Best Arc Raiders Audio Settings
In ARC Raiders, bad audio settings do not just sound messy. They can bury footsteps, blur door movement, and turn voice chat into clutter instead of useful information.
This matters most for headset players who want better awareness in live raids. It also matters for squad players who need party chat and proximity chat to stay readable without covering up combat cues.
This guide only uses setting names that currently exist in the live ARC Raiders menu. It gives you a clean baseline first, then the shortest diagnostic forks if the problem is voice-only, console-only, or tied to Raider Voice.
Every setting name below matches the current Audio menu. There are no made-up presets, no fake sound modes, and no invented percentages pretending to be universal.
ARC Raiders Audio Assumptions
Headset Baseline
Start with Stereo / Headphones if you play on a headset and want the safest directional baseline.
Awareness Boost
Set Music During Gameplay to Off and Music Volume to 0 for the cleanest raid mix.
Stability Baseline
Leave Raider Voice Heard by on Off for the cleanest baseline and fewer beta-related headaches.
ARC Raiders Audio Snapshot
Start here if you want the shortest answer. These are the current menu settings worth testing first, with the headset baseline leading the way.
Audio Profiles
LIVE MENU SETTINGS ONLY
Slider Preview
Voice bars only rise when the selected profile actually uses in-game voice.
| Setting | Default | Baseline | Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Output Mode | Stereo / Headphones | Stereo / Headphones | Headset-first directional baseline. |
| Night Mode | Off | On To Test | Keep only if it separates cues better for you. |
| Mute Game When Minimized | On | Preference | Workflow toggle, not a raid advantage. |
| Music During Gameplay | On | Off | Removes an avoidable layer during raids. |
| Master Volume | 75% | Personal | Set by comfort, not by fake precision. |
| Effects Volume | 100% | 100% | Keep combat and movement cues full scale. |
| Music Volume | 100% | 0 | Hard cut for cleaner awareness. |
| Dialogue Volume | 100% | 100% To Start | Only reduce it if voice lines mask cues for you. |
| Party Voice Chat Volume | 100% | 100% | Start at default. |
| Proximity Voice Chat Volume | 140% | 140% | Start at default. |
| Enable Voice Chat | On | On If Used | Turn it off if you are fully external voice only. |
| Voice Chat Input Device | System Default | System Default Or Manual Correct Device | Manual only if routing is wrong. |
| Microphone Test | N/A | Use After Device Changes | Quick confirmation step. |
| Voice Chat Output Device | System Default | System Default Or Manual Correct Device | Manual only if routing is wrong. |
| Automatic Gain Control | On | On | Stable mic level for in-game voice. |
| Party Voice Chat Mode | Open Microphone | Push to Talk | Intentional squad comms. |
| Proximity Voice Chat Mode | Push to Talk | Push to Talk | Avoids leaking info to nearby Raiders. |
| Raider Voice Heard by | Off | Off | Cleanest baseline. It stays beta. |
| Raider Voice Selection | Depends On Appearance | Ignore While Off | Only matters if Raider Voice is enabled. |
The PC headset baseline is the main answer. Solo players can disable in-game voice entirely, and console players should keep the same mix before they start touching platform audio formats.
ARC Raiders Audio Forks
Use these forks to avoid changing five settings when you only need one.
If combat cues are getting covered up, go to ARC Raiders Music Mix first.
If sound direction feels wrong on a headset, go to ARC Raiders Output Mode.
If the problem is only party or proximity chat, go to ARC Raiders Voice Chat Devices.
If the mix only sounds wrong on PS5 or Xbox, go to ARC Raiders Console Audio.
If crashes started after voice effects or voice changes, go to ARC Raiders Raider Voice.
ARC Raiders Output Mode
Fix Type: Root Cause Fix.
For a headset, start with Output Mode set to Stereo / Headphones. It is the safest baseline and the least likely to fight extra platform processing.
- Open Settings.
- Select Audio.
- Set Output Mode to Stereo / Headphones.
- Queue into a raid or the Practice Range.
- Turn your camera around a moving cue like a teammate, a door, or flying ARC.
If you play on TV speakers, a soundbar, or a receiver, skip ahead to the console section before you assume the headset baseline is wrong.
ARC Raiders Music Mix
Fix Type: Symptom Reducer.
This is the lowest-risk change in the guide. If music is still running during raids, it competes with the cues you actually need.
- Open Settings.
- Select Audio.
- Set Music During Gameplay to Off.
- Set Music Volume to 0.
- Start a raid and listen for footsteps, doors, and flying ARC.
ARC Raiders Night Mode
Fix Type: Diagnostic.
Night Mode is real. It is also the only setting in this guide that you should treat as a test, not a blind permanent rule.
Start with it On, then compare it against Off in the same kind of raid. Keep the version that separates cues better for you.
- Set Night Mode to On.
- Run one raid or one Practice Range pass.
- Listen for footsteps, doors, and flying ARC in both indoor and outdoor space.
- If the mix feels flatter or your own movement becomes harder to ignore, set Night Mode to Off.
- Keep the state that makes cue separation easier for you.
ARC Raiders Volume Mix
Fix Type: Symptom Reducer.
Do not chase fake precision here. Effects Volume should stay full, Dialogue Volume can stay at default to start, and Master Volume should be set by comfort.
- Set Effects Volume to 100.
- Leave Dialogue Volume at 100 to start.
- Raise or lower Master Volume until quiet cues are audible without strain.
- Run one raid and listen in a building, near a door, and in open space.
- Only lower Dialogue Volume if spoken lines are the specific thing masking cues for you.
ARC Raiders Voice Chat Modes
Fix Type: Root Cause Fix.
Push to Talk is the safest competitive baseline. It stops accidental hot mic noise and keeps proximity chat intentional.
- Open Settings.
- Select Audio.
- Open Party Voice Chat.
- Set Party Voice Chat Mode to Push to Talk.
- Open Proximity Voice Chat.
- Set Proximity Voice Chat Mode to Push to Talk.
- Confirm your Push To Talk and Push To Talk (Proximity Voice Chat) binds are reachable.
If you only use trusted party comms and never want to talk to nearby players, you can test Open Microphone for Party Voice Chat Mode while keeping Proximity Voice Chat Mode on Push to Talk.
ARC Raiders Voice Chat Mix
Fix Type: Symptom Reducer.
The current defaults already do the smart thing here. Party Voice Chat Volume starts at 100, and Proximity Voice Chat Volume starts higher at 140.
- Set Party Voice Chat Volume to 100.
- Set Proximity Voice Chat Volume to 140.
- Join a squad and test both party chat and proximity chat in one session.
- If proximity feels too dominant, lower Proximity Voice Chat Volume in small steps.
- If party is too quiet, raise Party Voice Chat Volume in small steps.
ARC Raiders Voice Chat Devices
Fix Type: Root Cause Fix.
This is the section that matters if ARC Raiders is using the wrong mic or the wrong output. The game currently includes Enable Voice Chat, Voice Chat Input Device, Voice Chat Output Device, Automatic Gain Control, and Microphone Test.
- If you do not use in-game voice at all, set Enable Voice Chat to Off and stop here.
- If you do use in-game voice, set Enable Voice Chat to On.
- Leave Voice Chat Input Device on System Default only if the correct mic is already active.
- If it is not, manually choose the correct mic under Voice Chat Input Device.
- Leave Voice Chat Output Device on System Default only if the correct headset or speakers are already active.
- If it is not, manually choose the correct output under Voice Chat Output Device.
- Set Automatic Gain Control to On.
- Run Microphone Test.
ARC Raiders Raider Voice
Fix Type: Root Cause Fix.
Raider Voice Heard by should stay Off for the cleanest baseline. It adds a beta voice layer that you do not need for awareness or stable comms.
If you want it for fun later, turn it on after the rest of your audio is already working. Do not start your tuning with the beta feature enabled.
- Open Settings.
- Select Audio.
- Open Raider Voice Beta.
- Set Raider Voice Heard by to Off.
- Ignore Raider Voice Selection while Raider Voice is off.
- Play one raid and judge clarity and stability again.
If you insist on using Raider Voice, pair it with Push to Talk instead of Open Microphone.
ARC Raiders Console Audio
Use these only if you are on console and the in-game baseline still sounds wrong.
ARC Raiders PlayStation Audio
Fix Type: Root Cause Fix.
On PS5, check Output Mode in-game first. If the mix still sounds wrong, test PS5 3D Audio off before you blame the game mix itself.
- Launch ARC Raiders and open Settings.
- Select Audio.
- Make sure Output Mode matches the device you are actually using.
- Open PS5 Settings.
- Open Sound.
- Open Audio Output.
- Turn 3D Audio (Headphones) off.
- Test the same raid or the same area again.
ARC Raiders Xbox Audio
Fix Type: Root Cause Fix.
On Xbox, check Output Mode in-game first. If the mix still sounds wrong, test Stereo Uncompressed before you stick with Dolby Atmos or DTS.
- Launch ARC Raiders and open Settings.
- Select Audio.
- Make sure Output Mode matches the device you are actually using.
- Press the Xbox button.
- Open Settings.
- Open General.
- Open Volume & Audio Output.
- Set Headset Format to Stereo Uncompressed.
- Test the same raid or the same area again.
ARC Raiders Audio FAQs
Start with Output Mode on Stereo / Headphones, Music During Gameplay off, Music Volume at 0, Effects Volume at 100, Dialogue Volume at 100 to start, Automatic Gain Control on, and Raider Voice Heard by off.
Start with it on, then test it against off in the same kind of raid. Keep the state that separates cues better for you.
Yes, if your goal is cleaner awareness. It removes one of the easiest sources of avoidable audio clutter.
For a headset, Stereo / Headphones is the safest baseline. Use System Default only if your platform audio chain is already behaving correctly.
Use Push to Talk for Party Voice Chat Mode and Proximity Voice Chat Mode, keep Automatic Gain Control on, and verify the correct input and output devices.
The game may still be following System Default. Manually choose your preferred mic under Voice Chat Input Device if the wrong device is active.
Not for a clean baseline. Leave Raider Voice Heard by off unless you specifically want the effect and accept that it is still beta.
Check Output Mode in-game first. If the mix still sounds wrong, test PS5 3D Audio off.
Check Output Mode in-game first. If the mix still sounds wrong, test Stereo Uncompressed instead of Dolby Atmos or DTS.
Start there. Only lower it if spoken lines are the specific thing masking cues you care about.