Can’t hear ATC radio calls in FSX? Fix the Voice volume, playback device, COM radio, aircraft audio panel and damaged voice files.
If you can see ATC text but cannot hear radio calls in FSX, the usual cause is a muted Voice slider or a Voice playback device pointing to the wrong speakers or headset. Check FSX’s Sound settings first; if messages are absent too, inspect the active COM frequency, avionics power and audio-panel selection.
Why is FSX ATC text visible but the radio silent?
Visible ATC messages with no speech indicate that the ATC system is running, but its voice audio is muted or being sent to another device. FSX can route ordinary simulator sounds and voices separately, so engine noise may come through the speakers while ATC goes to a disconnected headset or unused monitor output.
Stock FSX also does not provide continuous background chatter. It speaks when the tuned facility has something to say, when you make a request, or when relevant AI traffic is using that frequency. A quiet frequency at an uncontrolled airport is not necessarily a fault.
How do I restore ATC radio sound in FSX?
Restore FSX ATC sound by checking the master sound control, Voice volume and Voice playback device in that order.
- Check the master sound toggle. Press
Q, which toggles all FSX sound by default. If engine and cockpit sounds are already audible, move to the next step. Our FSX keyboard-command reference also lists the standard ATC and radio controls. - Raise the Voice volume. Open Settings > Sound from the main screen, or the equivalent Sound settings through the in-flight Options menu. Make sure sound is enabled and move the Voice slider above zero.
- Select the correct Voice device. In the same Sound settings, set the voice output to the speakers or headset you actually use. FSX may show a physical device name or a generic primary sound driver. Choosing the same working output for both simulator sound and voice is the simplest diagnostic setting.
- Restart FSX after changing hardware. Connect a USB headset or select a new Windows output before launching FSX. This older simulator does not always handle an output device being disconnected or changed while it is running.
- Test a default aircraft. Load a default aircraft at a controlled airport with its avionics powered, open the ATC window and contact Ground or Tower. If the messages appear and speech returns, the FSX voice system is working.
- Inspect the Windows volume mixer. While FSX is running, confirm that the application is not muted and that its volume is high enough. Also check that Windows has not switched playback to an HDMI display, wireless headset or other unused output.
Is this an audio problem or a COM radio problem?
ATC text without sound usually means an audio problem; no response, missing menu choices or a silent manually tuned frequency usually points to the radio setup.
| Symptom | Most likely cause | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| No FSX sounds at all | Master sound or Windows output | Q, Windows mixer and playback device |
| Engines audible, ATC text visible, no voices | Voice channel muted or misrouted | Voice slider and Voice device |
| No ATC response or expected facility options | Wrong frequency or unpowered radio | Active COM frequency, avionics master and electrical power |
| Frequency entered but nothing received | Frequency left in standby | Use the transfer switch to move it to the active window |
| Default aircraft works, add-on aircraft does not | Add-on audio-panel or electrical simulation | COM receive selector, avionics bus and aircraft documentation |
| Controller audible but your pilot is silent | Pilot voice disabled | Enable a pilot voice and select an available voice |
For stock ATC, use COM1 as the first test and ensure the required frequency is in the active rather than standby window. The ATC menu can tune many facilities automatically, but manual tuning mistakes remain common; our guide to active and standby COM frequencies explains the correct sequence.
Detailed add-on aircraft may model an audio panel that the default aircraft largely abstracts. The battery, avionics bus and COM receiver may all need power, and the appropriate COM receive button may need to be selected. Loading a default aircraft provides a quick dividing line: if ATC works there, do not reinstall FSX—correct the add-on’s radio or electrical configuration instead.
If controllers are audible but your own readbacks are not, check the pilot-voice option rather than the radio. The available settings and voice choices are covered in our instructions for configuring FSX ATC voices.
What if FSX still has no ATC voices?
If the correct Voice device and volume do not restore speech in a default aircraft, temporarily remove voice, sound and ATC modifications before repairing the simulator’s original files.
- Disable relevant add-ons. Restore any modified ATC voice or sound files from your backup, or temporarily remove the add-on using its documented method.
- Repair the installation. In FSX: Steam Edition, verify the installed files through the Steam client. For boxed FSX, use the repair option from the original installation media where available. Back up modifications first because validation or repair can replace altered core files.
- Retest before reinstalling add-ons. Use a default aircraft and unchanged airport. Reintroduce audio or ATC modifications one at a time so the faulty component is identifiable.
If the ATC window, menu choices and radio interaction are also failing—not just the sound—work through our broader FSX ATC troubleshooting checklist instead.