While playing music or video, the sound is being picked up by my microphone. How do I fix this?
Even if I don't have microphone plugged in, it still happens. I'm using a headset with built-in microphone, by the way. I hope someone can help me with this issue.
Welcome to the forum!
Were going to need some more information before going further. Is this a desktop or a laptop? If it's a laptop, they usually have a built in mic and this might be a cause, but without knowing I can't look further.
Hi and welcome to the forum.
In terminal, enter:
alsamixer
In alsamixer hit F5 to display All sound channels.
If you post a screenshot of that alsamixer display, it will help us with diagnosis.
In alsamixer look for [..Mic] channels. Try muting them one at a time by scrolling across and hit M key to mute. A muted channel with show as "MM".
You could also try changing setting of [Feedback Mode] to see if any effect.
If you find a alsamixer setting that works for you, you can save the setting using:
sudo alsactl store
Here is the screenshot of my alsamixer: https://files.catbox.moe/vqfeqh.png
Currently I have no microphone plugged in, but when I test mic on Discord or OBS Studio, somehow it's receiving input from desktop audio. I tried all the settings in alsamixer and it doesn't fix the issue.
I'm sorry I forgot to mention, but this is a desktop so there shouldn't be a built-in mic.
The annoying thing is that once I use an actual headset with built-in mic, whatever I play on my PC will also be heard by people I'm on call with.
I wanted to emphasize on the speakers only setup first. For example, I only use speakers (no microphone plugged in), when I join a Discord call, people can hear whatever video or music I'm playing on my PC.
I would just like to ask for clarity: You are not saying that there is some kind of microphone (hidden or present when should not be) that is picking up and relaying all sounds to another user in call... But that any audio you play on your desktop is also being piped through to the user on the call, not your ambient room sounds - Correct?
This is an important distinction because a microphone is not needed for the second scenario and suggesting the presence of one can cause a lot of confusion.
If this is not a case of a present microphone picking up and broadcasting ambient room noise, the thread title should be adjusted.
This is correct. A non-existent microphone is picking up sounds from desktop audio only. It doesn't pick up my voice or any ambient room sounds.
I have amended the title to reflect this clarification. It seems this is not a Microphone issue but one of your desktop media being piped through broadcasting.
Welcome to the Forum!
Maybe it is a stupid Question, but: Did You controled if the Headset Mic is turned off or if some Kind of Mirroring is active? I know that some Headsets have Mirror Sound so, that You can hear in the Headset Yourself over the Headset Mic.
My headset is plug-and-play so I'm not sure what you're talking about.
OK so I have had this bug in OBS occur before, but it was a strictly visual bug showing that the microphone was picking up sound from the desktop, when it actually wasn't. Could you just confirm by recording something on your desktop (if you haven't already), but mute the desktop and allow the microphone volume to still play? In my case, this would lead to the microphone preview still showing that it was getting sound through to it, but it actually wasn't. Just wanting to make sure that this isn't that bug through OBS that I've had.
As for the Discord issue, clearly its been tested if other people have confirmed to you that it has been happening. Are these strictly the two things that have been giving you issues (Discord and OBS)? Could you check the audio settings in Discord to make sure that the microphone option is not selecting the desktop audio? Like instead of allowing it to use the "Default" option, force it to use a separate option.
Nope. This also happens with Skype. I tried to record using Sound Recorder and when I play music or video, the sound gets captured.
Could you check the audio settings in Discord to make sure that the microphone option is not selecting the desktop audio?
The default and the other option are the same thing.
As you can see from the image here: https://files.catbox.moe/2kf0sw.png
The front mic is unplugged, but the volume level is moving even though I'm currently using speakers. Same thing happens when I plug my headset.
I see your alsamixer. Also that the issue is not "Microphone" ambient sound source but seems to be feedback of line audio from one channel to another.
Can you go back to your alsamixer and for the output channels that are set 100%, lower the volume (or Mute the channel) one at a time to see if you can find the culprit that way.
Also FYI. You can upload a screenshot to appear within your reply, using the Reply box Upload tool marked here:
Just to add on to this, I know pavucontrol (and possibly others, i can't recall at this time) have a "Monitor" channel that may or may not be enabled that could be causing this issue as well.
I believe in Pavucontrol the monitor setting is towards the bottom somewhere, but i'm currently at work so I can't recall.
Unfortunately, I tried them all already and the issue is still there.
Adding more information:
I just tried a headset with built-in mic that uses USB and I'm not having any problems. The issue seems to only happen with headsets that uses 3.5mm jacks.
Would you be able to describe how you're plugging things in currently and through what ports? Are you going through a dac/amp into your speakers, for example?
Could it be that You maybe plug the Headset in a Jack that is for Mic's?
I must ask for clarity again, because earlier, you said that this occurred when nothing was plugged in:
There is also:
I am not trying to be difficult, but we must narrow this down.
