Your microphone cuts out or becomes choppy only when you stream games or share your screen on Discord. This happens because Discord’s voice processing and streaming features compete for system resources or because certain audio settings suppress your mic when system sounds are active. This article explains the root causes and provides clear steps to stop your mic from cutting out during a stream.
Key Takeaways: Fix Discord Mic Cutting Out While Streaming
- Voice Settings > Advanced > Noise Suppression: Disabling Krisp or Standard noise suppression often stops mic cuts during streams.
- Voice Settings > Advanced > Echo Cancellation: Turning off echo cancellation can prevent the mic from being muted when system audio plays.
- Windows Sound Settings > Input Device Properties: Disabling audio enhancements in Windows removes software conflicts that cause mic dropouts.
Why Discord Mic Cuts Out When Streaming
When you stream on Discord, the app processes both your microphone input and the audio from the game or screen you are sharing. Discord’s voice processing features, such as noise suppression, echo cancellation, and automatic gain control, are designed for normal voice chat. During a stream, these features can misinterpret game audio as noise or echo and temporarily suppress or mute your microphone.
Another cause is resource contention. Streaming uses your CPU and GPU heavily. If your system is under load, Discord may deprioritize voice processing, causing audio to stutter or cut out. Additionally, Windows audio enhancements can interfere with Discord’s ability to maintain a stable mic signal when multiple audio streams are active.
The fix involves disabling specific Discord voice processing features that are problematic during streams, adjusting Windows sound settings, and ensuring your system has enough resources for both tasks.
Steps to Stop Discord Mic From Cutting Out During Streams
Follow these steps in order. Test your mic after each step by starting a stream in a private voice channel with a friend or using Discord’s built-in voice test.
Step 1: Disable Noise Suppression in Discord
- Open User Settings
Click the gear icon next to your username at the bottom-left corner of Discord. - Go to Voice & Video
In the left sidebar, select Voice & Video under App Settings. - Scroll to Advanced
Find the Advanced section near the bottom of the Voice & Video page. - Set Noise Suppression to None
Click the dropdown next to Noise Suppression and choose None. If you had Krisp or Standard selected, this prevents Discord from filtering your mic and accidentally cutting it.
Step 2: Turn Off Echo Cancellation
- Stay in Voice & Video Settings
Keep the Voice & Video page open. - Locate Echo Cancellation
In the Advanced section, find the Echo Cancellation toggle. - Toggle Echo Cancellation Off
Click the switch so it turns gray. Echo cancellation can mute your mic when it detects game audio playing through your speakers or headset.
Step 3: Disable Automatic Gain Control
- Find Automatic Gain Control
Still in the Advanced section of Voice & Video settings. - Toggle Automatic Gain Control Off
Click the switch to disable it. This prevents Discord from adjusting your mic volume automatically, which can cause cuts when game audio varies.
Step 4: Disable Windows Audio Enhancements for Your Mic
- Open Windows Sound Settings
Right-click the speaker icon in the system tray and select Sound settings. Or press Windows key + I, then go to System > Sound. - Select Your Input Device
Under Input, click the device name of your microphone. - Open Device Properties
Click Additional device properties on the right side of the window. - Go to the Enhancements Tab
In the Microphone Properties window, click the Enhancements tab. - Check Disable All Enhancements
Check the box labeled Disable all enhancements. Then click Apply and OK. This removes any Windows-level audio processing that conflicts with Discord.
Step 5: Adjust Discord Stream Quality
- Start Your Stream
Join a voice channel and click the Screen Share button (monitor icon) at the bottom-left of the voice channel. - Set Stream Quality to 720p
In the stream setup window, set the resolution to 720p and frame rate to 30 fps. Lower quality reduces CPU load, freeing resources for voice processing. - Click Go Live
Start the stream and test if the mic still cuts out.
Step 6: Reinstall or Update Audio Drivers
- Open Device Manager
Press Windows key + X and select Device Manager. - Expand Sound, Video and Game Controllers
Find your microphone or audio device in the list. - Right-click Your Audio Device
Select Update driver. Choose Search automatically for drivers. If Windows finds none, visit your motherboard or sound card manufacturer’s website for the latest drivers. - Restart Your Computer
After updating, restart and test Discord streaming again.
If Discord Mic Still Cuts Out After the Main Fix
Some issues require additional adjustments beyond the core settings.
Mic Cuts Out Only in Specific Games
Some games use exclusive audio mode, which can block Discord from accessing your mic. Open Windows Sound settings, select your input device, click Additional device properties, go to the Advanced tab, and uncheck Allow applications to take exclusive control of this device. Click Apply and OK.
Mic Works in Voice Chat but Cuts Out When Screen Sharing
This indicates a bandwidth issue. In Discord Voice & Video settings, lower the Voice Processing Quality to Minimal. Also, in the same settings, set the Bitrate to 64 kbps under the Voice Settings section. This reduces the data load on your connection.
Mic Cuts Out When Using Bluetooth Headset
Bluetooth headsets often switch to a low-quality Hands-Free profile when the mic is active. This profile has limited bandwidth. Switch to a wired USB headset or a dedicated microphone for streaming. If you must use Bluetooth, go to Windows Sound settings, select your headset, and disable the Hands-Free Telephony service in device properties.
Discord Voice Settings Comparison: Default vs Streaming-Optimized
| Setting | Default (Causes Mic Cuts) | Streaming-Optimized |
|---|---|---|
| Noise Suppression | Krisp or Standard | None |
| Echo Cancellation | On | Off |
| Automatic Gain Control | On | Off |
| Voice Processing Quality | Automatic or High | Minimal |
| Stream Resolution | 1080p 60fps | 720p 30fps |
Disabling these features in Discord and Windows removes the software conflicts that cause your mic to cut out during streams. After applying these changes, test your mic by starting a stream in a private voice channel. If the issue persists, check your CPU usage with Task Manager while streaming and close background apps that use high CPU. For persistent problems, try a different USB port or a dedicated microphone to rule out hardware interference.