Your microphone can stop working even when the device itself is fine. The block is usually hiding in the input selector, privacy permissions, browser prompt, or meeting app settings. Start with a quick microphone check, then use the matching fix below.
Run a quick microphone check first
Use the fastest test for the device or app in front of you.
Windows: open Start > Settings > System > Sound, select your microphone under Input, open Properties, choose Start test, speak, choose Stop test, then choose Play.
Chromebook: select the time, then open Settings > Device > Audio. Under Input, choose the device, adjust Volume, and use Mic test.
iPhone or iPad: open Camera, record a video while speaking, switch cameras, record another video, then play both videos back.
Zoom desktop (Windows, macOS, or Linux): open Settings > Audio, then use Test microphone. When joining a meeting, choose Test speaker and microphone. On Zoom mobile, go to zoom.us/test in a mobile browser, launch the Zoom app to join the test meeting, then tap Wifi or Cellular Data and Zoom tests the speaker and microphone for you.
Discord (desktop or browser only): open User Settings > Voice & Video, select Let’s Check under Mic Test, then listen to the playback. Discord’s Mic Test is not available in the mobile app.
Choose the right input and unmute it
The most common cause is a muted input or an app listening to the wrong microphone.
On Windows 11, open Start > Settings > System > Sound.
Under Input, select your microphone in Choose a device for speaking or recording.
Next to Volume, make sure the microphone is unmuted.
On a Mac, choose Apple menu > System Settings, click Sound, then click Input.
Select the microphone you want and drag the input volume slider.
On a Chromebook, select the time, then select Audio settings next to the volume slider.
Drag the microphone slider, or select Microphone to mute or unmute it.
Check the hardware mute control too. Surface keyboards and Type Covers can include a microphone mute key, and Surface Headphones have a mute button.
Allow microphone access for the app
Microphone permissions can block a working mic before your app receives any sound.
On Windows 11, open Start > Settings > Privacy & security > Microphone. Turn on Microphone access, turn on Let apps access your microphone, enable the app, and turn on Let desktop apps access your microphone for desktop programs.
On macOS Ventura or later, quit the recording app. Open Apple menu > System Settings > Privacy & Security > Microphone, turn on access for the app, then reopen the app and try recording again. This applies to the built-in mic, external USB microphones, and inputs on an external audio interface.
On iPhone or iPad, open Settings > Privacy & Security > Microphone, then enable the app.
On Android, open Settings > Security & privacy > Privacy > Permission manager > Microphone. Tap the app and choose its microphone permission.
If this fails, check browser permissions next because web apps need permission in both places.
Fix microphone access in your browser
Open Chrome and go to the site that needs microphone access.
When the prompt appears, choose Allow.
If Chrome already blocked it, open More > Settings > Privacy and security > Site settings > Microphone.
Select the correct microphone, set Default behavior to Sites can ask to use your microphone, and review blocked or allowed sites.
In Microsoft Edge, open Settings and more > Settings > Cookies and site permissions > Microphone.
Turn on Ask before accessing (recommended).
For a specific Edge website, open Settings and more > Settings > Privacy, search, and services > Site Permissions > All sites.
Select the website, then choose Allow or Block from the microphone dropdown.
In Safari on Mac, choose Safari > Settings, click Websites, then select Microphone.
Choose Ask, Allow, or Deny for the website, or use When visiting other websites.
In Firefox, open the site and allow the microphone when prompted.
To change a saved Firefox setting, open Settings > Privacy & Security Permissions and data, click Settings… for Microphone, change the website to Allow or Block, then click Save Changes.
On iPhone or iPad, open Settings > Apps > Safari > Microphone.
A blocked browser permission can make Meet, Discord web, and other web calling tools fail even when the system mic test passes.
Repair meeting app microphone settings
This fixes app-level problems after your device microphone already works.
In Google Meet, use the preview screen before joining.
Click More options > Settings, choose Audio, click Microphone at the bottom of the preview tile, and speak.
During a Google Meet call, click the arrow next to the microphone icon and choose another microphone from the dropdown.
If you joined in Companion mode, leave and rejoin because microphone and speaker are unavailable in that mode.
In Microsoft Teams, open Settings and more > Settings > Devices.
Under Audio settings, choose the correct Speaker and Microphone, turn on Automatically adjust mic sensitivity, then select Make a test call in the Teams desktop app. The test call is currently unavailable on Teams for web and is available in English only, so on the web check your mic in a meeting instead.
Inside a Teams meeting, select the dropdown arrow next to Mic, open More audio settings, and confirm the correct microphone.
To mute or unmute in Teams, use Mic in the meeting controls.
In Zoom, click the arrow next to Mute or Unmute during a meeting and choose a different microphone.
On Zoom mobile, join audio with Wifi or Cellular Data, then tap the microphone icon to mute or unmute.
In Discord, open User Settings > Voice & Video, choose the correct Input Device, and adjust Input Volume.
If Discord cuts off your voice, choose Voice Activity or Push to Talk under Input Mode, then adjust input sensitivity.
Check phone and tablet microphone controls
Mobile devices add privacy toggles, input modes, and connected accessories to the usual mic check.
iPhone: use the Camera test with front and rear video, then open Settings > Privacy & Security > Microphone and enable the app.
iPad: record one video with the front camera and one with the back camera, then play both back. Enable the app in Settings > Privacy & Security > Microphone.
iPhone or iPad calls and recordings: open Control Center, tap [App] Controls, then choose Automatic, Standard, Voice Isolation, or Wide Spectrum. The modes you see vary. They need iPhone XR, iPhone XS models, or later, or iPad (8th generation) or later, plus iOS or iPadOS 15 or later in FaceTime and supported third-party apps, 16.4 or later for Voice Isolation in phone calls, 18 or later for Automatic, and 26 or later for Voice Isolation in recording apps such as Voice Memos. Wide Spectrum is not available in phone calls.
Multiple audio devices: open Control Center, tap [App] Controls, tap the device next to Audio Input, then choose the audio device you want.
Android: swipe down and use the microphone control to turn mic access on. When the green indicator appears, swipe down, tap it, and see which app is using the microphone.
Chrome on Android: open Chrome > More > Settings > Site settings > Microphone. If the site is under Blocked, tap it and choose Allow.
Improve noisy, low, or clipped audio
A mic can pass a basic check and still sound too quiet, noisy, or chopped up.
On Windows, open the microphone properties in Sound and adjust the Input volume slider after using Start test and Stop test.
On a Mac, open System Settings > Sound > Input and drag the input volume slider. In apps that support Mic Modes, click Video in the menu bar, choose Mic Mode, then select Voice Isolation, Wide Spectrum, or another available mode.
On a Chromebook, open Audio settings and turn Noise cancellation on or off. Only some Chromebooks support noise cancellation, so if you cannot find the control, your device does not offer it. If an app controls the level, open Settings > Device > Audio, select Settings, turn off Allow apps to automatically adjust mic volume, then set the microphone volume manually.
In Zoom, open Settings > Audio and use Test microphone while watching the input volume bar and listening to playback. Choose another microphone from the menu, adjust the input level, or use Automatically adjust microphone volume.
In Discord, open User Settings > Voice & Video and use Automatically determine input sensitivity, or turn it off and move the input sensitivity slider until background noise stays out and your voice is not cut off.
If this fails, switch to another microphone or app test next; audio settings cannot repair a mic that the device cannot detect.
Make Windows detect the microphone
This fixes a microphone, headset, or camera mic that does not show up or respond in Windows.
Make sure the microphone is connected.
Open Start > Settings > System > Sound.
Check whether the microphone appears under Input.
If it is a Bluetooth microphone, select Add device and follow the prompts.
Check for a disabled input in the classic sound panel.
Go to Settings > System > Sound > Advanced > More sound settings.
Open the Recording tab, right-click your microphone, and select Enable.
If Windows still does not detect it, right-click Start and select Device Manager.
Expand Sound, video and game controllers.
Right-click the audio device and select Uninstall device.
If Windows offers Attempt to remove the driver for this device, select it, then choose Uninstall.
Restart the computer.
If Windows does not reinstall the device, open Device Manager, right-click Sound, video and game controllers, and select Scan for hardware changes.
Right-click the audio driver and select Update driver.
Handle work, school, and remote session blocks
Open Remote Desktop Connection before connecting to a Windows remote session.
Select Local Resources.
Under Remote audio, select Settings….
Set Remote audio playback to Play on this computer.
Set Remote audio recording to Record from this computer, then select OK.
On a work or school computer, locked microphone settings can come from device or browser management.
Contact your IT admin when the microphone toggle, browser prompt, or app permission is locked and you cannot change it yourself.
Your operating system version decides the path, not how new the device is. Use Settings on Windows 11 and System Settings on macOS Ventura or later. On Windows 10, microphone permissions still live under Settings > Privacy > Microphone, even though Windows 10 reached end of support on October 14, 2025. On macOS Monterey, Big Sur, Catalina, or Mojave, use System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Privacy > Microphone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my mic check fail even though the microphone is plugged in?
The selected input, microphone volume, app permission, or browser permission is blocking it. Check the system input first, then the app or website using the mic.
Why does my mic work in Settings but not in Chrome or another browser?
The device mic can work while the website is still blocked. Allow microphone access in the browser’s site settings, then confirm the site is not listed under blocked microphone permissions.
Why can people hear me in one app but not another?
Each app can have its own microphone permission and input device. Check the app’s microphone permission first, then open that app’s audio settings and choose the correct input.
Can a work or school device block microphone access?
Yes. Managed Windows devices, Chrome or ChromeOS, Edge, and managed Macs can have organization controls that limit microphone access. If the setting is locked, contact your IT admin.