WhatsApp's mic goes mute on Android during background calls

For months now, a growing chorus of frustrated voices has been echoing through online forums, all pointing to a bizarre issue: outgoing WhatsApp calls go mute the moment users switch to another app or let their screens dim. And no, it’s not just an isolated incident. The problem seems to span across multiple Android brands, from Google and Samsung to Motorola.

The saga began back in the days of Android 14 and has persisted well into Android 15, affecting both stable and beta versions. Whether you’re wielding a Pixel 9 Pro XL, a Galaxy S24, or a Moto Edge 50 Fusion, the symptoms are eerily similar. You’re mid-conversation, you decide to check an email or send a quick text, and suddenly, the person on the other end can’t hear a thing. It’s as if your microphone has vanished into thin air.

Affected users initially hoped that upgrading to Android 15 would spell the end of their troubles. But the glitch remains stubbornly glued to their devices. Some even found that the issue worsened after the update. Despite trying everything from reinstalling WhatsApp to fiddling with permissions, the microphone still refuses to cooperate unless WhatsApp is the star of the show, sitting front and center on their screens.

While some believe it’s a permissions issue, speculating that the system doesn’t treat an active call as enough reason to keep the mic alive when multitasking. Others think it’s a battery optimization feature gone rogue, putting WhatsApp to “sleep” the moment users try to do anything else.

The frustration is palpable. Imagine being in the middle of a crucial conversation, only to have your voice cut out because you dared to glance at another app. The workarounds suggested by some — keeping the screen on or never leaving the WhatsApp app — feel like a throwback to the pre-multitasking era. It’s a significant inconvenience in a world where seamless multitasking is the norm.

The list of affected devices reads like a who’s who of the Android world. Pixel 6, 7, 8, 9, Samsung Galaxy S24, and even the Moto Edge series — all are grappling with this audio abyss. And while incoming calls seem to work just fine, it’s the outgoing ones that are driving users up the wall.

Despite the growing uproar, neither Google nor WhatsApp has delivered a definitive fix. Some users have resorted to drastic measures, like rolling back to older WhatsApp versions or abandoning the Android beta programs altogether. Others are clinging to hope, waiting for a magical update that will finally exorcise this glitch from their devices.

Until then, the advice from the trenches is simple: if you’re making a WhatsApp call, don’t multitask. Keep the app open, and for heaven’s sake, don’t let your screen go dark. It’s a quirky, somewhat frustrating workaround in the age of smartphones, but for now, it’s the best we’ve got.