Counter-Strike 2: Problems with Microphone ? Fast fix here.

1. **Microphone not working specifically in Steam** (while working in other apps).
2. **Opening required ports** for Steam through Windows Firewall (both inbound and outbound).

Each step includes **PowerShell commands** (where applicable) to help you fix or verify settings quickly.

—

# Part A: Fixing Microphone Issues in Steam

If your microphone works in other applications (Discord, Zoom, etc.) but **not** in Steam, follow these steps:

—

## 1. Check Windows Microphone Privacy Settings

1. Press **Win + I** to open **Settings**.
2. Go to **Privacy & security** (Windows 11) or **Privacy** (Windows 10).
3. Select **Microphone**.
4. Ensure the following are **On**:
– **Microphone access** (global toggle).
– **Let apps access your microphone**.
– **Allow desktop apps to access your microphone**.

**Steam** is a classic (desktop) Win32 application and requires that “Allow desktop apps to access your microphone” is enabled.

### PowerShell Commands

– **Open Microphone Privacy Settings Directly**:
“`powershell
Start-Process “ms-settings:privacy-microphone”
“`

– **(Optional) Force-Enable Microphone for Desktop Apps via Registry**
*Use only if standard toggles are blocked or overridden by policy.*
“`powershell
# 1) Global mic access – set to “Allow”
Set-ItemProperty -Path “HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\CapabilityAccessManager\ConsentStore\microphone” -Name “Value” -Value “Allow” -Force

# 2) Desktop (NonPackaged) apps – set to “Allow”
Set-ItemProperty -Path “HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\CapabilityAccessManager\ConsentStore\microphone\NonPackaged” -Name “Value” -Value “Allow” -Force
“`

—

## 2. Set the Correct Default Microphone in Windows

1. **Right-click** the speaker icon in the system tray → **Sound settings**.
2. Under **Input**, select the **microphone** you want to use as your **Default**.
3. If you have multiple microphones, disable unwanted ones or ensure the correct one is picked in both Windows and Steam.

### PowerShell Commands

– **List all audio input devices** (helpful for identifying device names):
“`powershell
Get-PnpDevice -Class AudioEndpoint | Where-Object {$_.FriendlyName -like “*Microphone*”}
“`

> Unfortunately, there is no built-in PowerShell command to set a default mic directly. You must do that via the GUI.

—

## 3. Check Microphone Settings in Steam

1. Open **Steam** → **Settings** → **Voice** (or **Friends & Chat → Voice** in the new UI).
2. Under **Recording (Audio) Device**, select the **exact** mic you want.
3. Adjust **Input volume** if it’s too low or too high.
4. Test the mic with **“Test Microphone.”**
5. If using **Push-to-Talk**, confirm the assigned key and press it while speaking.

*(No direct PowerShell commands here; it’s purely Steam UI.)*

—

## 4. Disable Exclusive Mode (Monopoly Access)

Some voice/chat apps can grab exclusive control, blocking Steam from using your mic.

1. **Right-click** the speaker icon → **Sound settings** → **More sound settings** (Win 11) or **Sound Control Panel** (Win 10).
2. **Recording** tab → right-click your mic → **Properties** → **Advanced** tab.
3. Uncheck:
– **Allow applications to take exclusive control of this device**
– **Give exclusive mode applications priority**
4. Click **OK**, then restart Steam.

### PowerShell Commands

> There’s no straightforward built-in command to disable exclusive mode. You must do it in the **Sound Control Panel**.

—

## 5. Check Third-Party Conflicts (Discord, Skype, etc.)

– Temporarily **close** or **quit** other voice apps (Discord, Zoom, etc.) that might be using the mic in exclusive mode.
– Re-launch Steam and test again.

*(No specific PowerShell commands; just exit apps.)*

—

## 6. Reset Steam Voice Config (Advanced)

If the Steam voice config is corrupted, resetting it helps.

1. **Close Steam** completely (File → Exit).
2. Navigate to your Steam **config** folder, typically:
“`
C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\config\
“`
or
“`
C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\userdata\{YourSteamID}\config
“`
3. Find **`steamvoice.cfg`**, rename it to **`steamvoice_old.cfg`**.
4. Re-launch Steam. It recreates a fresh `steamvoice.cfg`.
5. Reconfigure mic in **Steam → Settings → Voice**.

### PowerShell Command

“`powershell
# Example path: adjust if Steam is elsewhere
Set-Location “C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\config”
Rename-Item -Path “.\steamvoice.cfg” -NewName “steamvoice_old.cfg”
“`

—

## 7. Remove Group Policy Overrides (“Managed by Organization”)

If Windows shows “Some settings are managed by your organization,” your mic might be locked by Group Policy in:

“`
HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\AppPrivacy
“`

– **Remove** or **change** the `LetAppsAccessMicrophone` parameter:

“`powershell
# Remove policy parameter (so the user can control it again)
Remove-ItemProperty -Path “HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\AppPrivacy” -Name “LetAppsAccessMicrophone” -Force

# Alternatively, set “1” = user in control, “2” = forced allow
Set-ItemProperty -Path “HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\AppPrivacy” -Name “LetAppsAccessMicrophone” -Type DWord -Value 1
“`

– **Restart** your PC.
– Return to **Settings → Privacy & security → Microphone** to ensure toggles are unlocked.

—

## 8. Check Windows Firewall / Antivirus Privacy Controls

Some AV/security suites (e.g., Kaspersky, Avast) block mic access for certain desktop apps.

– Open **Windows Security** or your antivirus → check for a **privacy shield** or mic-blocking feature.
– **Whitelist Steam** or disable the mic-blocking feature.

### PowerShell Commands

– **Open Windows Security**:
“`powershell
Start-Process “windowsdefender://”
“`
(Then navigate to privacy/app blocking features as needed.)

—

## 9. Update Audio Drivers

Outdated drivers can cause unpredictable mic behavior.

1. Identify your audio chipset (Realtek, Conexant, etc.).
2. Get the latest drivers from your OEM or motherboard vendor.
3. Install and **reboot**.

*(No direct PowerShell command for driver updates—use the OEM installer or Windows Update.)*

—

## 10. Run Steam as Administrator (Last Resort)

Sometimes running Steam with elevated privileges fixes mic issues, but it’s **not recommended** for security unless necessary:

1. Close Steam.
2. Right-click the Steam shortcut → **Run as administrator**.
3. Check mic functionality.

If that works, you might have deeper Windows permission issues to resolve properly.

—

## 11. If All Else Fails

– **Try a different USB port** (if it’s a USB mic).
– **Try a different microphone** to see if the problem is device-specific.
– **Create a new Windows user account** and test Steam there (helps rule out user-profile corruption).
– **Reinstall Steam** as a last-ditch approach if the installation is broken.

Steam requires various ports to function properly (downloads, voice chat, matchmaking, etc.). In many Windows setups, outbound traffic is allowed by default, so you typically only need inbound rules. However, if you have a strict outbound policy (block-by-default), you must explicitly allow outbound as well.

Below is a PowerShell script that creates two rules for each port range: one Inbound and one Outbound.

Note: Adjust or remove outbound rules if your system already allows all outbound traffic.

# ————————–
# HTTP (TCP 80) + HTTPS (TCP 443)
# ————————–
New-NetFirewallRule -Name “Steam_HTTP_80_In” -DisplayName “Steam HTTP (80) Inbound” -Protocol TCP -LocalPort 80 -Action Allow -Direction In
New-NetFirewallRule -Name “Steam_HTTP_80_Out” -DisplayName “Steam HTTP (80) Outbound” -Protocol TCP -LocalPort 80 -Action Allow -Direction Out

New-NetFirewallRule -Name “Steam_HTTPS_443_In” -DisplayName “Steam HTTPS (443) Inbound” -Protocol TCP -LocalPort 443 -Action Allow -Direction In
New-NetFirewallRule -Name “Steam_HTTPS_443_Out” -DisplayName “Steam HTTPS (443) Outbound” -Protocol TCP -LocalPort 443 -Action Allow -Direction Out

# ————————–
# Main TCP/UDP ports 27015–27050
# ————————–
New-NetFirewallRule -Name “Steam_TCP_27015_27050_In” -DisplayName “Steam TCP 27015-27050 Inbound” -Protocol TCP -LocalPort 27015-27050 -Action Allow -Direction In
New-NetFirewallRule -Name “Steam_TCP_27015_27050_Out” -DisplayName “Steam TCP 27015-27050 Outbound” -Protocol TCP -LocalPort 27015-27050 -Action Allow -Direction Out

New-NetFirewallRule -Name “Steam_UDP_27015_27050_In” -DisplayName “Steam UDP 27015-27050 Inbound” -Protocol UDP -LocalPort 27015-27050 -Action Allow -Direction In
New-NetFirewallRule -Name “Steam_UDP_27015_27050_Out” -DisplayName “Steam UDP 27015-27050 Outbound” -Protocol UDP -LocalPort 27015-27050 -Action Allow -Direction Out

# ————————–
# Additional UDP range 27000–27100
# ————————–
New-NetFirewallRule -Name “Steam_UDP_27000_27100_In” -DisplayName “Steam UDP 27000-27100 Inbound” -Protocol UDP -LocalPort 27000-27100 -Action Allow -Direction In
New-NetFirewallRule -Name “Steam_UDP_27000_27100_Out” -DisplayName “Steam UDP 27000-27100 Outbound” -Protocol UDP -LocalPort 27000-27100 -Action Allow -Direction Out

# ————————–
# Remote Play: UDP 27031–27036, TCP 27036
# ————————–
New-NetFirewallRule -Name “Steam_UDP_RemotePlay_27031_27036_In” -DisplayName “Steam Remote Play UDP 27031-27036 In” -Protocol UDP -LocalPort 27031-27036 -Action Allow -Direction In
New-NetFirewallRule -Name “Steam_UDP_RemotePlay_27031_27036_Out” -DisplayName “Steam Remote Play UDP 27031-27036 Out” -Protocol UDP -LocalPort 27031-27036 -Action Allow -Direction Out

New-NetFirewallRule -Name “Steam_TCP_RemotePlay_27036_In” -DisplayName “Steam Remote Play TCP 27036 In” -Protocol TCP -LocalPort 27036 -Action Allow -Direction In
New-NetFirewallRule -Name “Steam_TCP_RemotePlay_27036_Out” -DisplayName “Steam Remote Play TCP 27036 Out” -Protocol TCP -LocalPort 27036 -Action Allow -Direction Out

# ————————–
# Additional UDP port 4380
# ————————–
New-NetFirewallRule -Name “Steam_UDP_4380_In” -DisplayName “Steam UDP 4380 Inbound” -Protocol UDP -LocalPort 4380 -Action Allow -Direction In
New-NetFirewallRule -Name “Steam_UDP_4380_Out” -DisplayName “Steam UDP 4380 Outbound” -Protocol UDP -LocalPort 4380 -Action Allow -Direction Out

# ————————–
# P2P / Voice Chat (Steamworks)
# ————————–
New-NetFirewallRule -Name “Steam_UDP_3478_In” -DisplayName “Steam UDP 3478 (Voice/P2P) In” -Protocol UDP -LocalPort 3478 -Action Allow -Direction In
New-NetFirewallRule -Name “Steam_UDP_3478_Out” -DisplayName “Steam UDP 3478 (Voice/P2P) Out” -Protocol UDP -LocalPort 3478 -Action Allow -Direction Out

New-NetFirewallRule -Name “Steam_UDP_4379_4380_In” -DisplayName “Steam UDP 4379-4380 Inbound” -Protocol UDP -LocalPort 4379-4380 -Action Allow -Direction In
New-NetFirewallRule -Name “Steam_UDP_4379_4380_Out” -DisplayName “Steam UDP 4379-4380 Outbound” -Protocol UDP -LocalPort 4379-4380 -Action Allow -Direction Out

New-NetFirewallRule -Name “Steam_UDP_27014_27030_In” -DisplayName “Steam UDP 27014-27030 Inbound” -Protocol UDP -LocalPort 27014-27030 -Action Allow -Direction In
New-NetFirewallRule -Name “Steam_UDP_27014_27030_Out” -DisplayName “Steam UDP 27014-27030 Outbound” -Protocol UDP -LocalPort 27014-27030 -Action Allow -Direction Out

# ————————–
# Dedicated / Listen Servers (SRCDS) – optional separate rule
# ————————–
# Typically included in 27015-27050 above, but you can add explicit rules:
# New-NetFirewallRule -Name “Steam_TCP_SRCDS_27015_In” -DisplayName “Steam SRCDS RCON (27015) Inbound” -Protocol TCP -LocalPort 27015 -Action Allow -Direction In
# New-NetFirewallRule -Name “Steam_TCP_SRCDS_27015_Out” -DisplayName “Steam SRCDS RCON (27015) Outbound” -Protocol TCP -LocalPort 27015 -Action Allow -Direction Out

# New-NetFirewallRule -Name “Steam_UDP_SRCDS_27015_In” -DisplayName “Steam SRCDS Game (27015) Inbound” -Protocol UDP -LocalPort 27015 -Action Allow -Direction In
# New-NetFirewallRule -Name “Steam_UDP_SRCDS_27015_Out” -DisplayName “Steam SRCDS Game (27015) Outbound” -Protocol UDP -LocalPort 27015 -Action Allow -Direction Out

Additional Notes
If your Windows Firewall is already allowing all outbound traffic (the default in many configurations), you don’t actually need the -Direction Out rules.
If you have a block-by-default outbound policy, these rules become necessary to allow Steam to connect properly.
Final Summary
Fix Microphone Access: Make sure Windows privacy settings are correct, choose the correct mic in both Windows and Steam, disable exclusive mode, and reset any corrupted Steam voice configs.
Open Steam Ports: If needed, add inbound and outbound rules to Windows Firewall for Steam’s required ports. In many default setups, inbound rules suffice (outbound is already allowed).
Check for Group Policies, Antivirus blocks, or driver issues if problems persist.
Run Steam as admin (last resort) if everything else fails, though it’s better to fix the underlying permission issue if possible.
By following these steps, you should resolve microphone issues in Steam and ensure all Steam ports are properly open for downloads, voice chat, and multiplayer features. Good luck, and enjoy your gaming!

Below is an **additional section** that lists various **PowerShell commands** you can use to **troubleshoot or fix microphone issues** on Windows. These can supplement the main guide above.

> **Important**: Some of these commands modify the Windows Registry or system policy settings. Always proceed with caution. Ideally, back up your registry or create a system restore point before making major changes.

—

# Additional Part: Useful PowerShell Commands to Help Fix Microphone Issues

## 1. List All Microphone Devices

This command displays all audio endpoints that contain the word “Microphone” in their name, helping you identify how Windows sees your mic devices.

“`powershell
Get-PnpDevice -Class AudioEndpoint | Where-Object {$_.FriendlyName -like “*Microphone*”}
“`

– **FriendlyName**: Shows the device name as recognized by Windows (e.g., “Microphone (Realtek Audio)”).
– **Status**: Tells you if the device is **Enabled** or **Disabled**.

If the mic is disabled, you can enable it in **Control Panel → Sound → Recording** or via Settings → System → Sound (Win 11).
*(Unfortunately, there isn’t a simple built-in PowerShell cmdlet to enable/disable audio devices. You must do that via the GUI or third-party scripts.)*

—

## 2. Open Windows Privacy Settings for the Microphone

Instead of searching through Settings manually, you can jump straight to the microphone privacy page:

“`powershell
Start-Process “ms-settings:privacy-microphone”
“`

– Check if **“Allow desktop apps to access your microphone”** is ON.
– Verify **Steam** or other desktop apps are allowed.

—

## 3. Force-Enable Global Mic Access via Registry

If your **Windows Privacy** toggles are greyed out or “managed by organization,” you can force “Allow” at the registry level.
**Use caution**: This can override normal user interface toggles.

“`powershell
# 1) Global microphone access
Set-ItemProperty -Path “HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\CapabilityAccessManager\ConsentStore\microphone” `
-Name “Value” -Value “Allow” -Force

# 2) NonPackaged (classic desktop) apps
Set-ItemProperty -Path “HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\CapabilityAccessManager\ConsentStore\microphone\NonPackaged” `
-Name “Value” -Value “Allow” -Force
“`

**Afterwards**:
– Restart your PC or sign out/sign in.
– Open Settings → Privacy & security → Microphone to confirm changes.

—

## 4. Remove Group Policy Restrictions

If Windows shows **“Some settings are managed by your organization”**, it often means there’s a policy at:
“`
HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\AppPrivacy
“`
You can remove (or modify) the **LetAppsAccessMicrophone** parameter so the user regains control:

“`powershell
# Remove the policy param entirely
Remove-ItemProperty -Path “HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\AppPrivacy” -Name “LetAppsAccessMicrophone” -Force

# Alternatively, set “1” = user in control, “2” = forced allow
Set-ItemProperty -Path “HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\AppPrivacy” -Name “LetAppsAccessMicrophone” -Type DWord -Value 1
“`

Reboot to ensure the group policy override is lifted.

—

## 5. Quick Access to Sound Settings

### A) Open Windows Sound Settings (Windows 10/11)

“`powershell
Start-Process “ms-settings:sound”
“`
Here you can choose your **Default Input** device (microphone) and check levels.

### B) Open the Legacy “Sound Control Panel” (Recording Devices)

While not a direct cmdlet, you can do:

“`powershell
Start-Process “control.exe” -ArgumentList “mmsys.cpl,,1”
“`
– This opens the **Recording** tab of the classic Sound control panel, where you can:
– Right-click your microphone → **Properties** → **Advanced**
– Disable **Exclusive Mode**
– Adjust sample rate, etc.

—

## 6. Reset Steam Voice Configuration

If Steam’s voice config file is corrupted:

1. **Close** Steam (File → Exit).
2. **Rename** the `steamvoice.cfg` file to force Steam to recreate it.

Example (adjust path if Steam is installed elsewhere):

“`powershell
Set-Location “C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\config”
Rename-Item -Path “.\steamvoice.cfg” -NewName “steamvoice_old.cfg”
“`

Then restart Steam, open **Settings → Voice**, and set up your mic again.

—

## 7. Check or Edit Exclusive Mode via Registry (Advanced)

**Exclusive Mode** can also be influenced by registry settings, but it’s highly driver/device dependent. Generally, you must disable it via the **Sound Control Panel** (see step 5B).

> **No universal single registry path** covers exclusive mode for all audio devices. Typically, it’s per-driver or per-interface. So there’s **no** guaranteed single command here that works for everyone. The GUI approach is more reliable.

—

## 8. Open Windows Security (to Check for Microphone Blocking)

Some antivirus or Windows Defender features can block microphone access. Quickly open Windows Security:

“`powershell
Start-Process “windowsdefender://”
“`

Then look for **App & browser control** or **Privacy** settings that might restrict mic usage. If you use a third-party antivirus, open it directly or see if it offers a PowerShell interface.

—

## 9. List or Remove Any Existing Firewall Rules for Mic Apps (Optional)

If you suspect a firewall rule is blocking voice traffic for Steam or other apps, you can list relevant firewall rules:

“`powershell
# Show all firewall rules where the DisplayName or Name contains ‘Steam’
Get-NetFirewallRule | Where-Object { $_.Name -like “*Steam*” -or $_.DisplayName -like “*Steam*” }
“`

Remove a rule if it’s incorrectly blocking mic data:

“`powershell
Remove-NetFirewallRule -Name “SomeRuleNameBlockingSteam”
“`

*(Then re-add correct rules if needed — see the **Steam port** script in the main guide.)*

—

## 10. (Bonus) Checking Audio Driver Info

You can attempt to view installed drivers for your audio device via:

“`powershell
Get-WmiObject Win32_PnPSignedDriver | Where-Object { $_.DeviceName -like “*Audio*” } |
Select-Object DeviceName, Manufacturer, DriverVersion, DriverDate
“`

– **DriverVersion** and **DriverDate** can help you see if you’re using an older driver.
– Update from the OEM site if necessary.

*(No built-in direct “update driver” PowerShell command for standard Windows. You must manually install or use a vendor tool.)*

—

# Summary of These PowerShell Commands

1. **Get-PnpDevice -Class AudioEndpoint**: Lists audio endpoints, verifying microphone presence.
2. **Start-Process “ms-settings:privacy-microphone”**: Quickly open mic privacy settings.
3. **Registry edits** (Set-ItemProperty, Remove-ItemProperty): Force or remove mic-related policies.
4. **Sound Control Panel** via `Start-Process “control.exe” -ArgumentList “mmsys.cpl,,1″`: Adjust exclusive mode.
5. **Rename** Steam voice config if corrupted.
6. **Firewall checks** with `Get-NetFirewallRule` / `Remove-NetFirewallRule`.
7. **Check driver info** with WMI queries like `Get-WmiObject Win32_PnPSignedDriver`.

Using these commands in combination with the standard GUI steps can **speed up** troubleshooting and **fix** microphone issues—especially if the normal toggles are missing, locked by policy, or you want to quickly jump to the relevant settings.