In hybrid working environments, audio quality directly dictates meeting effectiveness. Distracting background sounds—such as mechanical keyboard clatter, paper rustling, air conditioning hums, barking dogs, and nearby conversations—can severely disrupt corporate calls. Simultaneously, in large virtual conferences where multiple participants speak in sequence, flat monophonic audio makes it difficult to discern who is addressing the room.
Microsoft Teams provides two integrated audio technologies to address these acoustic challenges: AI-based Noise Suppression and Spatial Audio. Together, they eliminate ambient distractions and position individual voices across a natural stereophonic field.
Configuring AI Noise Suppression in Teams
Microsoft Teams incorporates deep neural network models trained on thousands of hours of speech and noise samples to isolate human vocal frequencies while silencing non-speech interference:
- Open the Microsoft Teams desktop client.
- Click the Settings and more (three dots) menu in the top-right corner next to your profile avatar.
- Select Settings.
- Navigate to the Devices tab in the left sidebar.
- Scroll down to the Noise suppression dropdown menu:
- Auto (Default): Teams dynamically determines the optimal level of filtering based on measured ambient room noise.
- High: Suppresses all non-speech audio, including loud background typing, vacuum cleaners, and dog barking. This mode consumes slightly more CPU resources and requires Advanced Vector Extensions 2 (AVX2) processor support.
- Low: Suppresses subtle persistent background sounds, such as computer fan noise or HVAC rumble, while permitting subtle environmental audio.
- Off: Disables all artificial noise filtering. Use this mode if you are sharing high-fidelity acoustic instruments or pre-recorded audio files over your microphone.
Enabling High Fidelity Music Mode
If you are delivering musical presentations or broadcasting training webinars with background audio:
- Under Settings > Devices > Audio settings, toggle High fidelity music mode to On.
- Tick Echo cancellation if you are not using headphones.
- Enable Stereo audio to transmit 32 kHz sampled stereo sound across the call.
Configuring Spatial Audio in Microsoft Teams Calls
Spatial Audio creates an intuitive acoustic soundstage during meetings by rendering each participant’s voice from the relative physical position of their video feed on your screen. When someone speaking is located in the top-left video tile, their voice resonates slightly more from your left headphone earcup:
- Open Settings > Devices in Teams.
- Scroll down to the Spatial audio section.
- Toggle the switch labelled Spatial audio to On.
- Ensure your headphones are configured for stereo output in Windows (Spatial Audio is automatically disabled on mono or single-earpiece Bluetooth headsets).
During active meetings, as participants transition into Gallery View, Together Mode, or Large Gallery View, Teams dynamically recalculates head-related transfer functions (HRTF), significantly reducing cognitive fatigue during extended multi-hour group discussions.