Discover How to Use Voice Chat in Valorant Like a Pro!
If you’re a fan of Valorant and looking to enhance your gameplay experience by communicating with your teammates, then you’ve come to the right place.
In this article, we will explore everything you need to know about Valorant Voice Chat. From enabling voice chat in the game settings to using keybinds for communication and troubleshooting common issues, we’ve got you covered.
So, buckle up and get ready to take your Valorant gameplay to the next level with voice chat!
Contents
- Key Takeaways:
- What is Valorant Voice Chat?
- How to Enable Voice Chat in Valorant?
- How to Use Voice Chat in Valorant?
- What are the Keybinds for Voice Chat in Valorant?
- How to Change Voice Chat Settings in Valorant?
- What are the Best Practices for Using Voice Chat in Valorant?
- What are the Common Issues with Voice Chat in Valorant?
- Frequently Asked Questions
Key Takeaways:
What is Valorant Voice Chat?
Valorant Voice Chat is called Voice Chat Mode in the game’s settings. It is an in-game communication tool offering high-quality audio that allows players microphone and headphone or speaker access to communicate with other teammates. This is absolutely necessary for excellent performance, especially in Competitive and Unrated games as players must assist one another in coordinating correct in-game strategies against the opponent.
How to Enable Voice Chat in Valorant?
You enable voice chat in Valorant by pressing the NumPad / key by default. To disable it, you press the NumPad * key. You can change these assignments in the Keybind section of your settings. Voice chat for team members is always on in a Valorant lobby, but you can change this in the settings if you want. You should ensure that you have a working microphone and speakers, as well as the proper microphone input and speaker output devices selected in microphone and sound settings in Valorant.
Step 1: Open the Game Settings
To open the game settings in Valorant, first make sure the main page is open, as the settings are only available from this location in the game. To switch to the main page, simply press the Escape Key. The main page will appear right away.
After pressing the Esc button or clicking on the pause Tab at the top left of the screen, the gear symbol representing the Game menu settings will appear on the right side of the screen. Click on it to open the Game Settings.
In the Game Settings menu are all general system settings along with graphics, audio, keybinds, and controls. If there is a communication channel not working or settings for it needs to be adjusted, voice channels’ settings can be found under the Audio section.
Voice Chat Settings in the Audio section of the game settings can be adjusted, including the volume of the voice chat along with keybinds for different voice channel options and Voice chat mic options. This includes the ability to choose a different microphone or to disable push to talk, which is a feature used to transmit voice when a key is being held down.
A voice icon will appear once voice channel settings have been adjusted, appearing on the top right of the screen next to your name. It will always show up when speaking unless it is disabled entirely, showing if there should be game chat and if they can still speak.
Step 2: Go to the Audio Tab
After you have clicked on the settings tab, the ‘General’ tab will come up as the default option. If the audio settings are not immediately visible, look at the top left of the settings panel to select the Audio tab. On the audio settings tab, you can select which audio device to use for voice chat. These options are at the top of the screen, beneath an audio volume control for SFX.
Valorant’s voice chat settings allow for audio to be output from one device and input from another. This can be useful for example if playing with earbuds or headphones and casting with speakers. Below the Output Device is a choice for Input Device. Input Device allows you to designate where to hear audio input via a microphone, which you will likely use in conjunction with Push to Talk hotkeys to communicate with teammates. This will likely default to the same device selected for Output Device.
Step 3: Enable Voice Chat
Voice chat is enabled by default in Valorant. Once you are logged into your Riot Account and finally log into your Valorant account, it is already enabled. You don’t need to directly enable it or disable it on these accounts. If voice chat does not work on Windows, make sure you update your video and sound drivers and try restarting your computer. Logging out and back in to your Riot Account might also solve the issue.
How to Use Voice Chat in Valorant?
To use voice chat in Valorant, press the Y key to send a voice message. While the key is pressed, speak into the microphone to be heard by your team members or left-click to send voice chat messages. Using voice chat is as easy as pressing a button and speaking. If your system is properly configured and working correctly, your team members will hear you.
To improve the usage of voice chat in Valorant, press ESC and go to the Settings menu. Go to the Audio tab and see if the voice chat hotkey is functioning alongside your microphone. If you want more control over voice transmission levels of players and yourself, you can do so in-game by going to the Caption Control Button which is on the lower left side of the voice chat box and changing the volumes as needed, Valorant JP explains.
Step 1: Press the Push-to-Talk Key
The default Push-to-Talk key in Valorant is bound to the grave accent key ` to the left of the 1 key on the standard keyboard layout. Press and hold the voice chat key to speak during gameplay. Release the key to prevent voice transmission and sound back into the headphones or speakers. Update your audio settings if the default push-to-talk key is not convenient. Different Key Bindings can be found under the Controls tab in Settings. You expand the Open Mic section under the Communication tab to modify settings for Tense Voice Activity and its volume for voice chat in the game.
Step 2: Talk into Your Microphone
Once you have a microphone detected in your input device settings or recording settings, just remember to talk into your headset microphone in order to communicate during a Valorant game.
Adjusting the microphone on a headset may be required. While USB headsets or microphones are the simplest to get working in Windows, 3.5 mm jacks can create problems with connections that are easily overlooked. On Windows 10, these settings can be accessed by typing microphone privacy settings into the search bar. Individual settings can then be accessed by going to Settings > Devices > Microphone.
What are the Keybinds for Voice Chat in Valorant?
The important keybinds for voice chat in Valorant are the following according to the in-game settings menu, although these can be reconfigured to whatever you prefer:
- Default Open Mic (voice chat in Valorant is push-to-talk by default). This is not a specific key, but rather Valorants settings for how voice chat opens automatically in response to speaking. This is off by default. This means that if you don’t have your bind set to an open microphone, this feature will not work.
- Push to Talk. When you hold down your voice chat key, your teammates are able to hear you speak. Both of these settings can be manually configured in your HotKeys menu.
- Toggle Audio Mute. Annoyed by squeakers, loud music, or open-mic teammates? You can mute them in a flash by quickly pressing this button or simply drag their profile image to the bottom of your screen.
- Open Voice to Text Transcription. Sometimes you’d prefer to text than speak. This option lets you toggle that feature on and off.
- “T” for open mic and “Y” for voice activity type are Valorants default HotKey settings that can be customized to central European keyboards, etc.
Push-to-Talk Key
By default the push-to-talk key when chatting in Valorant is Y. To talk, you hold down the push-to-talk key while speaking into your microphone, then release the push-to-talk key when you are done speaking. Players not wanting to touch any buttons to talk can set the audio input volume to ‘Voice Activity’ to constantly broadcast their voices at a fixed volume.
Mute/Unmute Key
The Control settings let players see if Mute/Unmute toggles is already set or decide what keys to set that functionality to if they desire a keyboard-based solution. By Default, Shift + F2 Mutes or Unmutes voice and text chat. This eases the burden of not having to click on individual messages to ignore them and no longer have to hear toxic speech or violent background noises.
How to Change Voice Chat Settings in Valorant?
You change voice chat settings in Valorant by locating the keybind controls, scrolling down until you find the Comms section, and choosing the options from the four dropdown menus that correspond to open mic, push to talk, volume level, and mic control.
Changing the settings to open mic means your mic is always on in the game, while a setting for push to talk only allows the mic access after the user presses a key. The open mic volume affects how loudly your voice is transmitted. The mic volume adjustment affects how loudly the voices of other players are transmitted. Changing voice chat settings in Valorant can make you aware of when other players have activated their microphones.
Step 1: Open the Game Settings
To start voice chatting in Valorant, go to the Game settings. To do this, open the game and go to the top right, where the game settings wheel is located. This will take you to the Game section of the settings in which you can choose a different keybind to turn the microphone on/off under the advanced video like Caps Lock. You will need to know where the mute menu is if you join a match with toxic players and do not want to hear them in voice chat.
Step 2: Go to the Audio Tab
Step 2
: Go to the Audio Tab. To quickly reach the audio settings you see on the main menu, go to the volume settings tab within the settings total. Valorant will remember your settings whenever you enter the Volume & Audio settings tab. Regardless, clicking the settings gear in the top right will take you to the Audio tab where you can control output and input devices, volume, and voice chat settings.
Step 3: Adjust Settings as Desired
If you connected to Valorant voice chat and your microphone and properly selected your input/output devices, then you are good to go! Start speaking to test out the audio quality and the sensitivity compared to what you are normally accustomed to. Play around with the input volume settings to get it just right. If you still have issues with not hearing others or them hearing you, accomplish the following basic steps to figure out the solution:
- Did you remember to unmute yourself?
- Are others muting themselves?
- Are your input and output devices properly selected?
If adjustments need to be made to the selected devices, they can be changed by repeating step 1 of this process and clicking the [^] next to the speaker icon. Use the mouse or arrow keys to select the correct device, then press Enter [9]. These fixes usually get voice chat working properly again.
that’s it! Sharing your victories and frustrations with your team is now easier than ever.
What are the Best Practices for Using Voice Chat in Valorant?
The best practices for using voice chat in Valorant include the following:
- Be clear about who is talking when. Use your call sign and number when beginning to talk so people know who you are.
- Only talk at strategic points in the game. If you complain about every little thing, no one will pay attention to your important comms. When they do, they will ignore them.
- Be polite and use calmer language. If teammates make a mistake in a clutch situation, avoiding mean language helps to keep the team’s morale up.
- Be professional and specific in your calls using lingo specific to Valorant (e.g. defender/attacker, can’t repeat, spam, don’t bait). This will make you more efficient and clear as a communicator.
- Create an alternate voice profile` in case of harassment (disable your normal profile to prevent the abuser from following you).
- Mute when finished communicating and listen before speaking so you do not interrupt teammates trying to communicate.
Use Push-to-Talk
In almost all situations, regardless of how you communicate with colleagues in Valorant’s chat system, you will want to use Push-to-Talk. Normal microphones with noise cancellation removed ambient game noise and heavy breathing from players while the voice was activated. Some players prefer the Open Mic with Noise Cancellation setting; use headsets with mics that suppress background noise if you prefer this. But one-point push-to-talk is the safest and most versatile option.
Communicate Effectively
The goal of competitive voice chat in Valorant should be effective communication. To achieve this, listen to your teammates to get information you would otherwise not have known. Additionally, make short and to-the-point callouts and use V to alert teammates when you need help or to acknowledge their request for support. Assist teammates by repeating what they did not hear or understand, as it is still unlikely that the remaining three teammates heard and understood this information when someone else did.
Be Respectful
Some other often asked questions are how to answer in voice chat and how to join voice chat in Valorant. In voice chat, you can answer by pressing the – button on your keyboard to start speaking, and stop by releasing the button. As for joining the chat channel in Valorant, just go to the matchmaking lobby and find the voice chat channel tab on the bottom of the screen. Click on it to join the channel and you will be connected in games that have the feature enabled.
What are the Common Issues with Voice Chat in Valorant?
The common issues with Voice Chat in Valorant are that there is no easy way to test if the mic is recognized or working. To make sure that your voice input is working in Valorant, you have to go into the settings and manually enable it. There is no indication of input levels, so you will not know whether your mic volume is sufficient. There are no voice communication channels and no APIs to connect Valorant with third-party voice chat apps.
Voice Chat Not Working
To fix voice chat not working in Valorant, you can check the voice settings by clicking the gear icon at the bottom-right corner of the game to access the Options menu. Go to the Audio section and ensure the input and output options of voice input and output are properly set. The Voice activity sensitivity measures the energy of a player’s voice speaking into their mic and triggers broadcasting based on an automatic sensitivity level.
When neither the Push-to-Talk key nor the player’s voice triggers show an energy level, nothing broadcasts, causing the user’s voice chat not to work. Check if there is any background noise altering the sensitivity or check if Valorant has the correct permissions. Configure apps (Discord, Microsoft, Skype) that might be using the sounds entering your input device not to interfere with the voice chat in Valorant. Third-party voice communication applications not configured properly can lead to Valorant’s workability issues. Check firewall permissions while unsupported apps might interfere with communication. Read in-game help.
Poor Audio Quality
Voice chat in Valorant has poor quality during transmission when the sound is not as loud or distinct as in other games. Poor audio quality may be due to background noise, other players’ issues, network or server issues, player microphone settings, or software settings.
When issues arise with the background or a low-quality audio source, it would be a good idea to ask team members to mute their microphones unless speaking. If muting the microphone doesn’t work, having other players enable Push to Talk function can help. This can be a very quick and easy fix. The main reason for poor voice communication quality is typically background noise. Check to see if there are any loud or unnecessary noises like fans or pets and make sure to eliminate them from the noise cancelling algorithm. Audio issues can also arise due to microphone settings or being away from the mic when talking. Poor internet connection or Valorant voice servers located far away can also be a reason. There are many free tools and websites to test the speed and strength of an internet connection which can be used to see if this is the cause.
Voice Chat Lag
Voice chat lag in voice chat refers to a noticeable and perceptible delay between when you say something locally and when it is digitally communicated/processed/sent to others. Voice chat lag in Valorant would be an issue where players usually experience high pings.
Riot’s VCT tournaments have on occasion shown in the past that this high ping issue is an ongoing problem that poses a huge challenge for competitive integrity. Riot has stated that they have tried to partner with a variety of developers to find the root cause of the voice chat issue for various players in different regions but have not been able to come to a solution at this point. When the root cause of the problem is solved, the voice chat lag issue is expected to be solved as well.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How to turn on Voice Chat in Valorant?
To turn on Voice Chat in Valorant, simply navigate to the settings menu and select the “Audio” tab. From there, toggle the “Voice Chat” option to the “On” position.
2. How do I enable Voice Chat in Valorant?
To enable Voice Chat in Valorant, go to the settings menu and click on the “Audio” tab. Then, make sure that the “Voice Chat” option is turned on.
3. How do I join a Voice Chat in Valorant?
To join a Voice Chat in Valorant, you must first be part of a party or team. Once in a party, the Voice Chat will automatically be enabled and you will be able to communicate with your teammates.
4. How do I adjust my Voice Chat settings in Valorant?
To adjust your Voice Chat settings in Valorant, go to the settings menu and click on the “Audio” tab. From there, you can adjust the volume, input and output devices, and other Voice Chat options.
5. Can I use Voice Chat in Valorant with strangers?
Yes, you can use Voice Chat in Valorant with strangers. However, it is recommended to only use voice communication with people you trust to avoid any inappropriate or negative interactions.
6. How do I mute or unmute players in Voice Chat in Valorant?
To mute or unmute players in Voice Chat in Valorant, open the scoreboard by pressing the “Tab” key and click on the speaker icon next to the player’s name. This will toggle their Voice Chat volume on or off.