Microphone not working: how to fix it

People cannot hear you in a video call, or a recording stays silent. A microphone can be blocked in three places, the hardware, your permission settings and the chosen device, so check them from the simplest first.

Before you start

The microphone may be built into a laptop, built into a webcam or headset, or plugged in on its own. The steps are the same. Have a way to test: open your call app, or use the test in your computer's sound settings (shown in Fix 3). Stop as soon as the test shows that your voice is heard. This takes about 12 minutes in total.

Try these fixes in order

Fix 1: Check mute switches and the connection

This takes about 2 minutes.

1. Look at your headset or microphone for a mute button, a switch or a volume wheel on the cable. Make sure it is not muted. A mute light is often red.
2. Check the mute button in your call app. In most apps, a microphone icon with a line through it means you are muted.
3. Push the plug in firmly. A microphone usually plugs into a pink socket or a combined headset socket.
4. If you use a USB microphone or webcam, try a different USB port, plugged directly into the computer rather than into a hub.
5. Close the call app and open it again. Some apps only look for the microphone when they start.

Fix 2: Allow apps to use the microphone

Windows and macOS can block all apps, or one app, from using the microphone. This is a common cause after an update. It takes about 2 minutes.

On Windows 11

1. Open Settings then Privacy & security then Microphone.
2. Turn on Microphone access and Let apps access your microphone.
3. In the app list, make sure your call app is on. Also turn on Let desktop apps access your microphone, which most programs installed outside the Microsoft Store need.

On Windows 10

1. Open Settings then Privacy then Microphone.
2. If it says microphone access is off for this device, select Change and turn it on.
3. Turn on Allow apps to access your microphone, switch on your app in the list, and set Allow desktop apps to access your microphone to On.

On a Mac

1. On macOS Ventura and later, open System Settings then Privacy & Security then Microphone. On earlier versions, open System Preferences then Security & Privacy then Privacy then Microphone.
2. Turn on the switch beside your app. If the app asks you to quit and reopen it, do so.

Fix 3: Choose the right microphone and test it

This takes about 3 minutes.

On Windows 11

1. Open Settings then System then Sound.
2. Under Input, select the microphone you want to use.
3. Select the arrow beside it to open its settings. Under Microphone test, select Start test, speak, then select Stop test. A bar shows the level of your voice, and you can play back the recording.
4. If the level is very low, raise the Input volume slider.

On Windows 10

1. Open Settings then System then Sound.
2. Under Input, check your microphone is selected under Choose your input device.
3. Speak and watch the Test your microphone bar move.
4. If the bar barely moves, select Device properties, open the Levels tab and raise the Microphone slider.

On a Mac

1. Open System Settings then Sound and select the Input tab. On earlier versions, open System Preferences, choose Sound, then Input.
2. Select your microphone in the list.
3. Speak and watch the input level meter. Raise the input volume slider if the meter barely moves.

If you use Bluetooth headphones, the microphone works differently. When a call app uses the headset microphone, the headphones switch to a call mode and the sound quality drops. This is normal for Bluetooth. See Bluetooth headphones: one side or low volume, or use the computer's own microphone with the headphones for listening.

Fix 4: Run the troubleshooter

This takes about 3 minutes.

1. On Windows 11, open Settings then System then Sound, scroll to Advanced, and under Troubleshoot common sound problems choose Input devices.
2. On Windows 10, open Settings then Update & Security then Troubleshoot then Additional troubleshooters and select Recording Audio, then Run the troubleshooter.
3. Follow the prompts, then test the microphone again.

Fix 5: Reinstall the audio driver (Windows)

Use this when Windows does not show your microphone at all. A driver is the small program that lets Windows use the hardware. This takes about 5 minutes.

1. Right-click Start and select Device Manager.
2. Expand Sound, video and game controllers.
3. Right-click your audio device and select Uninstall device. If you see a box to remove the driver as well, leave it unticked for now. Speaker sound may stop until you restart.
4. Restart the computer. Windows normally installs the driver again.
5. If the device does not return, open Device Manager, right-click Sound, video and game controllers and select Scan for hardware changes.

More on this tool is in how to fix driver problems in Device Manager. Download a new audio driver only from your computer maker's support website, never from a driver-updater program.

If it still does not work

• Try the microphone or headset on another computer. If it also fails there, it is probably faulty.
• If your laptop has a keyboard key with a microphone symbol, press it to see whether the built-in microphone was switched off.
• If only one app has no microphone, check that app's own audio settings and make sure the right microphone is selected inside the app.
• Use the support page on your computer maker's website for your model. It lists the right audio driver.

Frequently asked questions