My air pods are extremely quiet on Teams and I can barely hear the conversation

Dear @Sally Hillman, 

Good day! Welcome to Microsoft Q&A forum! 

Based on your description, I understand that you’re experiencing very low audio when using AirPods in Microsoft Teams, making it difficult to hear conversations during calls. Despite trying standard troubleshooting steps: such as confirming the correct speaker selection in Teams, adjusting system and AirPods volume, disabling exclusive control in Windows sound settings, verifying the device during meetings, and ensuring Teams and the operating system are up to date, the low audio issue remains unresolved.

I sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused by this issue.

To understand the situation better and provide you with the most suitable support, could you confirm the following information: 

• I could see that your question is in the "For business" forum/tag, but to better support you, may I reconfirm: Are you using a personal account (e.g. @outlook.com, @hotmail.com) or a work/school account (e.g. @company.com, @edu)?
• Does this low volume happen only in Microsoft Teams, or also in other apps like YouTube or Zoom?
• Are you having this issue only on the Teams desktop app or also on Teams for the web version?
• Are the AirPods connected to more than one device at the same time, such as a phone and your computer?
• Did this issue start after a recent Windows or Teams update?
• If you change your AirPods and use other earbuds/devices, does the issue persist?

Your confirmation would be very helpful in ensuring you receive the most suitable support!

If you’re able to share a bit more about your situation, I might be able to suggest some helpful next steps. 

Please understand that our initial response does not always resolve the issue immediately. However, with your help and more detailed information, we can work together to find a solution.

Kindly let me know when there are updates or if you need further assistance. Any updates you’re able to share would be really helpful. I appreciate your time and look forward to hearing how things are going! 

Thank you for your time and patience.

If you have extra questions about this answer, please click "Comment". 

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Try these steps to increase AirPods volume specifically for Teams:

1. In Teams, select Settings and more > Settings > Devices.
   • Under Audio > Audio settings, make sure the correct Speaker (your AirPods) is selected.
   • Select Make a test call and adjust your system and AirPods volume while the test audio plays.
2. Check Windows sound output:
   • From Start, search and open Sound settings.
   • Go to System > Sound.
   • Under Choose where to play sound, select your AirPods.
   • Next to Volume, move the slider up and make sure they’re not muted.
3. Disable exclusive control (if other apps are taking over the headphones):
   • In Sound settings, select Advanced > More sound settings.
   • On the Playback tab, select your AirPods and choose Properties.
   • On the Advanced tab, under Exclusive Mode, clear Allow applications to take exclusive control of this device, then select Apply.
4. If using immersive spaces in Teams and there’s still low or no audio, confirm the correct device is selected in the meeting:
   • In the meeting, select More actions > Audio settings.
   • Under Speaker, verify your AirPods are selected.
5. Make sure Teams and the operating system are fully updated, as recommended for best audio performance.

If the volume is still low only in Teams (but normal in other apps), re-run Make a test call and try switching the Speaker device to another option and back to your AirPods to refresh the audio routing.

References:

• My speaker isn't working in Microsoft Teams
• Manage audio settings in Microsoft Teams meetings
• How to fix app, audio, and GPU issues for immersive spaces