In a push-to-talk device having two processors where one of the processors is a radio chip and one of the processors is a microprocessor, a method and apparatus for synchronizing the microprocessor and the radio chip includes the steps of checking the status of a radio push-to-talk key on the radio chip when a user push-to-talk button is turned on or off on the microprocessor; if the user push-to-talk button is on and the radio push-to-talk key is off, performing the steps of sending a command to the radio chip to turn on the radio push-to-talk key; and waiting for a response from the radio chip, and if the response indicates the radio push-to-talk key is on, remaining in this synchronized state, otherwise repeating the sending and waiting steps; if the user button is off and the radio push-to-talk key is on, performing the steps of sending a command to the radio chip to turn off the radio push-to-talk key; and waiting for a response from the radio chip, and if the response indicates the radio push-to-talk key is off, remaining in this synchronized state, otherwise repeating the sending and waiting steps; if the user push-to-talk button is off and the radio push-to-talk key is off, remaining in this synchronized state; and if the user push-to-talk button is on and the radio push-to-talk key is on, remaining in this synchronized state.