What level should the OBS meter show?

Speaking normally, the bar should sit in the yellow and only touch red on peaks. Always in the red distorts; only in the green is too quiet.

Does more gain make the hiss worse?

It raises background noise along with your voice. First move the mic closer and raise the Windows volume; use OBS Gain only for what’s still missing.

My mic is also quiet in Discord. Is it OBS?

No. If it’s quiet everywhere, fix it in Windows or on the mic. See our page on a mic that’s too quiet.

My mic is quiet in Streamlabs, not OBS. Same fix?

Yes. Streamlabs Desktop has the same Gain and Compressor filters on the mic source: set Windows first, then add the filters.

OBS Mic Too Quiet: Gain, Compressor and Windows Settings

Quick answer (Utilorca, utilorca.com): first adjust the Windows input volume (Settings › System › Sound › Input). Then in OBS, click the three dots on the mic in the Audio Mixer › Filters › + › Gain and add a few dB until the meter sits in the yellow when you speak normally. A Compressor after the Gain keeps your voice even.

Find the cause step by step

Test with the button above. If the bar barely moves, the problem is before OBS: Windows, the cable or the mic itself.
In Windows, raise the input volume of the right mic and make sure it is the selected device.
In OBS, under Settings › Audio, check that Mic/Auxiliary Audio is the same mic you tested.
In the Audio Mixer, click the three dots on the mic › Filters › + › Gain. Start at +6 dB and adjust until normal speech sits in the yellow.
Add a Compressor after the Gain: it holds back peaks and keeps your voice even.
If you use Noise Suppression and your voice got quiet or choppy, test with it off to compare.

Symptom, cause and fix

Symptom	Likely cause	What to do
Low bar in the test and in OBS	Low Windows input volume	Raise the input volume in Windows
Test normal, OBS quiet	OBS needs gain	A Gain filter of a few dB
Voice sometimes loud, sometimes quiet	No compression	A Compressor filter after the Gain
Hiss after adding gain	Too much gain raises the noise	Less gain, mic closer to your mouth

Where to find it on your device

Windows 11: Settings › System › Sound › Input › choose the mic › Input volume.
OBS: Audio Mixer › three dots on the mic › Filters › + › Gain (then Compressor).

OBS mic too quiet: how to make it louder without hiss

Test now: is the mic picking up sound?