[Solved] Discord Push to Talk not working‍

Discord is a popular VOIP platform used to host niche communities online. The platform enhances your virtual hangout sessions by allowing users to host their own servers, so they are in control of all activities taking place on the server. 

Discord is very unique from other instant messaging platforms as it comes with so many different customization options and app integrations, which enhances the user experience. The app also provides high-quality audio and video communication, all taking place on your main server. 

The app’s performance is always top-notch, but even the best platforms occasionally throw a glitch your way. One such error that many users have encountered is the Discord push-to-talk not working problem.

The Push to Talk feature in Discord helps suppress all the background noises during a group call. The feature really adds to the overall quality of the call, so it’s important you know how to fix this issue.

Hence, in this article, we have written a guide on how to fix the Discord Push to Talk not working error with only a few steps. Follow the instructions carefully to have your Discord calls running as usual.  
 

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. What is the Push to Talk feature on Discord?
2. Why is Discord Push to Talk not working?
3. How to fix “Discord Push to Talk not working”?
1. Update the audio drivers
2. Run as Administrator
3. Check and Reset Voice and Video Settings
4. Check and Reset the Keybind Settings
5. Launch Discord in Safe Boot Mode
6. Uninstall third-party and Newly installed software

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What is the Push to Talk feature on Discord?

 

The Push to Talk feature on Discord, also known as press-to-transmit, helps remove all the background noises by muting the microphones of all members on the call. 

Technically, the Push to Talk feature is a method to have a conversation on half-duplex transmission and reception lines, that uses a button to switch from voice reception mode to voice transmission mode. 

In Push-to-Talk mode, your mic remains mute until you hit a pre-defined key to unmute yourself. You can set any pre-defined key as a default to unmute yourself.

The feature comes in handy while communicating with your teammates on Discord voice channels while playing a game together. Seamless in-game communication during a high-stakes match is the key to winning any game. 

The Push to Talk feature comes in handy here, as it makes sure not all players are talking over each other, suppressing background noise and allowing seamless flow to your communication. 

 

 Why is Discord Push to Talk not working?

 

There can be several reasons why this feature is not working on your Discord application. 

1. The Discord Push to Talk no working problem might occur due to corrupted audio drivers on your computer.
2. The error might also come up because of inconsistent in-app settings, so checking the Voice and Video settings in Discord can help fix the issue. 
3. Incorrect keybind settings can also cause this problem.
4. Another reason could be external factors like your PC settings or third-party applications that could interfere with the proper functioning of the Push to Talk feature.
5. Also, if your game is running in administrator mode you’ll have to run Discord in administrator mode as well, so it can recognize the Push to Talk keys. 

Now that you know the possible reasons why the Discord Push to Talk not working problem might occur, let’s move on to the six possible fixes you can try out to solve this problem.

 

How to fix “Discord Push to Talk not working”?

 

Below we have outlined the six different possible fixes you can try out to fix the Discord Push to Talk not working problem.

 

1. Update the audio drivers

 

As mentioned before, the possible reason why the Push to Talk feature is not working on your Discord server is because of corrupted audio drivers. So, to resolve this, you can try updating the audio drivers and check if the Push to Talk feature is running as usual.

You can either manually update the drivers or turn to automatic assistance to do the work for you. 

To manually update your driver, you’ll have to first research the right drivers to update for your device, as every device’s hardware components are different. You can visit the device manufacturer’s website and choose the right audio drivers that are compatible with the version of Windows running on your computer. 

The manual way can be tedious so you can use software like DriverFix to update the correct drivers for your device. 

1. First, visit the official website of DriverFix to download and install the software.
2. Next, launch the software on your computer. 
3. The app will automatically start detecting the corrupted drivers.
4. Once the detection process is complete, it will show you the drivers with errors. You can select the audio drivers among these to have them updated.
5. The software will automatically replace them with the newest drivers.
6. Once the update is done, restart your computer.

This should most likely fix the Push to Talk not working issue, but if the problem persists try the other fixes in the list. 

 

2. Run as Administrator

 

If the game you're playing is running on admin mode you’ll have to run Discord on admin mode as well. This fix has worked for quite a lot of users and is one of the easiest to implement. Here’s how you can run Discord on administrator mode.

1. Firstly, close Discord completely if you were using it earlier. Check the System tray to make sure the app is not running in the background.
2. Next, locate the Discord shortcut on your desktop and right-click on the icon.
3. Select the “Run as administrator” option in the menu and confirm the action.

Launch the Discord app and check if the problem is fixed. If not, restart your computer and try to run the Discord application in administrator mode again.

 

3. Check and Reset Voice and Video Settings 

 

Next, you can check the in-app settings and reset them to solve the problem. Let's first check the Voice and Video settings. You’ll mainly have to check if the input and output devices selected are correct. Follow these instructions to know-how.

1. Launch the Discord app on your computer.
2. Click on the Settings icon (gear icon).




3. Go to the “Voice and Video” settings option.
4. Check the default input and output devices. 
5. Also, make sure you have selected the Push to Talk option in the Input mode. 




6. Click on the Reset Voice Settings button and check if the Push to Talk feature is working.

By resetting the Voice settings, the input and output device configuration will be set to the default options.

 

4. Check and Reset the Keybind Settings

 

Here you’ll have to make sure that you have not selected the same key for the Push to Talk and Push to Mute options. 

1. Launch the Discord application and go to the settings (gear icon).




2. Click on the “Keybinds” option and make sure you have selected different keys for the Push to Talk and Push to Mute options.




3. You can also remove any Keybind and create a new one for Push to Talk. You can hover your mouse over the keybind and click on the “X” button to cancel that particular keybind.

 

5. Launch Discord in Safe Boot Mode

 

If none of the previous fixes work, you can try to launch Discord in Safe Boot mode to check if external third-party applications are causing the problem. If the Push to Talk feature works in the Safe Boot mode, then the problem is most likely caused by an external app.

1. On your Windows PC, press on the “Windows key + R” to open the Run menu.
2. Here, type “msconfig” and click on OK to open the System Configuration. 




3. Next, click on the “Services” tab and select the “Hide all Microsoft services” checkbox at the bottom. This will make sure that you don't disable any essential services.
4. Next click on the Disable all button.




5. Next, go to the Startup tab and click on the “Open Task Manager” option.




6. Here, disable the Startup enabled apps.




7. Once done, click on the “Apply” button and then OK in the System Configuration window.

Restart your PC to start your computer in Safe Boot mode. Launch Discord and check if the Push to Talk feature is working. If it is working, you’ll need to read the next section to remove the third-party apps that are interfering with the functioning of Discord Push to Talk. 

 

6. Uninstall third-party and Newly installed software

 

To find and uninstall newly installed software follow these instructions.

1. On your Windows computer, press the “Windows Key + R” to open Run.
2. Type “control” to open the control panel.




3. Go to Programs -> Programs and Features.
4. Find any recently installed apps or any third-party audio software.
5. Select the application and click on the Uninstall button.

Once the app is uninstalled, restart your computer and check if the error is fixed.