Checked October 1, 2026: Riot’s Patch 13.06 did not change HRTF, Speaker Configuration, volume sliders, or Mic Sensitivity Threshold. For clearer footsteps, use Sound Effects at 100% and choose one positional-audio path. The easy baseline is Stereo with Valorant HRTF on and Windows or headset surround off. For voice chat, start Mic Sensitivity Threshold around 45%, run Loopback Test, then lower it if the first part of your words gets cut off or raise it if keyboard and room noise keep opening the mic.
- Footsteps: Sound Effects 100% and music off or low.
- Easy headphone setup: Speaker Configuration Stereo, HRTF on, Windows/headset spatial audio off.
- Third-party spatial setup: Speaker Configuration Auto-Detect, Windows or headset spatial audio on. Valorant disables HRTF for this path.
- Speakers: Stereo, with HRTF and spatial audio off.
- Mic Sensitivity Threshold: start around 45%, then use Loopback Test. Lower it if words get clipped; raise it if room noise opens the mic.
If you are tuning a full setup, pair this with our Valorant sensitivity guide, Valorant keybinds guide, Valorant FOV and resolution guide, and current pro settings pages like Florescent, OXY, and Aspas.
Best Valorant audio settings for footsteps and HRTF
Use this as a starting point, then set the final listening level with your headset or system volume. Riot’s current audio system supports both its built-in HRTF and third-party spatial audio. They are alternatives, not effects you need to stack. HRTF is the clean default because it only needs a stereo headset or earbuds; Auto-Detect is for players who have a working spatial format enabled in Windows or their headset software.
| Setting | Recommended value | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Sound Effects Volume | 100% | Keeps footsteps, reloads, spike taps, and ability cues clear. |
| All Music Overall Volume | Off / disabled | Removes non-essential audio during rounds. |
| Speaker Configuration | Stereo for HRTF; Auto-Detect for third-party spatial audio | Use the mode that matches the spatial-audio path you actually enabled. |
| Enable HRTF | On for the Stereo/HRTF path | Helps headphone users place front, back, and vertical cues. Valorant turns it off when supported external spatial audio is active. |
| Windows/headset spatial audio | Off with HRTF; On with Auto-Detect | Prevents a mismatched configuration and missing or poorly placed sounds. |
| Mic Sensitivity Threshold | ~45% starting point | Balances voice pickup against keyboard and room noise. |
- Overall Volume: 100%
- Sound Effects Volume: 100%
- Voice-over Volume: 60%
- Video Volume: 100%
- All Music Overall Volume: Disabled
- Menu and Lobby Music Volume: Disabled
- Agent Select Music Volume: 50%
- VOIP Ducks Music: Enabled
- Mute Music When Game Window Out Of Focus: Personal preference
- Speaker Configuration: Stereo
- Enable HRTF: Enabled
Overall Volume controls all sounds in Valorant. Set this to 100%, and then use your headset or other external device to fine-tune the volume level to your liking. If you don’t have external volume controls, set this value to a number that feels comfortable for your ears.
Crank the Sound Effects Volume to the max so you don’t miss important audio cues like footsteps, abilities, and more.
Voice-over Volume is set to around 60% to still hear the announcer’s voice without drowning out sound effects or comms.
Video Volume affects the sounds played when previewing skins and items. Video Volume will not have any effect on gameplay, but you will want this all the way turned up.
Most competitive players prefer to disable All Music Overall Volume and Menu and Lobby Music Volume. Setting Agent Select Music Volume to around 50% can help alert you when it’s time to pick agents, but it won’t drown out teammate comms at the select screen.
VOIP Ducks Music turns down the music volume when teammates speak. This is useful so you don’t miss out on essential comms in-game.
Mute Music When Game Window Out Of Focus does not change what you hear during a round. Enable it if you want silence while tabbed out; otherwise leave it off.
The HRTF and spatial-audio section below shows both valid Speaker Configuration paths.
Valorant mic sensitivity threshold and voice chat settings
Mic Sensitivity Threshold decides how loud your voice must be before an open microphone starts transmitting. A lower value picks up quieter speech but also catches more keyboard, fan and room noise. A higher value blocks more background noise but can clip soft words. It does not make your mic louder; Mic Volume controls the level teammates receive.
Set your mic threshold in two minutes
- Open Settings > Audio > Voice Chat and select the microphone you actually use.
- Turn Loopback Test on and start Mic Sensitivity Threshold around 45%.
- Speak at your normal match volume, including short callouts such as “one A” and “flashing.”
- Lower the threshold if the start or end of words disappears. Raise it if keyboard taps or room noise trigger the mic.
- Turn Loopback Test off and check one custom game with a teammate before ranked.
| What you hear in Loopback Test | What to change | Why |
|---|---|---|
| The first syllable is missing | Lower Mic Sensitivity Threshold a little. | Your voice is not crossing the gate quickly enough. |
| Keyboard or fan opens the mic | Raise the threshold in small steps. | The gate is opening for background noise. |
| Voice is complete but too quiet | Raise Mic Volume, not the threshold. | The gate works; the transmitted level is low. |
| Nothing reaches the test | Choose the correct Input Device and check Windows microphone access. | The problem is device routing, not threshold. |
- Output Device: Default System Device
- Input Device: Default System Device
- Incoming Volume: ~70%
- Mic Volume: ~70%
- Loopback Test: Disabled
- Mic Sensitivity Threshold: ~45%
- Party Voice Chat: On
- Party Voice During Custom Game: On
- Party Voice Activation Mode: Push To Talk
- Team Voice Chat: On
The Output Device and Input Device settings should display the microphone and speakers you wish to use to talk in-game and hear Valorant’s audio.
Set Incoming Volume to around 70% to hear teammate comms. Adjust this accordingly if your teammates sound too loud or quiet while in-game. Then, set Mic Volume to around 70%. Mic Volume may need adjusting depending on how loud your mic sounds in-game.
Keep Loopback Test disabled unless you are testing your mic to ensure it’s working.
Mic Sensitivity Threshold decides how loud your voice must be before the mic opens. Start around 45% and speak at your normal callout volume in Loopback Test. Lower the threshold if the first part of your words disappears. Raise it if keyboard clicks, a fan, or room noise opens the mic when you are quiet.
Party, Team, and Custom Game Voice Chat should always be on so you don’t miss crucial comms while in game. Disable these settings if you use a different voice chat app to communicate with your team.
We prefer Push To Talk for voice chat in Valorant. We suggest binding this function to an input that works for you so it’s always in reach.
Best Valorant voice-over settings
- Gameplay: Enabled
- Agent Flavor: Disabled
- Tactical Callout: Enabled
- Emotes: Enabled
- Announcer: Enabled
- VOIP Ducks Flavor VO: Enabled
It’s best to keep all Voice-over settings Enabled except for Agent Flavor. Agent Flavor is the banter between agents that occurs before rounds. Agent Flavor can increase game immersion but may also be distracting for more competitive players.
How to change Valorant sound settings
Changing Valorant sound settings is simple and can be accomplished in a few easy steps.
First, you will want to change your settings in the firing range. Avoid changing settings while in a match so that your teammates don’t accuse you of throwing while you scroll through the menus.
Load up Valorant and select Play from the main menu. Then select Practice to see the list of available practice modes. Choose the Shooting Test option and select Enter Range. From here, take as long as you need to tinker with the Valorant audio settings.
Once in the Range, press the ESC key and choose the Settings option to bring up the list of available settings. Choose the tab labeled Audio and select the Sounds, Voice Chat, or Voice-Over tabs, depending on the Valorant audio settings you want to change.
Valorant HRTF vs third-party spatial audio
Both options can place sounds around a headphone listener. Riot says no particular HRTF solution has an automatic competitive advantage because the result depends on how well its anatomical model fits you. Test front/back placement in the Range or a quiet custom game and keep the option that sounds natural.
Option 1: use Valorant HRTF
- Open Settings > Audio > Sounds.
- Set Speaker Configuration to Stereo.
- Turn Enable HRTF on.
- Turn off Windows Spatial sound, virtual 7.1, and headset surround software while testing this path.
This is the safest starting point for normal stereo headphones and earbuds. You do not need a special gaming headset.
Option 2: use Windows or headset spatial audio
- Set Valorant’s Speaker Configuration to Auto-Detect.
- Enable your chosen spatial format in Windows Sound properties or the headset manufacturer’s software.
- Install the required headset drivers if you use USB virtual 7.1.
- Test Agent voice lines and sounds directly in front of and behind you before joining a match.
With Auto-Detect and computer spatial audio active, Valorant uses that spatial path and turns its own HRTF off. If Auto-Detect causes missing center or surround sounds, switch back to Stereo until the spatial software and drivers are working. Riot specifically warns against leaving Auto-Detect enabled on USB headphones without a working downmix.
What about speakers or mono audio?
Use Stereo with HRTF and spatial audio off for speakers. Riot designed both spatial options for headphones. Mono remains available for accessibility, but it cannot preserve the left/right timing differences used by HRTF or spatial audio.
How to hear footsteps in Valorant
Footsteps change with distance, elevation, movement speed, and the surface under the player. Keep Sound Effects at 100% and music off or low. Then verify that your Speaker Configuration matches your chosen headphone path: Stereo with HRTF, or Auto-Detect with supported spatial audio.
Valorant does not provide a separate footstep slider. Sound Effects controls footsteps, gunfire, reloads, spike taps, and ability cues together, so you cannot lower gun volume without also changing useful competitive sounds. Avoid copying a random equalizer curve: headset tuning varies too much for one EQ to work everywhere. Fix the in-game routing first, then make small EQ changes only if you can compare them on your own headset.
You do not need a specific gaming headset to use HRTF. A working pair of stereo headphones or earbuds is enough. Keep the volume at a level that lets you hear quiet movement without making gunfire uncomfortable. Once audio is sorted, our Valorant sensitivity guide and crosshair guide cover the other basics.
Does Valorant Patch 13.06 change these settings?
No. Riot’s September 22 Patch 13.06 notes do not change HRTF, Speaker Configuration, volume sliders, voice chat controls, or Mic Sensitivity Threshold. Keep the baseline above instead of resetting audio for the patch.
The patch does let PC players enter the Range while matchmaking. That is handy for checking whether footsteps sound centered and whether short callouts clear your mic gate, but finish any careful front/back comparison in a quiet custom game. Riot also expanded its voice evaluation system to Spanish, Portuguese, and Korean; that moderation change does not alter your input level or threshold.
Troubleshooting common Valorant audio problems
How do I change Audio Output for Valorant?
To change the audio output for Valorant, go into the Audio Settings and navigate to the Voice Chat tab. From there, select the Output Device setting. You should see a list of available devices for Audio Output. Select the device you want to hear from, and exit the settings menu.
If the in-game device is correct, check Windows too. Open Settings > System > Sound, choose the headset or speakers under Output, and make sure Valorant is not muted in the Volume mixer.
How to fix Valorant voice chat not working?
To fix Valorant voice chat not working, ensure that the correct input and output audio devices are selected. Go into the Voice Chat tab of the Audio Settings and click on the drop-down menus for Input Device and Output Device. Make sure these settings match the audio devices you wish to use.
Match Valorant’s Input and Output Device settings to the devices selected in Windows. Turn on Loopback Test to check the mic, then confirm that your Push To Talk key does not conflict with another voice app. Riot’s current troubleshooting order starts with those client checks before moving to Windows permissions or network fixes.
How to fix Valorant audio not working?
The first thing you want to do if Valorant’s audio is not working is check that your Volume levels in the Sound Settings menu are enabled and turned up. If you use external volume controls on your headset or elsewhere, confirm these are unmuted and turned up.
Then, double-check that you have the correct Output Device selected in the Voice Chat settings (see above).
Once the in-game controls look right, open Windows Settings > System > Sound > Volume mixer. Confirm that Valorant uses the intended output device and is not muted. Restart the Riot Client after changing devices so the game re-detects them cleanly.
Should Valorant be stereo or mono?
Use Stereo for Valorant if you are on a headset, earbuds, or normal two-speaker setup. Mono collapses directional audio into one channel, which makes footsteps and utility harder to place. Only use Mono if you have a single-speaker setup or a specific accessibility need.
What is the best mic sensitivity threshold in Valorant?
Start around 45%. If teammates say your voice cuts out, lower the threshold a little. If your keyboard, fan, or room noise keeps triggering voice chat, raise it. Use Loopback Test briefly while tuning, then turn it back off.
Should HRTF be on in Valorant?
Use HRTF with headphones if you are not using another supported spatial-audio format. Set Speaker Configuration to Stereo, turn HRTF on, and turn Windows or headset surround off. If you choose third-party spatial audio instead, set Valorant to Auto-Detect; the game turns its own HRTF off for that path.
Why are footsteps still hard to hear?
Check Sound Effects Volume first. Then make sure Speaker Configuration matches your audio path: Stereo with HRTF, or Auto-Detect with working spatial software. Auto-Detect without the right drivers can cause missing sounds. Raise Valorant’s Windows/app volume before reaching for aggressive EQ presets.
Sources and further reading
- Riot Games: Valorant Patch Notes 8.0 — Auto-Detect, third-party spatial audio, HRTF switching, USB headset drivers, speakers, and mono behavior.
- Riot Games: Valorant Patch Notes 13.06 — the September 22 update, Range in Queue, and current voice evaluation expansion.
- Riot Games: Valorant Patch Notes 2.06 — the original HRTF rollout and headphone guidance.
- Riot Games Support: Valorant Voice Chat Troubleshooting — device selection, Loopback Test, Push To Talk, and Windows troubleshooting.
One Response
Hello,
I am blocked, when playing game, the audio on my bluetooth headset, is swtiching in “mono”.
Could you help?
Frédéric