Go to Settings > Audio > Voice Chat. Make sure Voice Chat is set to On and that the correct microphone and speaker devices are selected.
Test with the “Test Mic” button: In the same settings menu, click Test Mic. If you don’t see the input level move, your mic isn’t being picked up by the game.
Set the default communication device in Windows: Right-click the speaker icon in the system tray, select Open Sound settings, then Sound Control Panel. Under the Recording tab, right-click your mic and choose Set as Default Device and Set as Default Communication Device.
Restart your PC: A clean reboot often clears temporary audio glitches.

Windows Microphone Privacy Permissions

Windows 10 and 11 have a privacy setting that can block apps from using the microphone. If Valorant can’t access your mic, you’ll see no input in the game even though other apps work.

Open Settings > Privacy & security > Microphone (Windows 11) or Settings > Privacy > Microphone (Windows 10).
Make sure Microphone access is turned On.
Ensure Let apps access your microphone is On.
Scroll down to the list of apps and confirm Valorant is allowed. If not, toggle it on.

After changing these settings, restart Valorant. If the game was running when you changed permissions, it won’t pick up the change until you relaunch.

Riot Vanguard and Audio Drivers

Riot Vanguard is Valorant’s anti-cheat software. It runs as a kernel-level driver and can occasionally conflict with audio drivers, especially on Windows. If Vanguard fails to start or is blocked by your system, voice chat may not work.

Check Vanguard status: Look for the Vanguard icon in the system tray (near the clock). If it’s missing or red, open the Riot Client and let it update Vanguard.
Restart Vanguard: Right-click the Vanguard icon and select Exit, then launch Valorant again. Vanguard will restart automatically.
Update audio drivers: Outdated or corrupted audio drivers can cause the mic to not be recognized. Go to your device manufacturer’s website (Realtek, NVIDIA, etc.) and download the latest driver for your motherboard or sound card. Avoid third-party driver updater tools.
Reinstall the audio driver: In Device Manager (right-click Start), expand Audio inputs and outputs and Sound, video and game controllers. Right-click your devices and select Uninstall device, then restart your PC. Windows will reinstall the drivers automatically.

In-Game Voice Chat Settings Explained

Valorant’s voice chat settings are found under Settings > Audio > Voice Chat. Here’s what each option does:

Voice Chat: Toggles the entire voice chat system. If off, you won’t hear or transmit.
Input Device: The microphone Valorant uses. It should match your default Windows device.
Output Device: The speakers or headset Valorant uses for voice. If you hear game audio but not teammates, this might be set incorrectly.
Party Voice Activation: Choose between Automatic (voice activated) or Push to Talk. For push to talk, make sure you bind a key in Controls.
Team Voice Activation: Same as above but for the team channel.
Mic Test: Lets you see if the game is receiving your mic input.

A common mistake is having the correct device selected in Windows but the wrong one in Valorant. Always check both.

Network and Firewall Issues

Valorant’s voice chat uses UDP ports and a peer-to-peer connection. If your firewall or router blocks these, you might be able to play but not talk.

Windows Firewall: Go to Control Panel > Windows Defender Firewall > Allow an app or feature through Windows Defender Firewall. Make sure Valorant and Riot Client are allowed for both Private and Public networks. If they are missing, click Allow another app and add them.
Router NAT: Some routers have strict NAT that blocks voice. You can try enabling UPnP in your router settings or forwarding the ports Riot uses (you’ll need to look up the current ports from Riot’s support page).
VPN or proxy: If you use a VPN, try disabling it. Voice chat can fail over VPNs due to latency or blocked ports.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why can I hear my teammates but they can’t hear me?

This usually means your output is fine but your mic isn’t being transmitted. Check the input device in Valorant, test the mic in Windows (right-click the speaker icon > Open Sound settings > Input and speak). If the mic works there but not in Valorant, check the privacy permissions and the in-game input device.

My mic works in Discord but not in Valorant—why?

Discord uses its own audio settings and may not rely on the same permissions. Valorant requires Windows microphone access, so if you disabled it for desktop apps, Discord might still work if it has its own access, but Valorant won’t. Check the Windows privacy settings and allow Valorant.

Does Valorant have push-to-talk?

Yes. In the in-game settings under Controls, you can bind a key for party push-to-talk and team push-to-talk. The default is V for team and U for party, but you can change it.

Why does my voice chat work in one match but not the next?

This can happen if the voice server connection drops or if a teammate has you muted. It can also be caused by a temporary network issue. Try reconnecting to the game or restarting the client. If it persists, check if your router is dropping UDP traffic.

Can I fix voice chat by reinstalling Valorant?

Reinstalling can help if the game files are corrupted, but it’s a last resort. Try the simpler fixes first—settings, permissions, drivers, and firewall. Reinstalling won’t fix a Windows privacy issue or a hardware problem.

Is there a way to test my mic without going into a match?

Yes. In the Valorant settings under Audio > Voice Chat, click Test Mic. You’ll see a level meter move when you speak. You can also use the Windows sound settings to test your mic, but that doesn’t guarantee Valorant will detect it.

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