My air pods are extremely quiet on Teams and I can barely hear the conversation

Hello @Dejan Krstic

Since we already have quite a lot of information, I would like to first review and confirm your issue, then analyze the situation, and finally suggest some targeted troubleshooting steps to check.

You are using:

• A Dell laptop running Windows 11
• Microsoft Teams (Desktop, work account)
• AirPods connected via Bluetooth

The issue you are experiencing:

• Occurs only in Microsoft Teams
• Does not occur in other applications (for example: system sounds, browser audio, or media playback)
• Persists even after adjusting Teams device settings, Windows sound settings, exclusive mode, and performing test calls

This tells us that the situation is not caused by a general Windows or hardware issue, but is more likely related to how Teams interacts with Bluetooth audio and system components on this device.

With that in mind, the next steps will focus on Teams‑specific behavior and system interactions, rather than repeating basic troubleshooting. I will walk through this step‑by‑step in a clear and practical way

1/ Check Microsoft Teams Volume

Sometimes Teams is simply turned down by itself.

• Open Microsoft Teams
• Join a meeting, or click: Settings -> Devices -> Make a test call

While you hear sound:

• Look at the bottom‑right corner of your screen
• Right‑click on the “Speaker” icon, as shown in the red circle in the image
• Click "Open volume mixer"
• Find Microsoft Teams in the list
• Make sure: Volume is all the way up/ Not muted

If Teams volume was low -> problem solved.

2/ Make sure AirPods are not in “Hands‑Free” Mode

Go to Window Search Bar

Search for "Bluetooth & devices" category from the left side.

Now, click "Devices".

Scroll down and click on the "More devices and printers settings".

Right-click on your Bluetooth device and select "Properties".

Go to the "Services" tab.

If the "Handsfree Telephony" checkbox is already selected, the option is enabled. To disable it, uncheck the checkbox.

Click "Apply" and then click "OK".

• Close Microsoft Teams
• Open Teams again and test audio

If you still need my assistance, please come back with screenshots or any additional details so I can review it again and see if there’s anything more I can help you with.  

Have a nice day!

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Because audio is low only in Teams and all basic checks were already done, focus on three areas: Teams device settings, Windows per‑app volume, and Windows audio configuration/driver.

Follow these steps in order:

1. Verify Teams is really using the AirPods and not a “hands‑free” profile
   • In Teams, go to Settings and more > Settings > Devices.
   • Under Audio > Audio settings, check the Speaker dropdown.
   • If there are multiple entries for the AirPods (for example one with “Hands‑Free” and one with “Stereo”), select the non–hands‑free / stereo entry. Hands‑free profiles are often much quieter and lower quality.
   • Run Make a test call again after changing this.
2. Check Windows per‑app volume for Teams
   • Right‑click the Speakers icon on the taskbar.
   • Select the settings icon next to the volume slider to open Volume mixer (tooltip: More mixer settings).
   • In the list of apps, find Microsoft Teams.
   • Make sure the Teams volume slider is turned up and not muted, and that the Output device for Teams is set to the AirPods.
   • Also confirm the main System volume is turned up.
3. Turn off audio enhancements on the AirPods output
   • Select Start > Settings > System > Sound.
   • Under Output, select the AirPods.
   • Find Audio enhancements and turn them Off.
   • Test again in Teams.
4. Try a different default format for the AirPods
   • In Settings > System > Sound, under Output, select the AirPods.
   • Select Advanced.
   • Under Default format, choose a different format (for example another sample rate/bit depth), apply, and test Teams again.
5. Confirm the device is enabled and not being limited by Windows
   • In Settings > System > Sound, under Advanced, select More sound settings.
   • On the Playback tab, select the AirPods and choose Properties.
   • On the General tab, ensure Device usage is set to Use this device (enable).
   • On the Levels tab, make sure the level is at or near 100 and not muted.
6. Update or reinstall the audio driver
   • Press Start, type Device Manager, and open it.
   • Expand Sound, video and game controllers.
   • Right‑click the main audio device (for example Realtek, Intel/AMD audio, or similar) and select Update driver.
   • Restart Windows and test Teams.
   • If the issue persists, uninstall that audio device in Device Manager and restart so Windows reinstalls a fresh driver, then test Teams again.
7. Cross‑check with other calling apps
   • Join a call in another VoIP app (for example a browser‑based meeting) using the AirPods.
   • If volume is normal there but still low only in Teams after all steps above, keep Teams updated and repeat Settings > Devices > Make a test call after any driver or format change so Teams re‑detects the device.

If after all of this the AirPods are still quiet only in Teams on this PC, but work normally in Teams on another device, this strongly points to a local Windows audio stack/driver issue; in that case, fully reinstalling the audio driver from the PC manufacturer and re‑checking the Windows sound settings and Teams device selection is the next step.

References:

• Manage audio settings in Microsoft Teams meetings
• Fix low or quiet sound in Windows
• Fix sound or audio problems in Windows
• My speaker isn't working in Microsoft Teams
• The volume of the incoming audio is low