How to Enable TTY Mode in Microsoft Teams

Teletypewriter (TTY) mode is a specialized accessibility feature designed for users who are deaf or hard of hearing. It allows you to send and receive text during a phone call using a physical TTY device. Why use this? It bridges the gap for inclusive communication, ensuring everyone can participate in voice calls via text.

Hardware Requirements and Setup

Warning: You must have a physical TTY device connected to your computer to use this feature. Teams cannot emulate TTY functionality through software alone. You will need a serial-to-USB adapter to connect your hardware to your PC. What happens when done? Once connected, your computer recognizes the device as an audio input/output, allowing Teams to route text data through the phone line.

How to Enable TTY Mode in Microsoft Teams

Follow these steps to configure your settings. Note: This requires standard user permissions, but ensure your audio drivers are up to date.

1. Launch the Microsoft Teams app from your Start menu.

2. If the app is already running, you can find it on your Taskbar.

3. Click the Settings and more (…) icon near your profile picture and select Settings.

4. Navigate to the Accessibility tab on the left sidebar.

5. Under the Hearing section, toggle the switch for Teletypewriter (TTY) mode to On.

6. Click Save to apply changes.

Troubleshooting TTY Device Issues

If your device is not detected, check your Windows Sound settings. Ensure the device is not being used by another application. You may need to verify that your audio drivers are correctly installed in C:\Windows\System32\drivers. If the issue persists, restart the Teams client to refresh the hardware handshake.

Broader Accessibility Context

Teams offers several tools for inclusive communication. While TTY is for hardware-based text communication, Live Captions provide real-time text for spoken audio using AI. Sign Language View allows users to prioritize video feeds of sign language interpreters. For more information, visit the official Microsoft Accessibility support documentation.

Summary

Enabling TTY mode ensures that users with TTY hardware can participate in calls effectively. By navigating to Settings > Accessibility, you can toggle this feature on. Remember that this requires physical hardware and is only available in the desktop version of Teams. Use this alongside Live Captions and Sign Language View to create a fully inclusive meeting environment.