Helldivers 2 - Microphone and Headphones Issue, Audio Problems Explained

Source: Helldivers 2, Developer: Arrowhead Game Studios

i

The sequel of a well-received co-op shooter, Helldivers 2, dropped on Steam with a huge success. It already is the most popular game that was published by Sony on this platform. However, despite its popularity, the reception is not very warm, as the title struggles with technical difficulties. One of the more common problems that players are facing is malfunctioning microphone. Communication is a vital part of cooperation focused productions so it’s not surprising that this issue is taking away a lot of enjoyment. Additionally, it is not rare that the audio is not working completely after starting the game. Let’s dive deeper to find out what’s going on.

• Microphone issues in Helldivers 2
• Audio not working in Helldivers 2

Microphone issues in Helldivers 2

Helldivers 2 gathered a lot of players who would like to spread the ideals of freedom, peace and democracy together. It is not a job for a lone wolf though and requires friends to enjoy it to the fullest. While voice communication is not required, it can make things a lot easier. There are many fans who would like to talk, but their microphone, which was working fine just moments ago, is not transmitting any audio.

There are a couple of methods that one can try to troubleshoot it, but due to variety of configurations, it is not certain which one will do the job for you if at all:

1. Make sure that the correct device for transmitting audio is chosen in Steam Settings, Voice tab.
2. Verify that the microphone that you want to use is chosen as default communication device in Windows audio settings.
3. Check if audio device use is permitted for relevant applications in Windows privacy settings (Privacy & Security > Microphone).

Some players claim that after connecting their dualsense controller to PC, its built-in microphone starts working correctly. This obviously is not a solution, yet it can point out an issue with device configuration in your system.

Audio not working in Helldivers 2

The bigger issue starts when the audio is not working completely, and that unfortunately also happened for a number of fans. This seems to be more common for players who would like to use their Bluetooth headsets. What is more, there are reports that the game disables audio completely for the whole system, not only Helldivers.

There is only one suggested solution, that has a chance of working:

1. Open Windows Settings.
2. Choose Bluetooth & devices tab.
3. Click on Devices section and then scroll down to select More devices and printer settings. This will open the control panel.
4. There, locate your Bluetooth device, right click on it, and select Properties.
5. From services tab disable handsfree telephony option.
6. Restart (turn off and on again) your headphones.

It is not bound to work, yet it is still worth trying. Many players suspect that all of those problems with audio are related to kernel-level anticheat implemented in Helldivers 2. This situation starts to becoming more and more common nowadays, like in the case of Dungeonborne.

The developers are aware of many issues experienced by the players and are currently working on fixing them. It is also worth opening an official support ticket to get professional help if nothing else helps. Good luck!