Sharing presentations, marketing videos, and product demonstrations in Microsoft Teams often requires attendees to hear the video soundtrack, web application alerts, or multimedia background music clearly. By default, Teams captures microphone voice input only, muting background PC sounds to prevent acoustic echo. Enabling computer sound sharing routes high-fidelity system audio directly through the digital meeting stream to all participants.
Requirements for Sharing Computer Sound in Teams
Before sharing multimedia audio during conference calls, verify the following platform prerequisites:
- Windows: Fully supported natively across desktop Teams apps without requiring supplemental drivers or third-party audio loopbacks.
- macOS: Requires an initial installation of the Microsoft Teams virtual audio driver to intercept system sound output securely, which must be approved in macOS Privacy & Security permissions.
- Web Browser Limitations: While audio sharing is supported when sharing a specific Chrome or Edge browser tab, sharing entire desktop system audio from web clients is restricted. Use the desktop client for optimal reliability.
Enabling System Audio Prior to Sharing Your Screen
The simplest way to include multimedia sound is to activate the setting before beginning your presentation:
- Join your scheduled Microsoft Teams meeting or call.
- Click the Share icon (an arrow pointing upward inside a rectangle) located in the upper meeting control bar.
- Before clicking on a screen or application window, locate the Include sound toggle switch positioned at the top-left of the sharing tray.
- Toggle Include sound to the On position.
- Select whether you wish to share your entire Screen (recommended if switching between applications) or an individual Window.
- Begin playing your video or presentation; attendees will now hear clear digital sound directly from your computer.
Toggling Audio Sharing During an Active Screen Share
If you have already started presenting your screen and realise your audience cannot hear an embedded video clip, you can turn audio on without stopping your presentation:
- Move your mouse pointer to the top-centre edge of your display where the floating Teams presenter toolbar appears.
- Locate the Include computer sound icon (a computer monitor with sound waves emitting from it).
- Click the icon to toggle sound sharing on or off dynamically.
- A subtle icon state change confirms that computer audio is now transmitting live to participants.
Troubleshooting Missing Audio on macOS and Windows
If meeting participants still report silence while your video is playing, check these common configuration barriers:
- macOS Audio Driver Installation: If you are on a Mac, open Teams, navigate to Settings > Devices, scroll to Audio, and check whether Install Teams audio driver is displayed. Click install and authorise the kernel extension in System Settings > Privacy & Security.
- Muted Application Sliders: In Windows, right-click the speaker icon in the taskbar and open Volume mixer. Ensure the specific app playing the media (such as Chrome, VLC, or Spotify) is not independently muted.
- Avoid Loopback Echo: If you wear external speakers rather than headphones, participants may hear their own voices echoing back if your microphone sensitivity is high. Using a headset or earbuds during shared audio demonstrations eliminates acoustic feedback loops.