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How to Voice Chat on PS4: Start or Join a Party

Learn how to start or join a PS4 party, use voice chat, fix microphone and audio problems, and check privacy settings that can block communication.
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To “call” someone on PS4, start or join a PlayStation party: press Up from the home screen, choose Party > Start Party, and follow the prompts. PS4 party chat is for live voice conversation with other party members; Sony’s instructions do not describe calling an ordinary phone number from the console.

Start a party or join a friend’s

  1. From the PS4 home screen, press Up to open the function screen.
  2. Select Party > Start Party.
  3. Choose Open Party or Closed Party, then follow the on-screen prompts.

To join an existing party, open Party and select it from the list. If a friend invites you, press the PS button to join; you can also find recent invitations under Notifications. Sony describes party communication as real-time voice chat for group members, alongside text messages (PlayStation Support: create and join a party on PS4).

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Choose who can join

  • Open Party: the owner’s friends and friends of party members can join, subject to the party’s settings.
  • Closed Party: access is limited to selected players.

The party owner can adjust party details and invitation settings, including requiring a request to join. Choose an open party for a broader gathering or a closed party when you want to keep the group limited.

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Use voice chat, mute, or send a text

Once you are in the party, speak through a connected microphone or headset. To mute yourself, press Options to open the Quick Menu and select Mute Microphone.

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Party voice chat and group messaging are separate ways to communicate. To send a group text, open Messages from the function screen, select Create Message, choose the recipients, enter your message, and send it.

Fix common microphone and sound problems

You cannot hear party members

  1. Open Settings > Devices > Audio Devices > Output Devices and check that the intended output is selected.
  2. If you are using headphones, check Output to Headphones.

Sony’s PS4 audio guidance says voice chat and game audio cannot be output to both the headset and TV at the same time under the described console specifications. Check the selected output if chat is going to an unexpected device (PlayStation Support: adjust PS4 audio settings).

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Your microphone does not seem to work

  1. Open Settings > Devices > Audio Devices > Adjust Microphone Level.
  2. Speak and watch the Input Volume meter. If it does not respond, Sony suggests trying a different headset or controller as a diagnostic check.

If you do not have a suitable microphone, or the input is not working, a PS4-compatible headset with a microphone may be an option. Compatibility varies by device; Sony’s guidance does not endorse a particular model.

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Choose whether party chat or game chat takes priority

Open Party > Party Settings > Chat Audio and select Prioritise Party Chat or Prioritise Game Chat. This controls which conversation takes precedence when both are available.

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Check privacy settings if invitations or chat fail

Communication restrictions can prevent another player from reaching you or joining a conversation. On PS4, go to Settings > Account Management > Privacy Settings, then select a feature to manage who may interact with you through parties, games, and messages. These settings are account-related; a family manager, parent, or guardian may manage settings for a child account (PlayStation Support: PS4 privacy settings).

Blocking also affects communication: blocked players cannot exchange messages or participate in each other’s parties. If both players are in the same party chat, they will not hear one another. Sony recommends controlling who can send messages and voice or chat invitations (PlayStation Support: block players).

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Use PlayStation App voice chat instead

If you want to chat through the PlayStation App, select a party from the app’s parties menu, then tap the Voice Chat icon to start talking with its members (PlayStation Support: voice chat on the PlayStation App). This is party voice chat through the app, not a call to a phone number.

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How many people can join a PS4 party?

Sony’s undated PS4 beginner guide says a party can have up to eight players (PlayStation Support: PS4 beginner’s guide). The newer party support page does not repeat that limit, so check the current on-console party settings if the precise maximum matters.

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Menu labels and paths can vary with system software or region. If you are recording or broadcasting, party audio is not automatically included: Sony says only players who have allowed their voices to be shared through Party Settings > Allow Your Voice to Be Shared are included (PlayStation Support: capture gameplay and screenshots on PS4).

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