push to talk

Definition

Push to talk (PTT) is a voice-chat mode where the microphone is muted unless the player holds a designated key. PTT prevents background noise (keyboard, fan, family) from broadcasting to teammates. It is the recommended default in any serious or comp environment because the noise floor of voice activity in 5+ player calls quickly degrades comms quality.

Example

"Use PTT — your chair noise is constant." The teammate is asked to switch to push-to-talk because their chair squeak is distracting.

Related terms

• voice chat
• voice activity
• comms