If you’ve ever sat through a Gotomeeting call where the audio cuts in and out, gets echoey, or just plain won’t work, you know how fast a meeting can go off the rails. This guide is for anyone who’s had enough of “Can you hear me now?” and wants to fix audio issues—whether you’re the techie on call or just trying to get your team heard.
Here’s how to zero in on what’s wrong and actually fix it—without the fluff, and without calling IT every five minutes.
1. Pin Down the Problem First
Before you start clicking settings or blaming Gotomeeting, you need to figure out what kind of audio issue you’re dealing with. Here’s what to look for:
- No sound at all: Can’t hear anyone, or no one can hear you.
- Choppy or robotic audio: Sound breaks up, lags, or distorts.
- Echo or feedback: You hear yourself or others looping back.
- Low volume or background noise: Hard to make out what’s being said.
- One person only: Everyone else is fine, but one person can’t hear or be heard.
Pro Tip: Ask a simple yes/no: “Is this happening to everyone, or just me?” That’ll instantly narrow it down.
2. Check Your Hardware First (Don’t Trust Auto-Detect)
There’s a reason every help desk starts with “Is it plugged in?”—because it’s often true. Before you dive into Gotomeeting settings, confirm your hardware is working:
- Mic and headphones plugged in? Unplug and replug. Try a different USB port if you’re on a PC.
- Mute switches: Check the physical mute button on your headset or laptop. Seriously. It gets people all the time.
- Try another device: Plug your headset into your phone or another computer. If it doesn’t work there, your hardware’s probably the issue.
- External speakers or Bluetooth: Bluetooth can introduce lag and dropouts. If you’re using wireless earbuds, try wired headphones instead.
What doesn’t work: Tapping the mute/unmute button in Gotomeeting won’t help if your mic is muted in hardware or your OS.
3. Verify Your Computer’s Sound Settings
Apps like Gotomeeting are picky about input/output settings. The wrong default device can make it seem like your audio’s “broken” when it’s just being sent somewhere else.
On Windows
- Right-click the speaker icon → Open Sound settings.
- Under “Input” and “Output,” make sure the correct devices are chosen.
- Tap your mic—see if the meter moves.
- Click “App volume and device preferences” at the bottom to check if Gotomeeting is set to a weird device.
On Mac
- Go to System Settings > Sound.
- Check “Input” and “Output.”
- Make sure your headphones and mic are selected, not “Internal Speakers” or “MacBook Microphone.”
Pro Tip: Sometimes Windows or Mac will “helpfully” switch devices when you plug in a new headset, but not always. Double-check after every change.
4. Restart Gotomeeting (Yes, Really)
This sounds basic, but Gotomeeting sometimes loses track of new hardware or changes. Quit the app completely (not just closing the window), then restart it.
- On Windows: Right-click in the taskbar, choose “Quit.”
- On Mac: Click Gotomeeting in the menu bar, select “Quit.”
Now, rejoin your meeting and see if things work. Sometimes, a reboot is faster than fiddling with menus for 10 minutes.
5. Select Audio Devices Inside Gotomeeting
Now that your hardware’s sorted, check your settings in Gotomeeting itself.
- Click the Settings or Audio tab before joining (or during) the meeting.
- Under “Microphone” and “Speakers,” pick the exact device you want—don’t leave it on “Default” if you can help it.
- Speak and watch for the input meter to move.
- Try the “Preview” or “Test Audio” function (if available).
What doesn’t work: If you have multiple mics (webcam, laptop, headset), Gotomeeting might pick the wrong one. Always set it manually when you can.
6. Deal with Network Issues (The Silent Killer)
Audio quality can take a nosedive if your internet connection is weak or unstable. Here’s what to check:
- Are you on Wi-Fi? If possible, use a wired connection. Wi-Fi is prone to random dropouts, especially in busy offices or homes.
- Is anyone streaming Netflix or downloading huge files? That can kill your call quality.
- Speed test: Go to speedtest.net and check your upload speed—anything under 1 Mbps can cause trouble.
- VPNs: Some VPNs mess with real-time audio. Try disconnecting if you can.
Pro Tip: If your video is stuttering too, it’s probably your network, not Gotomeeting.
7. Watch Out for Background Apps and OS Updates
- Close other apps like Zoom, Teams, Skype, or music players. They can hog your mic or speakers.
- Check for OS updates: Sometimes, after an update, audio drivers need to be reinstalled.
- Background processes: Virus scans or cloud backup tools can spike CPU and mess with real-time audio. Pause or close them if your computer fan’s running wild.
8. Fix Echo and Feedback (It’s Usually Simple)
Echo is almost always caused by someone’s mic picking up their own speakers.
- If you hear your own voice: Someone else’s speakers are too loud or their mic is open—ask everyone to mute one at a time.
- Use headphones: This fixes 99% of echo issues. Don’t try to use laptop speakers and mic at the same time.
- Mute when not talking: Old-school, but effective.
What doesn’t work: Tinkering with advanced settings won’t help if the hardware setup is wrong.
9. Update Audio Drivers and Gotomeeting
If you’re still stuck:
- Update your audio drivers: Go to your computer/device maker’s website, not just Windows Update.
- Update Gotomeeting: Download the latest version from the official site. Old versions can have compatibility issues with new OS updates.
10. Try the Call-In Option (When All Else Fails)
If your mic or speakers just won’t cooperate, use Gotomeeting’s dial-in feature:
- Click “Phone call” or “Dial in by phone” in the audio options.
- Use your phone to join the audio—sometimes, this is the quickest fix for stubborn setups.
Heads up: You might lose some features (like computer screen sharing with audio), but at least you’ll be heard.
11. Ignore the Myths
You’ll hear a lot of “advanced” tips out there, but most are a waste of time:
- Changing audio codecs: Not possible for end users in Gotomeeting, and wouldn’t fix network issues anyway.
- Turning off your firewall: Don’t. Just make sure Gotomeeting is allowed in your firewall settings.
- Buying a $200 mic: Sure, it’s nice, but for basic calls, any decent USB headset will do.
12. When It’s Not You—Help Others
If you’re the “tech person” on the call and someone else is having trouble:
- Ask them to check their hardware first.
- Suggest they try the dial-in option.
- If it’s a group issue, consider switching to another platform for the day—sometimes the problem is on Gotomeeting’s end.
Keep It Simple and Iterate
Most audio problems in Gotomeeting come down to hardware, basic settings, or a bad connection—not mysterious bugs. Start with the obvious, change one thing at a time, and don’t overthink it. If you’re still stuck, switch to the phone option or another platform—you don’t have to suffer through a broken call.
Above all, keep your setup simple, and you’ll spend less time troubleshooting and more time actually talking.