Mason Blake
Skype is a popular platform for audio and video calls, but sometimes users want to share sounds from their computer with the other person on the call. This could be for a variety of reasons, such as playing an audio sample or sharing a favourite song. While Skype does not inherently support this feature, there are several ways to enable it, including using third-party software or changing settings within Skype and the Windows or Mac operating system.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Software to play PC sound over Skype | Stereo mix option or its equivalent, or third-party virtual audio software |
| Software to record Skype video calls | Aiseesoft Screen Recorder |
| Software to record system audio on Mac | Soundflower |
| Software to record system audio on Windows | VoiceMeeter |
| Software to record system audio on Ubuntu | paprefs, pavucontrol |
| Software to play music during Skype calls | Clownfish |
| Audio troubleshooting | Fixing Windows Sound Problems, Audio troubleshooter |
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What You'll Learn
Skype audio settings
Firstly, you can adjust your audio input and output devices. To do this, go to the Skype window, click on the gear icon, and select 'Tools' > 'Audio Device Settings' or 'Video Device Settings'. Here, you can choose your preferred microphone and speaker. It is recommended to use the same device for both input and output to avoid echoing. If you must use separate devices, minimise echoing by lowering the speaker volume.
You can also adjust the volume levels for your microphone and speaker. In the 'Audio Device Settings', drag the slider next to 'Microphone' to adjust the microphone volume. To test your microphone volume, simply speak into it for a few seconds—the optimal volume is reached when the progress bar reaches the middle of the test area. To adjust the speaker volume, drag the slider or use the volume buttons on your device. You can also click the green arrow next to 'Speaker' to hear a sample tone and make adjustments as needed.
If you are using Skype for Business, you can set a primary device by clicking 'Select Primary Device' in the lower-left corner of the main window. You can then test the call quality by clicking 'Check Call Quality' and following the prompts to record and playback a short message. If you are unhappy with the audio quality, you can adjust your microphone and speaker settings or select another device.
Additionally, you can enable Stereo Mix in Windows to record audio through Skype. To do this, right-click on the audio icon in your system tray and go to 'Recording Devices'. Right-click on a blank area and ensure that 'View Disabled Devices' and 'View Disconnected Devices' options are checked. Enable 'Stereo Mix' and set the microphone to 'Stereo Mix' in the Skype audio settings.
If you are experiencing audio issues, you can try troubleshooting. For Windows, go to the Start button, type 'Troubleshoot', and click on 'Troubleshoot' in the listing. For Mac, there are also ways to record system audio with or without third-party software.
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Stereo Mix
"Stereo Mix" is the name given to the output stream after all channels have been combined. It is sometimes referred to as "What U Hear" or "What You Hear". Stereo Mix allows you to record exactly what you hear on your computer, including system audio and input from your microphone. This can be useful for recording audio from streaming sources or for screen-sharing sessions.
To enable Stereo Mix on Windows, open the Sound settings window in the Control Panel. Go to the Recording tab and right-click on a blank area. Make sure both "Show Disabled Devices" and "Show Disconnected Devices" (or "View Disabled Devices" and "View Disconnected Devices") are checked. If "Stereo Mix" appears, right-click on it and select "Enable". If it doesn't appear, it may be because the feature is disabled, your sound card doesn't support it, or your sound drivers are outdated. You can try updating your sound drivers or finding different driver versions that support Stereo Mix.
Once Stereo Mix is enabled, you can use it as the input device in recording applications such as Audacity or Open Broadcast Software (OBS). You can also use Stereo Mix in Skype to share audio during a call. Go to Skype's audio settings (Tools/Options), and set the microphone to Stereo Mix. Then, start the audio playing on your PC and call the other party.
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Third-party plugins
If you want to play audio from your computer during a Skype call, you will need to use third-party software. This is because Skype blocks the audio of other applications during calls, lowering the volume of other sounds but not necessarily disabling them or sending them through another output.
There are a few third-party applications that can be used to play computer sound over Skype. One option is to use a third-party virtual audio software such as Virtual Audio Cable or VoiceMeeter, which allows you to create virtual cables and mix audio sources. Another option is to use an audio plugin such as Clownfish, TunesUp, or Skype Audio Player. These plugins are free and enable you to select an audio file to play during a Skype call without losing the use of your microphone.
In addition to the above, there are other third-party applications that can be used for specific use cases. For example, PrettyMay is a free application that allows you to play recorded calls, voicemails, and audio files in conversations. If you are looking to record Skype calls in stereo, you can use third-party applications such as RecMaster, OBS Studio, or MP3 Skype Recorder.
It is important to note that some of these third-party applications may require specific configurations or work only with certain versions of Skype and Windows.
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Audio troubleshooting
If you're experiencing audio issues with Skype, there are several troubleshooting steps you can take to resolve the problem.
First, check your audio settings. On Windows, right-click the speaker in the taskbar, click "Open Volume Mixer," and ensure that Skype's volume is set correctly. Additionally, go to ""Recording Devices," right-click your microphone, select "Properties" and then "Levels," and adjust the volume level. On a Mac, click the Apple icon, select "System Preferences," choose "Sound" and then "Input," and adjust the input volume.
If you're using Skype for Business, you can also adjust your audio device settings within the application. Go to ""Tools > Audio Device Settings" and select the desired microphone and speaker. If you're using an external microphone, ensure it's plugged in or, for a wireless microphone, check the battery and physical mute buttons.
To prevent echoing, it's recommended to use the same device for both your microphone and speakers. If you must use separate devices, minimise echoing by lowering the speaker volume.
If you're still experiencing issues, try using another device or check your internet connection. You can also run the built-in audio troubleshooter on Windows by clicking the Start button, typing "Troubleshoot," and following the instructions.
For those who wish to play computer sound over Skype, you may need to enable "Stereo Mix" in Windows and set the microphone to "Stereo Mix" in Skype's audio settings. This will allow you to share your computer's audio output during the call.
If you continue to encounter problems with audio or video in Skype for Business, you can refer to Microsoft's troubleshooting guides for further assistance. These guides offer solutions to common issues related to audio and video quality.
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Audio Device Settings
To access the audio device settings in Skype, click on the gear icon from the Skype window. Then, go to Tools > Audio Device Settings. Here, you can select the microphone or speaker you want to use.
If you want to use an external microphone, you must set it up according to the instructions provided by the manufacturer. Even if you are only using an internal microphone and speakers, it is important to follow the setup instructions.
To test your audio quality, you can speak into the microphone for a few seconds. The volume is optimal when the progress bar reaches the middle of the test area. You can adjust the microphone volume by dragging the slider next to it.
If you have multiple audio devices, you can choose to set both to ring when you receive a call. However, to avoid echoing, it is better to use the same device for both the microphone and speaker. If you have to use separate devices, minimise echoing by lowering the speaker's volume.
You can also enable "Stereo Mix" in Windows to record audio through Skype. This can be done by right-clicking on the audio icon in the system tray and going to "Recording Devices". In the pane that opens, right-click on a blank area and ensure that "View Disabled Devices" and "View Disconnected Devices" are checked. Enable "Stereo Mix" by right-clicking on it and selecting "Enable". Then, go to the Skype audio settings and set the microphone to "Stereo Mix".
Skype Meetings App and Skype for Business Web App automatically detect and select the most compatible audio device for your meeting. You can also change the default audio device by going to More options > Meeting Options > Audio device and selecting the device you want.
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Frequently asked questions
To play sound from your computer during a Skype call, you will need to adjust your audio settings. First, right-click on the Speakers icon on your Windows taskbar and select "Recording Devices". Then, right-click on an empty space and select "Show Disabled Devices" and "Show Disconnected Devices". You should now see a ""Stereo Mix" option. Right-click on "Stereo Mix" and select "Enable", then set your microphone to "Stereo Mix".
If you do not want the other person on the Skype call to hear your PC sounds, you will need to change your settings. In your Windows settings, change your recording device to your microphone rather than "What U Hear" or "Stereo Mix".
To record a Skype video call, you can use a third-party screen recorder such as Aiseesoft Screen Recorder. First, open the recorder and select the Video Recorder feature. Then, enable System Sound and Microphone options before starting to record.
If you are having audio issues on Skype, you can try running the audio troubleshooter. To do this, click the Start button, type "Troubleshoot", and then click Troubleshoot in the listing. You can also try adjusting your audio device settings within Skype by going to Tools > Audio Device Settings and selecting your preferred microphone and speaker.
