Horrible microphone audio quality on calls

Koopa

Doesnt matter if Im on whatsapp call, snapchat call or other call.

When Im on a video call, it forces me to use "speaker microphone" , and to the receiver that is horrible quality. I can even hear it back. Its like a swarm of bees. When I'm not using video and using the normal microphone its not a problem. Ports are cleaned.

I cant find any settings that I could swap to fix it, any help?

SplatterGames

Koopa this sounds like a hardware issue where the top microphone is physically damaged or clogged by dust. You will most likely have the same symptoms when recording a selfie video.

Refer to the overview here, to determine where it is located and look up guides to clean it.

Novaliss

Koopa I recently had, at least similar symptoms on a laptop. Fixed by carefully approaching the mic opening with a neodymium magnet until at about 2cm distance, fine steel grains migrated over to the magnet. After this it performed like new.

In this case, the cause was me having welded and angle grinded a lot of (magnetic) metal. If this had been e.g. stainless steel or titanium, the magnet wouldn't fix the issue. So, it might be what @SplatterGames said, clogging, and it might be removable.

Koopa

Could be. I have cleaned all cavities with isopro alcohol, toothbrushlike brush, magnetic pin and problem still occurs.. It feels more like my volume intake is at 1000% when using the speaker microphone.

Johnnyloans

Koopa I have cleaned all cavities with isopro alcohol, toothbrushlike brush

With the few pixel phones I have used, they have a screen over the speaker and microphone hole at the bottom so I try not to push on it too much so it remains glued to the frame. Once it's dislodged, I'd imagine dirt could get in there.

Something to consider. Sounds like a hardware issue. You could try sideloading a full OTA .zip file. This will replace all of the OS and the process does not deliberately delete your data. Do not do anything in developer options for this. Turn off developer options -- this could be your issue.

https://grapheneos.org/usage#updates-sideloading

Settings > about phone > build number
Match that number to the end of one of the URLs below and use that file.

Normal
https://releases.grapheneos.org/tegu-ota_update-2026092500.zip

Security preview
https://releases.grapheneos.org/tegu-ota_update-2026092501.zip

Not really a fix but maybe a video call using the rear camera would use the other microphone on the back. You could record a short video using the rear camera and listen to see if that one has issues.

Koopa

Johnnyloans I guess thats true, but, point of video call is to see the other person as well for me.
I have recorded normal selfie video with front camera - no problem. The problem only occurs when I'm on a video call with someone, not during video recording etc.. Dunno. The only way I can describe it accurately is, as if my microphone volume intake is like 1000% while im using front / top mic.

SplatterGames

Koopa that sounds like one of the noise cancelling microphones might be bad. Can you turn off noise cancelling in the video call app you are using?

Johnnyloans

Koopa

What a strange situation.

Noise cancelling would be in use either 100% of the time or never if it's not available.

I'd try sideloading the OS if your comfortable.