Jumping into Fortnite with your friends for some squad play? Ready to coordinate over voice chat but just hear dead silence? Fortnite voice chat suddenly not working can severely impact your experience. But don’t abandon your squad just yet - we’ll explore top fixes to get Fortnite voice chat functioning again.
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How to Fix Fortnite Voice Chat Not Working
Here is an overview of how to fix Fortnite Voice Chat:
- Verify Fortnite Voice Chat Settings: Before pulling out the system restart Bazooka, first confirm basic Fortnite voice chat settings. Open the Audio section under the game’s Settings menu. Check that the voice chat toggle is enabled, push-to-talk keys set correctly if on PC, and default input/output devices match your headset or mic setup. Setting the input device to default can solve issues like Fortnite picking up built-in laptop mics rather than your high-end external USB mic. Headset-wearing console gamers should select their plugged-in headset for both voice chat input and output devices.
- Power Cycle Your Devices to Refresh Fortnite Voice Chat: If the basics check out but Fortnite Voice still won’t work, give your equipment an old-fashioned power-cycle refresh. Completely force quit the Fortnite application, either via task manager on PC or by highlighting the game icon and pressing Options to Close Application on PS and Xbox. Then reboot your gaming device or platform itself: power down and restart your PC, console, or mobile device. For network connectivity issues, also unplug and then reconnect modems, routers, and switches to reboot your home network equipment. This full restart sequence often clears any gremlins causing Fortnite voice chat failure.
- Update Fortnite, Audio Drivers, and Firmware: Other culprits for broken Fortnite voice capabilities are outdated drivers, firmware, and the Fortnite client itself. Ensure audio drivers are updated to the latest OEM versions on the PC via Device Manager. Console users should trigger their platform’s system update to catch any patches. Additionally check for updates to router and networking equipment firmware, updating if available. And of course upgrade Fortnite itself through the Epic Games launcher, Windows Store, or console storefront. Recent patches may address voice chat bugs that are blocking communication.
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- Adjust Epic Account Settings and NAT Type: For PS and Xbox Fortnite players, check account linking and family restrictions like parental controls that could block voice features. Ensure proper account connections to support cross-platform chat. It’s also possible networking obstacles are preventing voice packets from traversing firewalls. Peer into router admin consoles to validate NAT settings allow open data transmission, and tweak UPnP or port forwarding as needed.
- Leverage 3rd Party Voice Chat Apps: If working through all other troubleshooting hasn’t resurrected native Fortnite voice chat, workaround the issue by running voice through external apps. PC and console players can remain in cross-platform squads while shifting voice to Teamspeak, Discord, or console party chat apps. Use screen sharing or digital audio cables to sync app audio into your Fortnite session. Set the external voice app to output to desktop speakers or headset so squad chatter broadcasts into your game audio. This duct tapes unified voice comms outside Fortnite’s faulty native channels.
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Stick with your Fortnite squad through thick and thin connection issues! Hopefully tinkering with the above areas restores game chat so you can coordinate that Victory Royale. But if not, leverage temporary workarounds until Epic resolves voice problems for good in future updates. Now get out there and collect that loot, friends!
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