Hearing Echo or Your Own Voice in Headphones — How to Fix It
If you hear yourself echoing back through your headphones during calls, recording, or streaming, here is what causes it and how to stop it immediately.
You might be experiencing this if…
- →You hear your own voice played back with a delay while speaking
- →Call participants say they hear an echo of themselves
- →Your voice echoes in your headphones while recording in a DAW
- →There is a faint copy of everything you say slightly after the original
Step-by-step fix
- 1
Identify where the echo is coming from
There are two distinct types of echo. Type 1 — you hear your own voice: this is monitoring feedback, usually caused by software monitoring being enabled alongside direct monitoring. Type 2 — your call partner hears an echo: your microphone is picking up your headphone audio and transmitting it back to them. The fix for each is different.
- 2
Fix Type 1: Disable software monitoring in your DAW
In your DAW (GarageBand, Logic, Reaper, Audacity), go to audio preferences and disable 'Software Monitoring' or 'Input Monitoring'. Instead, use your interface's direct monitoring — the Mix knob on the Focusrite Scarlett blends your direct mic signal (zero latency) with the DAW playback without the software roundtrip delay that causes echo.
Pro tip
Direct monitoring is always the better choice during recording. Software monitoring adds the latency of your buffer size — at 512 samples and 48kHz, that is 10.7ms of delay, which is clearly audible as an echo.
- 3
Fix Type 2: Stop your mic from picking up headphone audio
If call participants hear themselves echoing, your microphone is capturing your headphone or speaker audio and transmitting it. Use closed-back headphones — they prevent audio from leaking out of the ear cups. Reduce headphone volume. Move the microphone further from the headphones or speakers.
- 4
Check for loopback or stereo mix settings
Windows has a 'Listen to this device' option (Sound → Recording → Properties → Listen tab) that routes microphone audio to your speakers or headphones — creating an echo. Disable this. Some interfaces have a 'Loopback' feature that routes computer audio back into the recording input — ensure this is disabled if you do not intentionally need it.
- 5
On video calls — mute yourself when not speaking
If echo appears only on video calls (Zoom, Teams, Meet), the call software's echo cancellation has failed. Enable 'Original Sound' in Zoom to disable Zoom's processing (which can create artifacts), or ensure that the call software has selected the correct microphone and headphone devices. Muting yourself when not speaking eliminates the problem entirely for listeners.
Gear that prevents this problem
If the steps above did not fully resolve the issue, the hardware below is a proven upgrade that eliminates this problem at the source.
Audio-Technica ATH-M50x
Closed-back headphones prevent headphone audio from leaking into your microphone — eliminating the most common cause of echo on calls. The ATH-M50x's sealed design provides excellent isolation at both ends.
$130
⭐ 4.7
Focusrite Scarlett Solo (4th Gen)
The Scarlett Solo's direct monitoring (Mix knob on the front panel) routes your microphone to your headphones with zero latency — no software roundtrip, no echo. The correct alternative to software monitoring in your DAW.
$120
⭐ 4.7
🚀 All items ship free with Amazon Prime. Try free for 30 days.
Frequently asked questions
Why do I hear myself when recording in GarageBand or Logic?
Input monitoring is enabled in your DAW while direct monitoring is also on — you are hearing yourself twice. Turn off software/input monitoring in your DAW preferences and monitor only through your interface's direct monitoring (Mix knob on Focusrite Scarlett interfaces).
Why do people on Zoom hear themselves echoing?
Your microphone is picking up your headphone or speaker audio and sending it back to other participants. Use closed-back headphones (ATH-M50x, Sony MDR-7506), lower your headphone volume, or move your microphone away from your headphones. Zoom's echo cancellation handles minor reflections but not significant bleed from open-back headphones or speakers.
What is direct monitoring and should I use it?
Direct monitoring routes your microphone signal from the interface's preamp directly to its headphone output — bypassing the computer entirely. This produces zero perceptible latency. Use it whenever you are recording and want to hear yourself. Software monitoring (via your DAW) adds the buffer-size delay and should be disabled during recording to avoid echo.