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Here are some tips for debugging echoes so that you can get back to the conversation as quickly as possible. If you're hosting a meeting with video conferencing software like Zoom, Google Meet, or Microsoft Teams, or if you're catching up with friends using apps like Discord and Facetime, you might experience voice echoing. Getting meetings started is one of the biggest challenges facing video conferencing users. You hear an echo when your voice is coming out of the speaker on the other end of the call and then back into the microphone in that same room, so the person (or room) on the other end of the meeting has to change something about their setup in order for you to be able to participate again. Surprising, right? In other words, nothing you do will make it go away. The next time this happens, there's one incredibly important thing you need to know: If you're hearing an echo, you're not causing the echo. You try to do whatever you can to fix it, like play with the volume on your computer or re-join the video meeting, but by the time you figure it out, you're off track and your productivity is shot. Your train of thought goes right out the window, and when you say, "I'm suddenly hearing an echo," everyone else shrugs their shoulders and moves on. It completely prevents you from being able to think, let alone contribute to the discussion. You might be trying your best to participate in the conversation, and then suddenly, everything you say echoes right back into your ears. If you're a remote employee or have ever joined a video call, you've probably experienced the dreaded sound of echoes. In 2020, we found that one of the top challenges remote workers face during video conference meetings is interruptions - and this hasn't changed.
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