micsoundMic Test

How to use

1. Press "Start Mic Check" and choose "Allow" in your browser's prompt.
2. Speak into your microphone in your normal voice.
3. If "✅ Sound is getting through" appears at the top and the waveform moves, your microphone's sound is reaching your PC (or phone).
4. To check by ear too, turn on "Hear your own voice with a 1-second delay" (headphones recommended). If your voice comes back a second later, the sound is getting through.
5. Use "Try recording" to speak for a few seconds and play it back — you can hear exactly how you sound.

Understanding the result

✅ Sound is getting through

Your microphone is working normally. If your voice still doesn't come through in calling apps or games, the cause is almost always that app's own settings — a different microphone is selected, or the app itself has you muted. Check the input device in that app's settings.

🔉 Only a very faint sound is getting through

Your microphone is alive, but the sound level is very low. Typical causes include the OS microphone volume (input level) being turned down, the microphone being too far from your mouth, or the microphone's own volume dial being turned low.

⚠️ Nothing is getting through

No sound at all is reaching your PC (or phone). Before assuming the microphone is broken, go through the checklist below from the top — a settings issue is very often the cause.

Checklist when no sound is getting through

1. ① Browser permission — Click the 🔒 or microphone icon in the address bar and check whether this site's microphone is set to "Allow". If it's "Blocked", switch it to Allow and reload the page.
   • Chrome / Edge: Click the 🔒 (or settings icon) on the left of the address bar → set "Microphone" to "Allow". If you can't find it, open "Site settings" to see the full list.
   • Safari (Mac): Menu bar "Safari" → "Settings" → "Websites" → "Microphone" → set this site to "Allow".
   • Safari (iPhone/iPad): Tap the "aA" or settings icon in the address bar → "Website Settings" → set "Microphone" to "Allow". If that doesn't work, also check iPhone "Settings" → "Apps" → "Safari" → "Microphone".
   • Firefox: Click the permission icon on the left of the address bar → click the "×" on the blocked entry to clear it, then reload.
2. ② Is the correct microphone selected in your computer's settings? — On Windows, go to "Settings → System → Sound → Input"; on Mac, "System Settings → Sound → Input". Check that the microphone you want is selected and that the meter moves when you speak. It also helps to switch microphones in the "Listening to microphone" menu above — using the wrong microphone is an extremely common cause. If you use Windows, you can run the same check on our dedicated Windows 11 page.
3. ③ Mute and volume — Check whether your microphone or headset cable has a mute switch. Also check that the OS input volume (microphone level) isn't at 0 or extremely low.
4. ④ The connector — For external microphones, unplug and firmly reconnect them. For headphone-jack microphones, make sure it's plugged into a mic-capable (headset) jack; for USB microphones, try a different USB port.

If it still says "⚠️ Nothing is getting through" after checking all of the above, the microphone or its cable is likely faulty. Trying the same microphone on a different PC or phone can help confirm whether it's actually broken.

Common microphone problems and fixes

Below are fixes organized by symptom. Reading this after checking "✅ getting through / ⚠️ not getting through" above will help you narrow down the cause faster.

Want to test your headset or headphone mic? Not being detected?

• The tool above checks the sound of whichever microphone you select, so you can use it directly as a headset mic test, headphone mic test, or earphone mic test. Speak into the mic, and if the waveform and meter move, your sound is getting through.
• When there's no reaction, the most common cause is that your headset's mic isn't selected as the input device. Switch to the headset mic you want in the "Listening to microphone" menu above (if your computer's built-in mic is still selected, it will pick up that one instead).
• If it doesn't appear in the menu, select it at the OS level: on Windows go to "Settings → System → Sound → Input"; on Mac go to "System Settings → Sound → Input", pick your headset mic, then reload the page.
• If it still won't work, check the more specific sections below by connection type (3.5mm plug / Bluetooth / USB).

Voice doesn't come through in a specific app (Zoom, Teams, Discord, etc.)

If this page shows "✅ Sound is getting through", your microphone and computer are working fine. The cause is almost certainly that app's own settings.

• In the app's audio settings (Zoom: "Settings → Audio"; Discord: "Settings → Voice & Video"), check that the input device is set to the microphone you want. Leaving it on "Default Device" can select an unintended microphone (such as a monitor's built-in mic).
• Check the app's own mute button (the microphone-with-a-slash icon). Many apps auto-mute you the moment you join a meeting.
• On Windows, check "Settings → Privacy & security → Microphone" to confirm that app is allowed to use the microphone. Permission for desktop apps can sometimes be turned off entirely.
• On Mac, check the per-app permission switches under "System Settings → Privacy & Security → Microphone".

A USB microphone isn't recognized

• Try a different USB port. Plugging directly into a port on the computer itself, instead of through a USB hub or extension cable, often fixes this.
• If the cable is detachable, suspect the cable itself and try a different one (some "charge-only" cables don't carry data).
• Recognition can take a few seconds after plugging in. After plugging it in, reload the browser page and it should appear in the "Listening to microphone" menu above.
• If the microphone has a mute button or a gain (volume) dial, check that it isn't turned down.

No sound from a headset or earphone mic (3.5mm plug)

• Smartphone-style earphones with a built-in microphone use a 4-conductor plug that combines audio and mic into a single cable. This only matters for cables that combine earphones with a microphone — a standalone microphone using a 3-conductor plug is completely normal, not a defect. Your computer needs a headset jack (4-conductor compatible), marked with a combined mic-and-headphone icon, to use this kind of cable. If your computer has separate mic and headphone jacks instead, you'll need an adapter cable (4-conductor to two 3-conductor plugs).
• 3.5mm plugs and jacks come in several types depending on their purpose, and even when they look similar, mismatched combinations simply won't work. Check that your specific device and jack are actually compatible with each other — a standalone microphone being a different type from what you expected isn't a malfunction.

A 3.5mm plug-in-power condenser microphone sounds very quiet

• Microphones that plug into a 3.5mm (headphone-style) jack often run on a small amount of power supplied through the connector, known as "plug-in power". Using an extension cable, or a longer overall cable run, can make the sound very quiet or add noise.
• This can have several causes: the extension cable may be the wrong type (a 3-conductor audio-only extension instead of a 4-conductor one that supports a microphone), signal loss over a long or thin cable, insufficient plug-in power reaching the microphone (how much power a PC supplies through the jack varies by model), or noise from an extra connection point. Several of these can combine, which is why the same extension cable can affect one microphone model but not another.
• This doesn't necessarily mean the microphone itself is broken. If you're using an extension cable or similar, remove it and connect the microphone directly to your device to test. If that fixes it, the extension is the cause — try a different cable as well.
• If you regularly need a long cable run, switching to a USB microphone — which carries its signal more reliably over a single cable — can help.

A Bluetooth earbud/headset microphone doesn't work, or audio quality suddenly drops

• Bluetooth earbuds automatically switch between a "listening-only, high quality" mode and a "microphone call, lower quality" mode. Music quality suddenly getting worse the moment you use the microphone is normal behavior, not a defect.
• If it isn't recognized as a microphone, disconnecting and re-pairing the Bluetooth device is the most reliable fix.
• Earbuds that can connect to multiple devices at once (e.g. a phone and a PC) may have the microphone claimed by the other device. Try temporarily turning off Bluetooth on the device you're not using.
• If your OS sound settings show the same earbuds listed twice (e.g. "Headset" and "Headphones"), you need to select the "Headset" entry to use the microphone.

Settings to check when a microphone won't work on Windows

1. Check "Settings → Privacy & security → Microphone" and confirm "Microphone access" is on (this is the master switch for everything).
2. In "Settings → System → Sound → Input", select the correct microphone and check that the input level bar moves while you speak.
3. On the same screen, check that "Volume" (input level) isn't at 0 or extremely low.
4. If it still doesn't work, open "More sound settings" → Recording tab, right-click the microphone → enable it if it's "Disabled".
5. If your laptop has a microphone-mute key on the keyboard (often on F4 or similar, with a microphone icon), check that it hasn't been pressed.

Settings to check when a microphone won't work on Mac

1. In "System Settings → Sound → Input", select the correct microphone and check that the "Input level" meter moves.
2. Check that the "Input volume" slider isn't all the way to the left (zero).
3. In "System Settings → Privacy & Security → Microphone", check that the browser or app you want to use is turned on.

When a microphone won't work on a phone (iPhone / Android)

• iPhone: In "Settings → Privacy & Security → Microphone", check that your browser (Safari, etc.) is turned on. Also check that a case or screen protector isn't covering the microphone hole on the bottom of the phone.
• Android: In "Settings → Apps → (your browser) → Permissions → Microphone", check that access is allowed.
• Right after using a calling app, the microphone may not be released yet and other apps can't use it. Close the open app first and try again.

People say your voice is quiet or muffled

• Move closer to the microphone (for a built-in mic, a normal distance while facing the screen; for an external mic, about 15–30cm/6–12in is a good guide).
• Raise the OS input level (Windows: "Settings → Sound → Input → Volume"; Mac: the input volume slider).
• Make sure you're not speaking away from the microphone, and check which side picks up sound (a directional microphone must be facing the right way).
• The quickest way to check is to use "Try recording" above and listen to your own voice — that's exactly what the other person hears.

You hear your own voice delayed or doubled

• Check whether "Hear your own voice with a 1-second delay" is still turned on in this page (this is a check feature and deliberately delays the sound).
• If your calling app or streaming software has "microphone monitoring" or "listen to this device" turned on, you'll always hear your own voice back. Turn it off if you don't need it.

Your mic suddenly sounds wrong after installing noise-suppression or voice-enhancement software

Windows 11's "Audio enhancements", NVIDIA Broadcast, Discord's noise suppression, and Zoom's "Suppress background noise" all process your voice in real time with AI. This is often useful, but it can also cause side effects like these:

• Your voice cuts out, sounds muffled, or sounds robotic: these tools reduce or remove audio they classify as noise, and a quiet voice or certain frequency ranges can get caught by mistake. Turn the feature off on this page first to hear your raw mic, then compare it with the feature on.
• Windows 11: Go to "Settings → System → Sound", select your microphone, and turn off "Audio enhancements" to compare.
• Discord: In "Settings → Voice & Video", switch or toggle off "Noise Suppression" (Standard/Krisp) to compare.
• Streaming software (OBS, etc.): Temporarily bypass any noise-suppression filter on your mic (including NVIDIA Broadcast integrations) to isolate the cause.
• Mac: Some apps like FaceTime and Zoom have their own "Voice Isolation" or noise-suppression option — turn it off to compare. macOS itself has no always-on noise suppression, but a calling app's own feature can be the cause.
• iPhone: During a call, check the "Microphone Mode" (Standard / Voice Isolation / Wide Spectrum). "Voice Isolation" can cut part of your voice along with background noise, causing a muffled sound.
• Android: Some devices and apps have a "Noise Cancellation" or "Clear Calling" setting — turn it off to compare. The name and location vary by manufacturer and OS version.
• Running noise suppression at both the OS level and the app level at the same time can over-process the audio and make it sound unnatural. As a rule, keep only one layer turned on.

Multiple microphones are connected, and the wrong one is picked up

• A laptop's built-in mic, a USB webcam's mic, and Bluetooth earbuds can all be active at the same time without you noticing. Open the "Listening to microphone" menu above and check that it actually shows the device you meant to use.
• Simply putting on Bluetooth earbuds can make the OS silently switch its default microphone to them. If your voice suddenly sounds different or muffled right after connecting a headset, check this first.
• Note that your calling app or the OS's default microphone can be set independently from the microphone this page (your browser) is using. Changing one doesn't always update the other.