Hearing other test-takers speaking their own Speaking responses nearby is a normal, expected part of testing at a TOEFL test center — rooms are shared, and speaking sections aren't perfectly synchronized across every test-taker. This is a logistics reality, not a sign anything has gone wrong with your session.
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Test centers run multiple test-takers through the exam simultaneously, and because everyone doesn't start at exactly the same moment or move through sections at the same pace, it's common for some test-takers to be in their Speaking section while others are still in Reading or Listening nearby. This is a structural feature of shared testing rooms, not a center-specific problem, and it happens at test centers generally, not just occasionally at a poorly run one.
Noise-canceling or sound-dampening headphones are standard equipment at TOEFL test centers specifically because this scenario is anticipated — you're not expected to tune out ambient noise unaided. If your headphones aren't reducing surrounding noise to a manageable level, raise it with test center staff before or during your session rather than trying to push through a genuine equipment issue.
Practicing with some background noise during your own prep — even something as simple as practicing Speaking responses with headphones on in a room with other ambient sound — builds tolerance for this exact scenario before test day, so it doesn't catch you off guard. Mentally, treat other test-takers' voices the same way you'd treat any background noise: notice it, then return focus to your own headphones and your own response, rather than trying to actively block it out, which tends to draw more attention to it.
Take the free TOEFL Benchmark Test and get your estimated band score in about 45 minutes.
There's a difference between normal ambient noise and a genuine disruption (equipment malfunction, unusually loud disturbance). If something feels like a real problem rather than expected background noise, raise it with the test administrator immediately rather than waiting until after your session — test centers have a process for addressing genuine disruptions in the moment, and reporting it after the fact limits what can actually be done.
See the full tradeoffs, including environment and proctoring differences.