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Use this page when callers can’t hear you, you can’t hear them, or calls start silent on the desktop app or web app. For mobile, see Common issues.

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Quick checklist

1

Check the microphone permission

Mac: System Settings > Privacy & Security > Microphone > make sure Allo (or your browser) is enabled.Windows: Settings > Privacy & security > Microphone > allow apps to access your microphone.Browser: click the icon left of the address bar on web.withallo.com and verify the microphone is allowed. The permission popup may only authorize access once.
2

Check the selected input device

In the Allo app’s audio settings, verify the correct microphone is selected, especially if you use an external or USB microphone. On Mac, also check System Settings > Sound > Input: pick the right device and confirm the input level moves when you speak.
3

Quit and relaunch the app

Fully quit the Allo desktop app and reopen it. This resets the audio session, which fixes most “one-way audio” cases (you hear the caller, they don’t hear you).
4

Close apps that hold the microphone

Zoom, Teams, FaceTime, and recording tools can keep exclusive control of your microphone. Close them and try again.
5

Test with a different device

Try a wired headset or the built-in microphone to isolate a hardware or Bluetooth problem.

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Headset-specific issues

Disconnect and reconnect the headset, then verify it’s selected as the input device in Allo. On Mac, disable “ambient noise reduction” in System Settings > Sound if enabled. If the first words after a silence sound very low, switch to a wired headset for important calls while we improve Bluetooth handling.
Microphone isolation with Jabra models is a known weak spot: callers may hear background noise from open spaces. There’s no reliable fix today. If your environment is noisy, we recommend another headset brand.

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Calls start with no audio (click-to-call)

If calls launched from your CRM (for example HubSpot click-to-call) open the desktop app but start silent:
  1. The Chrome extension is not required: click-to-call works natively as long as the desktop app is installed
  2. Quit and relaunch the desktop app
  3. Check the microphone permission (see checklist above)

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Desktop doesn’t ring, but my phone does

  1. Mac: System Settings > Notifications > Allo > allow notifications
  2. In Allo: Settings > Business Hours > your status is “Open”
  3. Make sure the desktop app is running (not just installed)

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Still stuck?

Contact support with 2 or 3 example calls: date, time, and the number called. Our call quality team analyzes each call’s latency and packet loss and can tell exactly where the audio broke.
If audio cuts or stutters mid-call, the cause is usually the internet connection at that moment: even a brief spike in latency is enough. Test on another network (for example a phone hotspot) to confirm.