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Windows 11 mic test

Check your microphone on a Windows 11 PC or laptop, and find the setting to change if it isn’t working.

Microphone test

Your browser will ask for permission. Choose Allow to start.

Your audio never leaves your device.

Your mic is working

Listening…

–∞ dB

WaitingSay something at your normal speaking volume.

Something went wrong

See how to fix it

Record and play back

Hear exactly how you sound to others.

Your recording will show up here.

Hear yourself live

Plays your mic through your speakers or headphones.

Use headphones to avoid feedback. Speakers can cause a loud squeal.

Your microphone

Microphone
—
Sample rate
—
Channels
—
Echo cancellation
—
Noise suppression
—
Auto gain control
—
Estimated latency
—
Level
—

Results are approximate. They show what your browser reports, and can differ from what another app or the people on your call hear.

Test your mic on Windows 11

Windows 11 spreads microphone settings across a few screens: one for privacy, one for choosing the input device, and one for volume. This test shows you right away whether sound is reaching your browser. If it isn’t, the steps and answers below point to the exact screen to open.

Windows has its own basic check as well. Go to Settings, System, Sound, click your microphone under Input, and press Start test. Windows reports the level it heard as a percentage. It doesn’t let you listen back, so use the 5 second recording here for that.

How to test your mic on Windows 11

  1. Press “Test my mic” and allow access

    Click Allow in your browser. Speak and watch the meter. Check the microphone name shown in the panel.

  2. Choose the right input device

    Right-click the speaker icon in the taskbar and choose Sound settings. Under Input, select the microphone you want to use.

  3. Set the input volume

    Click the microphone under Input to open its properties, then set Input volume to around 80 to 100. Press Start test to see the level Windows detects.

  4. Check the privacy switches

    Open Settings, Privacy & security, Microphone. Turn on Microphone access, “Let apps access your microphone” and “Let desktop apps access your microphone”. Browsers count as desktop apps.

  5. Record and listen

    Come back to this page, record 5 seconds and play it back to confirm you sound clear.

Questions and answers

Why doesn’t Windows 11 detect my microphone?

Check the connection first. A 3.5 mm mic belongs in the pink or mic-labelled jack, and a single-plug headset needs a combined headset jack. Then open Settings, System, Sound, scroll to All sound devices, and make sure the microphone isn’t disabled. Reconnecting a USB mic to a different port often helps.

How do I make my microphone louder in Windows 11?

Raise Input volume in Settings, System, Sound, under your microphone’s properties. For more, open More sound settings, go to the Recording tab, double-click your mic, and look for Microphone Boost on the Levels tab. Not every device offers a boost.

My laptop has a mic mute key. Could that be the problem?

Yes. Many laptops have a microphone mute key on the function row, often with a small light. When it’s on, every app receives silence, and this test shows a flat meter even though everything else looks right.

The mic works here but not in a game or app. What should I check?

Open that app’s own audio settings and select the same microphone. Then check Settings, Privacy & security, Microphone, where Windows lists apps and whether they’re allowed. Some apps also need the mic set as the default device in Sound settings.

Should I update my audio driver?

Only if the simpler checks fail. Open Device Manager, expand Audio inputs and outputs, right-click your microphone and choose Update driver. If the mic stopped working right after a Windows update, restart the PC before anything else.

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