How to fix microphone not working

In Windows 11, the microphone test does not play your voice live—you must stop the recording and select Play under Recorded sample.

Check what Windows detects

Windows 11

1. Open Start → Settings → System → Sound.
2. Under Input, select the intended microphone.
3. Ensure Input volume is turned up.
4. Select Start test, speak normally for several seconds, and select Stop test.
5. Select Play under Recorded sample.
   • If you hear the recording, the microphone works in Windows; select that same microphone in the app where it fails.
   • If the recording is silent, continue below.

Windows 10

1. Open Start → Settings → System → Sound.
2. Under Input, choose the intended microphone.
3. Speak and watch Test your microphone. Windows 10 uses the moving input meter rather than the Windows 11 recorded-sample playback.
4. If the meter does not move, open Device Properties → Levels, increase Microphone and Microphone Boost, and test again. ^1^

Also check any physical mute switch on the laptop or headset and confirm an external microphone is fully connected.

Allow microphone access

If Windows detects the microphone but records silence:

• Windows 11: Settings → Privacy & security → Microphone
• Windows 10: Settings → Privacy → Microphone

Turn on:

• Microphone access
• Let apps access your microphone
• Let desktop apps access your microphone, if shown

Also enable access for the affected app. ^1^

Then open Sound Recorder or Voice Recorder, make a short recording, and play it. If that recording works, the remaining problem is specific to the other app—open its audio settings and select the same microphone.

If the microphone is missing entirely

Only use this driver repair when the microphone is not listed under Settings → System → Sound → Input:

1. Right-click Start → Device Manager.
2. Expand Sound, video and game controllers.
3. Right-click the audio device and select Uninstall device.
4. On Windows 11, select Attempt to remove the driver for this device; on Windows 10, select Delete the driver software for this device.
5. Restart the PC. Windows should reinstall the audio device automatically.
6. If it does not reappear, return to Device Manager, right-click Sound, video and game controllers, and select Scan for hardware changes.
7. Right-click the restored audio driver and select Update driver. ^1^

If the microphone remains absent, install the correct audio driver from the PC or motherboard manufacturer. If both the built-in microphone and a known-working external microphone still provide no input, the device may require hardware inspection.

References

1. Windows 10