When a microphone stops working, the cause is usually one of four things: it is muted, the wrong input device is selected, the operating system or browser is blocking microphone access, or the app you are using listens to a different microphone. Run a quick online mic test to see whether your device hears anything at all, then work through the fixes below for Windows, Mac, browsers, call apps and phones.
- Check the physical mute first: headset cable switches, buttons on USB mics and the microphone key on many laptops.
- If the mic works in a browser test but not in Zoom, Teams or Discord, fix that app's input setting; the microphone is fine.
- Windows and macOS have a privacy switch that can block apps from the microphone, and browsers add a separate per-site permission.
- A Bluetooth headset only uses its microphone in call mode, which is why it sounds duller while the mic is on.
- Suspect hardware only if the mic also fails on a second computer or phone.
Start with the 60-second checks
- Look for a mute switch. Many headsets have a slider on the cable or a button on the ear cup, many USB microphones have a tap-to-mute button with a light, and many laptops have a microphone key on one of the F keys.
- Check the connection. Push the plug fully in, try another USB port directly on the computer rather than a hub, and make sure a wireless headset is on, charged and connected.
- Check the app's mute button. In a meeting, the host may have muted everyone on entry.
- Close other apps that may hold the microphone: another call app, a recorder or a second browser tab.
- Restart the app, then the device. This reloads audio drivers and frees a microphone stuck in use.
Test the microphone to find where the problem is
Open the mic test, press Start, allow access and speak. It runs in your browser, shows a live level meter, lists every microphone the system reports and records a 10-second clip for playback; no audio is uploaded. The result points to the cause:
| What the mic test shows | Where the problem probably is |
|---|---|
| The meter moves, but your call app does not hear you | The app uses a different input, is muted or lacks permission. See call apps. |
| "Microphone access is blocked" | The browser or operating system blocks access. See browser permissions and the Windows or Mac privacy settings. |
| "No microphone was found" | The device is not connected, is disabled or has no working driver. |
| "The microphone could not be started" | Another app or tab holds the microphone, or the device dropped out. Close other call apps and reconnect it. |
| Listed, but the meter stays flat | A hardware mute, the wrong device selected or an input volume at zero. |
| Very quiet or distorted | Input volume or gain is too low or too high, or the mic is badly positioned. |
Checking a whole call setup? The webcam test and the speaker and headphone test cover the picture and the sound you hear.
How to fix a microphone on Windows 11
Windows 10 has the same settings in similar places (Settings › Privacy › Microphone and Settings › System › Sound).
1. Allow microphone access
Open Settings › Privacy & security › Microphone and switch on Microphone access, Let apps access your microphone and Let desktop apps access your microphone. Browsers, Zoom and Discord depend on that last switch. With access off, every app gets silence even though the microphone is fine.
2. Choose the input and check its volume
Open Settings › System › Sound, select your microphone under Input and open its properties. Make sure Input volume is not near zero and that the device is not set to Don't allow, then use Test your microphone. If your voice sounds robotic or cuts out and an Audio enhancements option is shown, try turning it off.
3. Check levels and disabled devices
Open More sound settings at the bottom of the Sound page and select the Recording tab. Right-click the list and tick Show Disabled Devices; enable your microphone if it is greyed out. Under Properties › Levels, raise the level. Some drivers add Microphone Boost, which helps quiet mics but also amplifies background noise.
4. Turn off exclusive mode
On the Advanced tab of the same window, Allow applications to take exclusive control of this device lets one program lock the microphone. If the mic works in one app but not while another is open, untick it.
5. Reinstall or update the driver
Right-click Start, open Device Manager and expand Audio inputs and outputs. A warning icon means a driver problem: choose Update driver, or Uninstall device and restart so Windows reinstalls it. Laptop makers often provide a better audio driver on their support page. Windows also has a recording audio troubleshooter under Settings › System › Troubleshoot › Other troubleshooters or in the Get Help app, depending on your version.
How to fix a microphone on a Mac
On recent macOS versions such as Sonoma and Sequoia:
- Grant permission. In System Settings › Privacy & Security › Microphone, turn on your browser or call app. An app appears there only after it has asked for the microphone once. Quit and reopen the app afterwards.
- Select the input. In System Settings › Sound › Input, choose your microphone and speak. If the Input level bar barely moves, raise the Input volume.
- Check the mic mode. While an app uses the microphone, Control Centre shows Mic Mode. Voice Isolation can suppress quiet speech; try Standard if your voice drops out.
- Mind the lid. A MacBook's built-in microphone does not work with the lid closed.
- Restart the Mac if a device is missing; this also restarts the audio system.
Microphone not working in the browser
Browsers ask for permission per website and only offer the microphone to pages loaded over HTTPS. A site you once blocked stays blocked until you change it:
- Chrome: click the site information icon left of the address, set Microphone to Allow and reload. At
chrome://settings/content/microphoneyou can review sites and choose which microphone Chrome uses. - Edge: the same icon works; the full list and default device are at
edge://settings/content/microphone. - Firefox: click the permissions icon in the address bar, remove the blocked microphone entry and reload. Saved decisions are under Settings › Privacy & Security › Permissions › Microphone.
- Safari on Mac: Safari › Settings › Websites › Microphone, then choose Allow or Ask for the site.
- Safari on iPhone and iPad: use the page menu in the address bar and Website Settings, or Settings › Apps › Safari › Microphone (Settings › Safari on older iOS versions).
- Chrome on Android: tap the icon left of the address, open Permissions and allow the microphone. Android must also allow Chrome itself; see phones.
The browser also needs operating system permission. A browser blocked in Windows or macOS privacy settings behaves exactly like a dead microphone.
Microphone not working in Zoom, Teams, Discord or Meet
If the mic test works but a call app does not, the app is listening to something else, such as a webcam microphone or a disconnected headset. Choose the input explicitly:
- Zoom: Settings › Audio, pick the Microphone and use Test Mic. In a meeting, the arrow next to Mute offers the same choice.
- Microsoft Teams: Settings › Devices, choose the microphone and make a test call. In a meeting, the menu next to the microphone button switches devices.
- Discord: User Settings › Voice & Video, set Input Device and Input Volume. With Voice Activity, a high sensitivity threshold can hide a quiet voice; with Push to Talk, nothing is sent until you hold the key.
- Google Meet: the meeting's Settings › Audio. Meet runs in the browser, so the browser permission must be allowed too.
Headsets, Bluetooth and USB microphones
Bluetooth headsets play music in a stereo mode with no microphone channel. When an app opens the microphone, the headset switches to its call (hands-free) mode, which carries your voice but sounds narrower. That is normal. On Windows, some headsets appear twice, for example as "Headphones" and "Headset" or "Hands-Free"; the microphone belongs to the headset or hands-free entry. If the headset is also connected to your phone, disconnect it there.
Wired 3.5 mm headsets with a single plug with three rings carry sound and microphone together and need a combined headset jack, as on most laptops. Desktops with separate green and pink jacks need a splitter cable. Some Windows PCs ask what you plugged in; choose the headset option.
USB and XLR microphones: check the mic's own gain knob and mute button. An XLR studio microphone needs an audio interface with its gain turned up and, for condenser microphones, 48 V phantom power; the computer sees the interface as the input device.
Microphone not working on Android or iPhone
- Android: open Settings › Apps, choose the app, then Permissions › Microphone and allow it. Names vary by manufacturer. Recent versions also have a Microphone access switch in Quick Settings and Privacy settings that blocks all apps at once.
- iPhone and iPad: open Settings › Privacy & Security › Microphone and turn on the app. If it cannot be changed, check Screen Time › Content & Privacy Restrictions.
- Find which microphone fails. Phones have several. Record a voice memo, a video with each camera and a call on speaker; if only one is silent or muffled, that microphone is blocked or faulty.
- Clear the openings. Remove the case, check a screen protector is not covering a mic hole, and clean openings with a soft, dry brush, never a pin.
- Disconnect Bluetooth. Earbuds, a car kit or a watch can take over the microphone.
- Restart and update. On Android, safe mode temporarily disables downloaded apps, showing whether one interferes.
How to tell if the microphone is broken
Try the same microphone on a second device, and a different microphone on yours:
- Fails everywhere: the microphone, cable or plug is faulty. Crackles when you wiggle the cable point to a broken wire.
- Works elsewhere, but no mic works on your device: the jack, USB port, driver or settings are at fault.
- Built-in mic fails while headsets work: the internal microphone may need a repair service.
More checks for cameras, speakers, keyboards and screens are on the device tests page.
Frequently asked questions
Why is my microphone not picking up my voice?
Usually it is muted by a switch or key, the wrong input is selected, or the input volume is near zero. In a mic test, select each microphone in turn and speak; the one whose meter moves is the one to choose in your app.
Why does my mic work in one app but not another?
Each app picks its own input and needs its own permission. Select the same microphone in the failing app, check its permission in Windows or macOS privacy settings and, on Windows, turn off exclusive mode.
Why does my Bluetooth headset sound bad when I use the microphone?
Using the microphone switches the headset from stereo music mode to a call mode with less bandwidth, so sound becomes narrower and duller. This is normal Bluetooth behaviour; a wired or USB headset avoids it.
How do I unblock the microphone in Chrome?
Click the site information icon left of the address, set Microphone to Allow and reload. If it is still silent, check that Windows or macOS allows Chrome to use the microphone and that the right device is chosen at chrome://settings/content/microphone.
How do I know if my microphone is broken?
Try it on another computer or phone. If it fails there too, the microphone or cable is faulty; if it works, the problem is a setting, driver or port on your own device.