Microphone Not Working? How to Fix It
Press Start, allow the mic, and talk. The result points to the fix.
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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.
Start with the test above. Press Start, allow access, and speak. The verdict or error tells you which of four problems you have: blocked access, the wrong device, a mute switch, or another app holding the mic. Then jump to the matching fix.
Got a verdict or an error message? Find it in the table below for the exact fix. If the test says your mic is working, the problem is inside the app you are calling from.
Match your test result to the fix
Each result points to a different cause. An error before the meter moves means the browser or operating system blocked the microphone. A verdict after the meter starts means the mic opened, so the issue is level, mute, or device choice. "Working here but not in an app" means the app's own setting is wrong.
| What the test shows | What it means | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Permission blocked | You, or an earlier visit, chose Block for this site. | Reset the site permission in your browser (fix 1 below), then press Start again. |
| Prompt dismissed | The permission box was closed without an answer. | Press Start and choose Allow. Chrome may stop asking for a while after several dismissals, so reset the permission if no box appears. |
| Blocked by your system | Windows or macOS is denying the browser itself. | Turn on microphone access for the browser in your OS privacy settings (fix 2), then restart the browser. |
| No microphone found | The browser cannot see any input device. | Check the cable or Bluetooth connection, then the OS input list and drivers (fixes 3, 6, 7, 8). |
| Mic busy or in use | The device exists but could not be opened, often because another app has it. | Close Zoom, Teams, Discord, OBS, or any recorder, then try again (fix 5). |
| No sound | The mic opened but sends pure silence. | Look for a mute key, switch, or button (fix 4), or pick another input from the device list. |
| Too quiet | Sound gets through but it is faint. | Move closer and raise the input volume in your OS sound settings. |
| Too loud | Peaks hit 0 dBFS and distort. | Back away from the mic or lower its input volume. |
| Works here, not in an app | Your mic and browser are fine. | Pick the same mic in the app's audio settings, and on Windows allow desktop apps (see the app section below). |
Disconnected mid-test? If the test stops with a disconnect message, the device dropped out: a loose cable, a Bluetooth headset that went to sleep, or a USB port losing power. Reconnect it and press Start again.
The universal fix checklist, in order
Work through these eight checks from the top. They are ordered from the most common and quickest cause to the least common. Rerun the test after each one, because the moment the verdict changes you have found your problem and can stop there.
1. Allow the microphone in your browser
Browsers ask once per site, and a single Block sticks until you reset it.
- Chrome on a computer: select View site information to the left of the web address, choose Site settings, and set Microphone to Allow. For every site at once, go to Settings > Privacy and security > Site settings > Microphone and move the site out of "Not allowed to use your microphone".
- Firefox: open the permissions panel in the address bar and click the X next to Blocked so Firefox asks again. Saved choices also live in Settings > Permissions and data > Microphone.
- Microsoft Edge: Settings and more > Settings > Privacy, search, and services > Site permissions > All sites, pick the site, and set Microphone to Allow.
- Safari on a Mac: Safari > Settings > Websites > Microphone, then set the site to Ask or Allow. For the page you are on, the Page menu button in the address bar has Website Settings.
- Safari on iPhone: Settings > Apps > Safari > Microphone (on iOS 17 and earlier, Settings > Safari).
- Chrome on Android: tap View site information to the left of the address bar, then Permissions.
Sources: Google Chrome Help and Apple Safari User Guide.
2. Allow the browser in your operating system
Your OS has its own gate in front of every app, and the browser counts as one.
- Windows 11: Settings > Privacy & security > Microphone. Turn on "Microphone access", "Let apps access your microphone", and "Let desktop apps access your microphone". Browsers are desktop apps. Full steps are in the Windows 11 guide.
- Mac: Apple menu > System Settings > Privacy & Security > Microphone, then turn on the switch for your browser. Chrome's help notes you may need to quit and reopen Chrome after the change.
- iPhone: Settings > Privacy & Security > Microphone lists every app that asked.
- Android: Settings > Apps > Chrome > Permissions > Microphone, then choose "Allow only while using the app" or "Ask every time". Labels vary by phone maker.
Sources: Microsoft Support: Fix microphone problems and Apple: Control access to the microphone on Mac.
3. Pick the right input device
Plugging in a headset, webcam, or Bluetooth earbuds adds another microphone, and the wrong one may be selected. After you press Start, the test's Mic list shows every mic the browser can see. Try each one. To set the default for the whole computer, use Settings > System > Sound on Windows 11 or System Settings > Sound > Input on a Mac.
4. Check every mute control
A No sound verdict almost always means something is muted in hardware. Check the mute button or switch on the headset or its cable, the tap-to-mute on a USB mic, and your laptop's mic-mute key. On Dell Latitude and Precision laptops that is Fn + F4, with a light on the key when muted; on many ThinkPads it is F4. The laptop guide covers more models.
5. Close apps that might be holding the mic
If the test says the mic is busy, another program likely has it open. Quit call and streaming apps completely, including from the system tray, then press Start again. A restart clears anything stuck in the background.
6. Re-pair Bluetooth headsets and earbuds
Bluetooth headsets switch into a hands-free mode to use their mic, and on Windows they show up as two devices: a stereo one for listening and a hands-free one that carries the mic. Choose the hands-free entry as your input. If it still fails, remove the device in Bluetooth settings and pair it again. AirPods have their own quirks, covered in the AirPods guide.
7. Check the cable and plug type
A headset with a single four-pole (TRRS) plug carries the mic on that same plug. A computer with separate headphone and microphone jacks cannot take it directly; you need a TRRS splitter into stereo and mic plugs. Plugging a three-pole (TRS) plug into a headset jack, or the reverse, can give you sound with no mic. The headset mic test page explains how to tell them apart.
8. Restart, then update or reinstall the driver
Restart first. On Windows, if the mic still is not found, open Device Manager, expand "Sound, video and game controllers" (microphones may also be listed under "Audio inputs and outputs"), right-click the device, and choose "Update driver". The Windows 11 guide has the reinstall and roll-back steps.
Mic works in the test but not in Zoom, Teams, or Discord
If this page hears you, your microphone, browser permission, and OS permission are all fine. Every call app keeps its own input setting, separate from the system default, so it may still be pointed at a different mic or have its own mute or sensitivity setting turned on.
Open the app's audio or voice settings and pick, by name, the same microphone that worked here. Then look for three things that silence you inside the app:
- An app mute: the mic icon in the call window, separate from any hardware mute.
- Push to talk: Discord's own guide warns about being on Push to Talk by accident, which only sends audio while you hold the key.
- Sensitivity set too high: voice-activated apps cut you off if your voice never crosses the threshold.
On Windows, desktop apps like Zoom, Teams, and the Discord app also need "Let desktop apps access your microphone" turned on. Discord has enough settings of its own that it has a dedicated page: Discord mic not working. On Xbox, the headset mute switch and party settings matter more; see Xbox mic not working.
Background noise rather than silence? Discord includes Krisp noise suppression for free under User Settings > Voice & Video > Noise Suppression. For other apps, Krisp is a standalone noise-canceling app, and PCs with a supported NVIDIA RTX graphics card can use the NVIDIA Broadcast app.
Fix guides by device and app
The checklist above covers the causes every device shares. These guides go deeper on one device or app each, with its exact menu labels, its mute controls, and the problems that only happen there, such as the AirPods call-mode drop or a laptop's mic-mute key.
Laptop mic not working
Mute keys and lights, built-in mic versus headset, drivers.
Windows 11 mic not working
The three privacy switches, input volume, and Start test.
Discord mic not working
Input device, Push to Talk, sensitivity, and the Mic Test.
AirPods mic not working
Mic side, muffled calls, and AirPods on Windows.
Xbox mic not working
Controller jack, headset mute, chat mixer, and privacy.
Headset mic test
Wired, USB, and Bluetooth headsets, plus plug types.
Best USB microphones
Mic works but sounds bad? These upgrades fix that.
Still not working? It may be the hardware
If you have done every check above and the mic still shows no sound or is not found, test it on a second computer or phone. If it fails there too, the mic or its cable is faulty. If a different mic works on your computer, the computer is fine and the old mic is the problem.
For a broken headset mic or a laptop mic that was never good, a USB microphone is often the simplest fix: it plugs straight into a USB port and does not depend on your computer's mic jack or built-in mic. Two honest options:
As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
- FIFINE K669B: a low-cost USB condenser mic with a tripod stand and a gain knob. It has no mute button or headphone jack, and as a condenser it hears more of the room. Find it on Amazon
- Shure MV6 Gen 2: a USB-C dynamic mic with tap-to-mute and an on-mic noise reducer, a better fit for calls in an ordinary room. It has a headphone jack but no gain knob; you set level in Shure's app or leave it on Auto Level. Find it on Amazon
The full comparison, with picks for streaming, podcasting, and small desks, is on our best USB microphones page.
Microphone not working: questions
Why did my microphone suddenly stop working?
Common causes of a sudden failure are small changes: a mute key was bumped, a new headset or Bluetooth device became the selected input, or a permission was set to Block. Run the test on this page; the result tells you which of those it is.
How can I tell if my microphone is broken or just a setting?
Try the same mic on a second device. If it works there, your settings are the problem. If it fails on every device, and another mic works on your computer, the mic or its cable is faulty.
Why does my mic sound muffled, like an old phone call?
On Bluetooth headsets and earbuds this is expected. Using the mic switches them into a hands-free mode that sends lower-quality, mono audio. A wired or USB mic avoids it.
Why do people hear an echo when I talk?
Usually your speakers are playing their voice and your mic is picking it up again. Wear headphones, or turn the speaker volume down. Some setups, like Xbox headsets, also have a mic monitoring level that adds your own voice back in.
Why is my mic picking up background noise and typing?
Sensitive mics, especially condenser mics, hear the whole room. Move the mic closer to your mouth and away from the keyboard, then turn on noise suppression in your call app. Discord includes Krisp for free.
Why can others hear my game or music through my mic?
Your speakers are loud enough for the mic to pick them up. Switch to headphones. If it still happens with headphones, check that your input is set to an actual microphone in your sound settings.
Why does my mic keep cutting out mid-sentence?
In voice-activated apps the sensitivity threshold is likely too high, so quieter words never trigger the mic. Lower the threshold or turn off automatic sensitivity.
Why does my mic work on my phone but not my computer?
Each device keeps its own permissions and input choice. On the computer, check the browser site permission, the OS privacy switch for that browser or app, and which input device is selected.
How do I fix a mic that is not working on my iPhone?
Go to Settings, then Privacy and Security, then Microphone, and turn on the app you are using. For websites in Safari, go to Settings, then Apps, then Safari, then Microphone, and choose Ask or Allow.
Why is my mic not working in Chrome on Android?
Either Chrome or the site is blocked. In Android Settings, open Apps, then Chrome, then Permissions, and allow the microphone. Then open the site, tap View site information next to the address, and allow it there too.
Do I need to update drivers to fix a mic?
Rarely, and only as a late step. Permissions, the selected device, and mute controls cause far more problems. Update or reinstall the audio driver only if your computer does not detect the mic at all.