How to Use Your Local Webcam and Microphone When Remoting into Your Office PC

You fire up your remote desktop session, connect to the office computer, then hop into a Teams or Zoom meeting—and suddenly your webcam and microphone aren’t even an option. It worked flawlessly just a moment ago. What gives?

It’s simple: by remoting into your office PC, you’ve diverted all audio and video input to that machine. Your local webcam and mic stay behind on the home computer you’re sitting at. To leverage your own devices in the meeting, you need to join from the machine that has them plugged in.

The Core Issue

When you connect via Remote Desktop, all peripheral redirection defaults to the remote machine. If your webcam and microphone aren’t connected there, Teams/Zoom on that PC can’t see them.

Key points:

• Remote Desktop redirects display and sometimes drives, but not USB audio/video by default.

• The office PC assumes it’s running locally, seeking hardware that isn’t present.

• Your home PC holds the only active camera and microphone.

The Simple Fix

1. Join the Meeting Locally
   On your home computer, start the Teams or Zoom session like you normally would. Confirm your webcam and microphone are detected and working.

2. Trigger Screen Sharing
   Before remoting in, begin sharing your screen or a specific application window. You’ll see your desktop appear in the meeting.

3. Remote into the Office Computer
   With your shared screen live, launch your Remote Desktop connection to the office PC. Your meeting continues to broadcast whatever the remote session displays.

4. Interact Seamlessly
   Navigate on the office machine, open documents, launch apps, and the meeting attendees see your remote PC’s screen while still hearing and seeing you from your home setup.