Find the cause step by step
- Speak normally with the test above and see how far the bar goes.
- Windows: System › Sound › Input › raise Input volume to 80–100.
- Still quiet: More sound settings › Recording › Properties › Levels › Microphone Boost at +10 dB (avoid +30 dB, which hisses).
- In the app (Discord, Teams), turn off automatic gain control if it keeps lowering your volume.
Symptom, cause and fix
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Quiet everywhere | Low input volume | Raise the volume and the boost |
| Quiet in one app only | The app’s automatic gain | Adjust it or turn it off in the app |
| Quiet and far away | Distance and position | Mic a hand’s width from your mouth, pointed at it |
| Quiet with a phone headset on a PC | 4-contact plug without a splitter | TRRS splitter adapter |
Where to find it on your device
- Choose the mic: Settings › System › Sound › Input › choose the right microphone and watch the volume bar move.
- Volume and boost: Settings › System › Sound › More sound settings › Recording tab › your mic › Properties › Levels.
Related questions
Does Microphone Boost ruin the sound?
It doesn’t damage the mic, but it raises background noise along with your voice. Use the lowest value that works.
My phone mic is too quiet. What do I do?
Remove the case, clean the hole and speak near the bottom of the phone. On calls, turn off Bluetooth so the phone doesn’t use another mic.
Does a USB mic need setting up?
Sometimes it has a gain knob on the mic itself. Turn that up first, then adjust Windows.
My mic is only quiet on Discord. Where do I fix it?
On Discord desktop: User Settings › Voice & Video › Input Volume. Also check that the Input Device is the right mic, and turn off automatic gain control if your voice keeps dropping.
My mic is too quiet on Windows 11. Where do I raise it?
Settings › System › Sound › Input › choose the mic › Input volume. For wired mics, Microphone Boost is in the device properties, under Levels.
My mic is too quiet in Audacity or Streamlabs. Is it the app?
If the test here looks good, raise the app’s recording level or add a gain filter there. If the bar is low here too, fix Windows or the mic first.
More problems: microphone test
- Mic not working on PC: how to fix it on Windows
- 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 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.