Discord Mic Not Working? Fix It in Discord's Settings
Test your mic here first. If it works here, the fix is in Discord.
- Runs in your browser
- Nothing uploaded
- No sign-up
Step 1: Start
Press Start, then choose Allow when your browser asks.
Step 2: Talk
Your result shows here
Say a few words after you start. You get a plain answer in seconds.
Step 3: Hear yourself
Record up to 10 seconds and play it back. This is what your call hears. The clip stays in this tab.
Try saying: Peter picked six silver spoons from the sink.
Advanced
Press Start first. The numbers, spectrum, and checks fill in once the mic is on.
- Level
- -- dBFS
- Peak (session)
- -- dBFS
- Noise floor
- -- dBFS
- Clips
- 0
- Sample rate
- -- kHz
- Channels
- --
Talk for a few seconds to get input volume advice.
Plays your mic through your speakers or headphones as you talk.
Use headphones to avoid feedback. Speakers will squeal.
Stay silent for 3 seconds, then talk for 7. You get a grade for background noise, speech level, clipping, and clarity.
Your last two recordings stay here, labeled with the mic and processing used, so you can switch mics or settings and compare.
- Record a clip to start comparing.
dBFS means decibels relative to full scale: 0 dBFS is the loudest level digital audio can hold, so every reading is negative. Noise floor is the level of your quietest moments over the last few seconds. Changing a processing option restarts the mic; the value on the right is what your browser reports it applied.
First, prove your microphone works: run the test above. If the bars move and the verdict says your mic is working, the problem is inside Discord, and it is almost always the Input Device, the Input Mode, or the input sensitivity. The steps below go through each one.
Mic working here? Note its name in the Mic list, because that is the exact device to pick in Discord. Error or No sound here? Discord is not the cause; start with the mic not working guide.
Is it Discord or your microphone?
Run the test above before touching Discord. If it says Your mic is working, your microphone, cable, and operating system permission are fine, so the fault is a Discord setting. If it shows an error, No sound, or no microphone at all, fix that first, because no Discord setting can repair a mic the computer cannot hear.
Each result points to a different place:
- Working here, silent in Discord: Discord is using a different input, is set to Push to Talk, or its sensitivity threshold is cutting you off. Work through the fixes below in order.
- No sound here: the mic is connected but sending silence. Check for a mute switch on the headset or cable, or a mute key on your laptop. See the headset mic test for headset-specific checks.
- Blocked or not found here: the operating system or browser is blocking the mic. Windows users should read Windows 11 mic not working; laptop users, laptop mic not working.
Discord also needs its own operating system permission. Discord's guide says to make sure it has microphone access in Windows app permissions or in Privacy & Security on a Mac. On Windows, the Discord desktop app counts as a desktop app, so Let desktop apps access your microphone under Settings > Privacy & security > Microphone must be on.
How to fix your mic in Discord
Open User Settings with the cogwheel at the bottom left, then choose Voice & Video. Almost every Discord mic problem is solved on that one screen: the Input Device, the Input Volume, the Input Mode, and the sensitivity setting. Change one thing at a time and use Discord's own mic test after each change.
1. Pick the right Input Device
Go to User Settings > Voice & Video and open the Input Device dropdown. Choose the same microphone that worked in the test above, not "Default" if you have several mics. A headset, a webcam, and a laptop each add their own entry, and Discord can easily be listening to the wrong one.
Then check Input Volume on the same screen. If the slider is near zero, people will hear you faintly or not at all.
2. Run Discord's mic test
Under Mic Test, click Let's Check and speak. Discord plays your voice back through your selected output; click Stop Testing when done. This works in the desktop app and the browser version.
If Discord shows "Discord isn't detecting any input from your mic. Please check that you've selected the right input device", go back to step 1. If you run the test while in a voice channel, Discord mutes and deafens you until the test ends, so don't panic when your friends go quiet.
3. Check the Input Mode
Under Input Mode you choose Voice Activity or Push to Talk. Discord's own guide tells you to make sure you are not accidentally on Push to Talk. If you are, Discord sends nothing until you hold your keybind.
In the browser version, Push to Talk only works while the Discord window is in focus. If you alt-tab into a game, your key stops working. Use the desktop app, or switch to Voice Activity.
4. Fix the input sensitivity (voice cutting out)
With Voice Activity, Discord only transmits when your voice crosses a threshold. The toggle is Automatically determine input sensitivity. Discord recommends turning it off if your voice cuts off at the end of sentences or your volume seems to fluctuate.
- Turn off Automatically determine input sensitivity.
- Speak softly and watch the bar under the slider.
- Drag the marker so it sits between your softest voice and your background noise.
Voice Activity has a built-in delay of about 200 ms, so the first syllable after a long pause can be clipped. If that bothers you, Push to Talk avoids it.
5. Try noise suppression on and off
Discord includes Krisp noise suppression for free. Find it under User Settings > Voice & Video in the Noise Suppression section, or use the Noise Suppression icon while in a voice channel. Krisp runs on your device and only filters your side of the call.
It can also cause trouble. Discord notes it may lower quality if you have a good mic in a quiet room, and it turns itself off when your CPU is under heavy load. Its troubleshooting guide suggests switching noise suppression off to test, along with toggling Echo Cancellation, Noise Reduction, and Automatic Gain Control one at a time to see which one changes your sound.
6. Reset Discord's voice settings
If you have changed too much to remember, go to Voice & Video > Debugging and choose Reset Voice and Video Settings. This puts everything back to default; then set your Input Device again.
7. Windows only: Audio Subsystem and Run as administrator
On a Windows PC, scroll down in Voice & Video to Audio Subsystem and switch from Standard to Legacy (or from Legacy back to Standard), then run Let's Check again.
If that does not help, close Discord, right-click its shortcut, and choose Run as administrator. Discord also suggests turning off optional microphone enhancements in the Sound Control Panel: open the Recording tab, select your mic, and open its Properties.
8. Using Discord in a browser
Discord in a browser such as Chrome, Firefox, or Safari needs the site's microphone permission, just like this test. If the browser blocked it, change the permission for discord.com and reload. In Chrome, select the icon to the left of the web address, choose Site settings, and set Microphone to Allow. In Safari on a Mac, go to Safari > Settings > Websites > Microphone and set the site to Allow.
Steps from Discord's Voice and Video Troubleshooting Guide, Mic Testing, Voice Input Modes 101, and Krisp FAQ.
Discord mic symptoms and what they mean
Match what your friends report to the most likely Discord setting. "Can't hear you at all" is usually the wrong device or Push to Talk. "You keep cutting out" is usually input sensitivity. Odd, warbly, or thin sound usually comes from processing such as noise suppression or echo cancellation.
| Symptom | Most likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Nobody hears you at all | Wrong Input Device, Push to Talk on, or Input Volume at zero | Fixes 1 and 3 |
| Words cut off at the end of sentences | Automatic input sensitivity | Fix 4: set the slider by hand |
| You sound very faint | Low Input Volume, or the mic is far away | Raise Input Volume; check the level here first |
| You sound thin, warbly, or robotic | Noise suppression or other voice processing | Fix 5: toggle one setting at a time |
| Friends hear an echo of themselves | Your mic is picking up your speakers | Wear headphones; try Echo Cancellation on |
| Friends hear your game audio | Speaker sound reaching an open mic | Use headphones, or switch to Push to Talk |
Sounds bad but works? Record a clip in the test above and listen. If it sounds muffled on Bluetooth earbuds, they are in their hands-free call mode; see the AirPods mic guide. If it simply sounds cheap, a dedicated mic helps; see best USB microphones.
Discord mic questions
Why can't people hear me on Discord when my mic passes a test?
Because Discord keeps its own microphone choice. Open User Settings, then Voice and Video, and set Input Device to the exact mic that passed the test. Then check that Input Mode is not set to Push to Talk and that Input Volume is not turned down.
Why does my Discord mic keep cutting out?
Usually the automatic input sensitivity is set too high for your voice. Turn off Automatically determine input sensitivity and drag the slider marker between your softest speech and your background noise. Discord recommends this when your voice cuts off at the end of sentences.
Should I use Voice Activity or Push to Talk on Discord?
Use Voice Activity if you want hands-free talking in a quiet room, and Push to Talk if your room is noisy or you play loud games on speakers. Push to Talk sends nothing until you hold the key, so check it is not switched on by accident.
What does "Discord isn't detecting any input from your mic" mean?
It means Discord's mic test heard nothing from the selected input. Pick a different device in the Input Device dropdown, check any mute switch on your headset, and make sure Discord has microphone permission in your operating system.
Does Discord's Krisp noise suppression make my voice worse?
It can. Discord says Krisp may lower quality if you already have a good mic in a quiet room, and it switches off automatically under high CPU load. Turn it off in Voice and Video and compare how you sound.
How do I reset Discord's voice settings?
Open User Settings, then Voice and Video, then the Debugging tab, and choose Reset Voice and Video Settings. Everything returns to default, so you will need to pick your Input Device again afterward.
Why does Push to Talk stop working when I switch to my game?
In the browser version of Discord, Push to Talk only works while the Discord window is in focus. Install the desktop app if you need your keybind to work while playing, or switch to Voice Activity.
Does Discord's mic test work in the phone app?
No. Discord's Let's Check mic test is available on desktop and in the browser. On a phone, you can open this page in your mobile browser to check that the microphone itself picks up sound.
Why did my friends go silent when I tested my mic in Discord?
Running Discord's mic test while you are in a voice channel automatically mutes and deafens you until you stop testing. Click Stop Testing and you will hear the channel again.
What does the Legacy audio subsystem do in Discord?
It switches Discord on Windows to an older way of talking to your sound hardware. Discord suggests switching between Standard and Legacy as a fix when the mic is not picked up, so try the other option and test again.
Why can people barely hear me on Discord?
Most often the Input Volume slider in Voice and Video is low, or the mic is too far from your mouth. Check your level with the test on this page first, then raise Input Volume in Discord if the test shows a healthy level.