Google Meet One-Way Audio Issue: You Can Be Heard but Cannot Hear the Other Participant (Chrome) – Bison Knowledgebase

Google Meet One-Way Audio Issue: You Can Be Heard but Cannot Hear the Other Participant (Chrome)

📅 09 Jan 2026 📂 General 👁 14 views

This Knowledge Base article explains how to diagnose and resolve one-way audio issues in Google Meet when:

Your microphone and speakers are working
The other participant can hear you
You cannot hear the other participant
The affected user is using Google Chrome

This scenario typically indicates a speaker/output or permission issue on the other participant’s laptop, not a network or microphone fault.

Technical Explanation

In Google Meet, audio is handled through three independent layers:

Browser layer (Chrome)
- Site permissions
- Per-tab audio routing
- Chrome volume mixer
Operating system layer (Windows/macOS)
- Default output device
- Volume mixer and mute state
- Bluetooth / HDMI routing
Hardware layer
- Laptop speakers
- Headphones / Bluetooth headsets
- Faulty or disconnected audio devices

A misconfiguration at any single layer can cause one-way audio, where audio is transmitted but not received.

Use Cases

This article applies to the following situations:

Remote support or client calls
Online meetings or training sessions
Vendor or AMC coordination calls
IT troubleshooting via Google Meet
Calls where:
- Mic test works
- Speaker test fails
- Audio works in other apps but not Meet

Step-by-Step Troubleshooting & Resolution

1️⃣ Verify Google Meet Audio Device Selection (Most Common Cause)

On the affected participant’s laptop:

Join the Google Meet call
Click ⋮ (three dots) → Settings
Open the Audio tab
Verify:
- Microphone → correct device selected
- Speakers → explicitly select:
  - Laptop Speakers
  - Headphones
  - External speakers
    ❌ Avoid using Default if multiple devices exist
Click Test under Speakers
- If no sound plays → wrong output device selected

2️⃣ Check System Volume and Mute State (Windows)

Press Volume Up keys on keyboard
Click Speaker icon in system tray
Ensure:
- System volume is not muted
- Correct output device is shown
Open Volume Mixer
- Ensure Google Chrome volume is not muted

3️⃣ Confirm Operating System Output Device

Windows:

Right-click Speaker icon → Sound settings
Under Output, select:
- Laptop Speakers or Headphones
Click Test
- If test sound fails → OS-level issue

macOS:

System Settings → Sound
Output → Select correct speaker
Increase output volume

4️⃣ Check Chrome Site Permissions for Google Meet

Open the Google Meet tab
Click ? Lock icon in address bar
Verify:
- Sound → Allow
- Microphone → Allow
Reload the page

5️⃣ Disconnect Headphones & Bluetooth Devices

Audio may be routed to an inactive device.

Actions:

Disconnect Bluetooth headset
Unplug wired headphones
Disable HDMI audio output
Restart Chrome
Rejoin the meeting

6️⃣ Validate Audio Outside Google Meet

Ask the user to:

Play a YouTube video
Or play a system sound

Results interpretation:

Result Meaning
No sound anywhere OS / hardware issue
Sound works outside Meet Chrome / Meet configuration issue

Result	Meaning
No sound anywhere	OS / hardware issue
Sound works outside Meet	Chrome / Meet configuration issue

7️⃣ Quick Recovery Procedure

Leave Google Meet
Close all Chrome windows
Reopen Chrome
Join the meeting again
Reconfigure Speaker & Microphone

Commands / Diagnostic Examples (Windows)

Open Sound Settings

ms-settings:sound

Open Volume Mixer


sndvol

Restart Windows Audio Service


net stop audiosrv
net start audiosrv

Common Issues & Fixes

Issue	Root Cause	Fix
Can’t hear participant	Wrong speaker selected	Choose correct output device in Meet
Chrome muted	Volume mixer mute	Unmute Chrome
Audio routed to Bluetooth	Paired inactive headset	Disconnect Bluetooth
Meet only issue	Site permission blocked	Allow sound in Chrome
Random audio failure	Chrome session bug	Restart Chrome

Security Considerations

Ensure microphone and speaker permissions are explicitly allowed
Avoid using unknown browser extensions that modify audio
Use updated Chrome versions to avoid audio bugs
Avoid public/shared systems with enforced audio policies

Best Practices

Always manually select speaker and mic in Google Meet
Avoid using “Default” audio device in multi-device setups
Disconnect unused Bluetooth devices before meetings
Test audio before important calls
Keep Chrome and OS audio drivers updated

Conclusion

One-way audio issues in Google Meet are almost never network-related.
In over 90% of cases, the cause is:

Incorrect speaker selection
Muted Chrome volume
Audio routed to Bluetooth/HDMI
Blocked site permissions

Following this structured troubleshooting approach resolves the issue quickly and reliably.

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