What is Noise Cancellation and How to Enable It in Calling Apps?

Updated: April 2026

Silencing Background Noise on Calls

Keyboard clatter, whirring fans, barking dogs — your call participants hear it all unless something filters it out. That's where noise cancellation comes in: real-time audio processing that isolates your voice and strips away everything else.

This guide explains the technology behind it and walks through enabling noise suppression in Zoom, Discord, Microsoft Teams, and at the Windows system level.

What is Noise Cancellation

Noise cancellation is real-time audio processing using algorithms that:

  • recognize voice frequencies (approximately 80–4000 Hz);
  • attenuate sounds outside this range;
  • may use artificial intelligence (AI) for precise speech separation.

There are two types of noise cancellation:

TypeDescriptionExamples
HardwareBuilt into microphone or headsetJBL, Logitech, Razer
SoftwareWorks through software (Zoom, Discord, Windows)AI Noise Suppression, Krisp, RTX Voice

How to Enable Noise Cancellation in Popular Apps

1. Zoom

  1. Open Settings → Audio.
  2. In the Background Noise Suppression section, select level:
    • Auto — optimal mode;
    • High — for noisy rooms;
    • Low — if using professional microphone.

2. Discord

  1. Open User Settings → Voice & Video.
  2. Find Noise Suppression (Krisp) block.
  3. Toggle Enable Krisp.

Discord uses the Krisp AI library, which excellently filters keyboard and background speech.

3. Microsoft Teams

  1. Open Settings → Devices.
  2. In Noise suppression select:
    • Auto;
    • High — removes even fans;
    • Low — leaves natural background.

4. Windows 10/11

Some audio drivers (e.g., Realtek or Intel Smart Sound) have built-in noise cancellation:

  1. Right-click volume icon → Sounds.
  2. Recording tab → select microphone → Properties → Advanced.
  3. Check Noise Suppression or Echo Cancellation.

Alternative Solutions

  • NVIDIA Broadcast — eliminates noise using GPU, ideal for streamers.
  • Krisp.ai — standalone application for any messenger.
  • NoiseTorch (Linux) — open-source filter for PulseAudio.

Best Practices

  • Avoid stacking multiple noise-cancellation layers (e.g., Windows + Zoom + Krisp) — they can conflict and distort your voice.
  • If you sound "robotic" or metallic, dial back the suppression strength one notch.
  • Always preview the result on DoCam.io before a critical call.

Clean Audio, Every Call

That's all there is to it. With noise cancellation properly configured in your app of choice, your listeners will hear your voice — and nothing else. Adjust the strength to match your environment, and you're good to go.

Hear the difference yourself — test your mic with noise cancellation on DoCam.io.