Microphone is not working but icon remains

Press the ThinkPad’s microphone-mute key—usually F4 or the key showing a crossed microphone—to remove the black cross and unmute the built-in microphone.^1^

1. Clear the ThinkPad hardware mute

1. Locate the microphone symbol on the function-key row.
2. Press that key once.
3. If nothing changes, press Fn + that key once; the required combination depends on the ThinkPad function-key mode.
4. Open Start → Settings → System → Sound.
5. Under Input, select the internal microphone and speak normally. The Test your microphone bar should move.

ThinkPads use this special key to switch the microphone between muted and unmuted states. The crossed-microphone indicator therefore points first to the ThinkPad mute control rather than an application setting.^2^

2. If the key does not remove the cross

The special-key software may not be controlling the microphone correctly.

1. Identify the full model, such as ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 7 or X1 Yoga Gen 4.
2. Install or repair the applicable Lenovo Hotkey Features/Lenovo Base Utility package for that model.
3. Restart Windows.
4. Press the microphone-mute key again and retest.

Lenovo Base Utility provides support for ThinkPad special-key functions and their on-screen indicators.^3^

3. If Windows still says no input device is connected

Since the general troubleshooters have already failed, check whether Windows detects the audio hardware:

1. Right-click Start → Device Manager.
2. Expand:
   • Audio inputs and outputs
   • Sound, video and game controllers
3. If the microphone appears under Audio inputs and outputs, right-click it and select Enable device, if that option is available.
4. If no microphone appears, check the audio controller under Sound, video and game controllers.

If the controller exists but the microphone remains undetected, reinstall its driver:

Removing a driver temporarily disables the associated audio device; restart immediately afterward so Windows can reinstall it.

1. Right-click the audio device under Sound, video and game controllers.
2. Select Uninstall device.
3. On Windows 10, select Delete the driver software for this device if offered, and then select Uninstall.
4. Restart the computer. Windows should attempt to reinstall the audio device.
5. If it does not return, open Device Manager, right-click Sound, video and game controllers, and select Scan for hardware changes.
6. Right-click the restored audio device and select Update driver.^4^

For a ThinkPad-specific driver, use the audio driver listed for the exact X1 model rather than a driver intended for another laptop.^5^

4. Interpret the result

• Microphone returns after pressing the mute key: it was muted through the ThinkPad hardware control.
• Microphone appears in Windows but applications cannot use it: check Settings → Privacy → Microphone, turn on device microphone access, app access, and desktop-app access.^4^
• Audio controller appears, but no microphone returns after the correct Lenovo driver is installed: use Lenovo hardware diagnostics or arrange a hardware inspection; the internal microphone or its connection may require service.^6^
• No audio controller appears in Device Manager: this is no longer an application or microphone-volume issue; provide the exact X1 generation and Device Manager status to Lenovo support.

References

1. ThinkPad Function Keys (Fn key with F1 to F12 keys) Overview
2. Fix audio or sound problems in Windows 10 and 11 - Lenovo Support
3. Lenovo Base Utility for Windows for Windows 10 ... - Lenovo Support
4. Windows 10
5. Built-in microphone is not working in Windows 10 – ThinkPad
6. Microphone not working - Lenovo Support US