Find the cause step by step
- Click Test microphone above and speak. If the bar moves, the mic works: the problem is the app’s settings.
- If the browser never asks for permission or shows an error, allow the mic under Privacy & security (path below).
- Under System › Sound › Input, pick the right mic and check that the volume isn’t at zero.
- Still nothing: Device Manager › Audio inputs and outputs › uninstall the mic and restart.
Symptom, cause and fix
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| The bar doesn’t move anywhere | Privacy blocking or the wrong mic | Allow access; pick the mic |
| Works in the browser, not in the app | The app is using another device | Pick the mic in the app’s settings |
| Mic doesn’t appear in the list | Unplugged, driver or disabled | Reconnect; enable it again in More sound settings |
| Used to work and stopped | A Windows or driver update | Reinstall the audio driver |
Where to find it on your device
- Windows 11: Settings › Privacy & security › Microphone › turn on “Microphone access”, “Let apps access your microphone” and “Let desktop apps access your microphone”.
- Choose the mic: Settings › System › Sound › Input › choose the right microphone and watch the volume bar move.
- Windows 10: Settings › Privacy › Microphone.
Related questions
How do I know if my mic is dead?
Test it on another computer or on a phone (if it’s a headset mic). If it picks up nothing anywhere, it’s faulty; if it works elsewhere, the problem is your PC’s settings.
The mic shows as disabled. How do I turn it back on?
Open More sound settings › Recording tab, right-click an empty area, check “Show Disabled Devices”, then right-click the mic and choose Enable.
Does this test record my voice?
No. The sound is analyzed in the browser only to move the bar; nothing is recorded or sent.
My mic works in Discord but not in Fortnite or the Xbox app. Why?
Each game and app picks its own input. In Fortnite, check the voice chat input device under Settings › Audio; in the Xbox app, check the party’s audio settings. Also make sure desktop apps can use the mic in Windows privacy settings.
My mic is not working in Call of Duty or Warzone. What should I check?
If the test here works, set the game’s voice chat input device to your mic and check that voice chat is on and not set to push to talk on a key you aren’t pressing.
More problems: microphone test
- Headset mic not working on PC: how to fix it
- Laptop mic not working: how to fix it
- Mic not working on Discord: how to fix it
- Mic not working in Google Meet: how to fix it
- Mic not working in Teams: how to fix it
- WhatsApp mic not working: silent voice messages and calls
- Mic too quiet on PC: how to turn up the volume
- Mic static and background noise: how to get rid of it
- Mic echo: why other people hear their own voice
- Phone mic not working: how to test and fix it
- Mic cutting out on Discord: how to fix it
- Phone mic only works on speaker: why and how to fix it
- OBS mic too quiet: how to make it louder without hiss
- How to test a mic on PC, laptop, phone, iPhone and Teams
Open the full microphone test →
Updated November 12, 2026.