Your Discord microphone is picking up keyboard clicks, fan hums, or room echo instead of just your voice. This happens because Discord’s default voice processing settings are often too permissive or not tuned for your specific mic and environment. Discord includes built-in noise suppression, echo cancellation, and automatic gain control features that can drastically reduce background noise when configured correctly. This article explains exactly which settings to adjust and how to test them so your voice channel sounds clean.
Key Takeaways: Discord Mic Noise Fix
- User Settings > Voice & Video > Noise Suppression: Enables Krisp (AI noise removal) or Standard noise reduction to filter out background sounds.
- User Settings > Voice & Video > Echo Cancellation: Prevents your mic from picking up sound from your speakers, reducing feedback and echo.
- User Settings > Voice & Video > Automatic Gain Control: Adjusts mic sensitivity automatically so quiet speech is heard without amplifying background noise.
Why Discord Mic Picks Up Background Noise
Discord processes audio through a series of filters before sending it to other users. By default, some of these filters are disabled or set to low intensity. The most important filters are noise suppression, echo cancellation, and automatic gain control. When noise suppression is off, Discord transmits the raw audio from your microphone, including all room sounds. Echo cancellation prevents your mic from capturing sound from your speakers, which creates a loop. Automatic gain control boosts quiet audio, but it can also amplify background noise if set too high. The quality and position of your physical microphone also affect how much background noise is picked up. A headset mic close to your mouth captures less room noise than a webcam microphone across the desk.
Noise Suppression Levels
Discord offers three noise suppression options: None, Standard, and Krisp. Standard uses a basic algorithm that reduces constant low-level hums like fans or air conditioners. Krisp is a machine learning system that removes almost all non-speech sounds, including keyboard clicks, dog barks, and traffic. Krisp requires a paid Discord Nitro subscription or is included in some server boosts. If you do not have Nitro, Standard is still effective for steady background noise.
Other Audio Processing Settings
Echo cancellation is essential if you use speakers instead of headphones. Automatic gain control helps if your voice volume varies, but it can make background noise louder if your room is not quiet. Noise reduction in the Advanced section reduces static hiss from some microphones. All these settings work together, so adjusting just one may not fully solve the problem.
Steps to Fix Background Noise in Discord Voice Chat
Follow these steps in order. Test your mic after each step by speaking normally and listening to the playback or asking a friend for feedback.
- Open Voice & Video Settings
Click the gear icon in the bottom-left corner of Discord next to your username. Select Voice & Video from the left menu. - Select the Correct Input Device
Under Input Device, choose your microphone from the dropdown. If you have multiple devices, pick the one you are currently using. Discord does not automatically switch mics when you plug in a new device. - Disable Automatic Gain Control
Scroll down to Audio Subsystem and set Automatic Gain Control to Off. This prevents Discord from boosting background noise when you pause speaking. - Enable Noise Suppression
Under Noise Suppression, choose either Standard or Krisp. Standard works well for constant hums. Krisp removes nearly all background noise but requires Nitro. If you have Nitro, select Krisp for the best result. - Enable Echo Cancellation
Set Echo Cancellation to On. This is critical if you use speakers. If you use headphones, it still helps reduce any mic bleed from your headset. - Enable Noise Reduction
In the Advanced section, toggle Noise Reduction to On. This removes static hiss from lower-quality microphones. - Adjust Input Volume Manually
Speak at your normal volume into the mic. Watch the input volume bar under Input Volume. Adjust the slider so the bar reaches about 75% of the maximum when you speak. This prevents clipping and reduces the chance of Discord amplifying background noise. - Test with Mic Test
Click Let’s Check in the Voice & Video settings. Speak for a few seconds. You will hear a recording of your voice with the current settings. If background noise is still audible, repeat steps 3 through 7 with different combinations.
If You Do Not Have Nitro
Without Nitro, you cannot use Krisp. Set Noise Suppression to Standard. Also lower your microphone sensitivity using the Input Volume slider. A lower input volume reduces the mic’s ability to pick up distant sounds. You can also enable Push to Talk in Voice & Video settings. With Push to Talk, your mic only transmits when you press a key, so background noise is never sent during silence.
If Discord Still Picks Up Background Noise After Settings
Mic Is Physically Too Far From Your Mouth
A microphone placed more than 12 inches away captures much more room sound. Move the mic closer to your mouth, ideally 4 to 8 inches away. For headset mics, adjust the boom arm so the mic sits at the corner of your mouth, not directly in front.
Background Noise Is Too Loud
Discord’s noise suppression cannot remove extremely loud background sounds like a vacuum cleaner or a barking dog right next to you. Mute your mic manually when you are not speaking. Use the mute button on your headset or the mute icon in Discord. You can also set a push-to-talk key in Voice & Video settings under Input Mode.
Another App Is Using Your Mic
Windows allows multiple apps to access the microphone simultaneously. If another app like a game or recording software is also using the mic, it can interfere with Discord’s audio processing. Close unused apps that might access the mic. You can see which apps are using the mic by opening Windows Settings > Privacy & Security > Microphone and checking the list under Let apps access your microphone.
Mic Has Hardware Mute or Gain Control
Some microphones have a physical mute switch or a gain dial. If the gain is set too high, the mic becomes more sensitive and picks up more background noise. Turn the gain dial down to about 50% and test. If your mic has a mute switch, make sure it is not engaged.
Discord Noise Suppression Options: None vs Standard vs Krisp
| Feature | None | Standard | Krisp |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free | Free | Requires Discord Nitro |
| Noise removal type | No filtering | Basic algorithm reduces constant hums | AI removes all non-speech sounds |
| Best for | Quiet rooms with no background noise | Fans, air conditioning, road noise | Keyboard clicks, pets, noisy environments |
| CPU usage | None | Very low | Moderate |
| Voice quality impact | None | Minimal | Very high clarity |
You can now configure Discord’s voice settings to suppress background noise effectively. Start by setting Noise Suppression to Standard or Krisp, disable Automatic Gain Control, and enable Echo Cancellation. For the best results, use a headset microphone positioned close to your mouth and manually adjust the Input Volume slider. If you have Discord Nitro, Krisp will remove almost all background noise automatically.