Mic test

How to test your mic

1. Press Start mic test and click Allow when your browser asks for the microphone.
2. Speak normally or clap. The waveform should move and the level bar should rise into the green or yellow zone.
3. If you have more than one mic, choose the one you want from the Microphone list.
4. Press Record 5 seconds, then play the clip back to hear your voice as others will on a call.

Reading your mic test results

What you see	What it means
Level stays near −60 dB	No signal: the mic is muted, unplugged or the wrong input is selected.
Green, −40 to −20 dB	Quiet but working. Speak closer or raise the input volume.
Yellow, −20 to −6 dB	A good level for calls and recordings.
Red, above −6 dB	Very loud. Your voice may clip and distort.
Level moves when you’re silent	Background noise: fans, traffic or electrical hum.

Headset mic test

Headsets often show up as two devices, one for headphones and one for the mic. After you press Start, pick the headset from the Microphone list; if you only see your laptop’s built-in mic, the headset isn’t connected as an input. Many headsets have a mute switch on the cable or a flip-to-mute boom arm, so check those first. Wireless gaming headsets need their USB dongle plugged in.

Discord, Zoom and Teams mic check

If the mic works here but not in a call, the problem is the app’s settings, not the microphone. Each app picks its own input device:

• Discord: User Settings → Voice & Video → Input Device. Use “Let’s Check” to hear yourself, and lower Input Sensitivity if you’re cut off.
• Zoom: Settings → Audio → Microphone, then “Test Mic”. Turn off “Automatically adjust microphone volume” if your level jumps around.
• Microsoft Teams: Settings → Devices → Microphone, then “Make a test call”.
• Google Meet: the three-dot menu → Settings → Audio → Microphone.

Checking your speakers too? Run the sound test for a full mic and speaker test before the call.

Mic test on iPhone and Android

This mic test works in Safari on iPhone and iPad and in Chrome on Android. Phones have several microphones; the browser uses the main one at the bottom unless a headset or Bluetooth earbuds are connected. If Safari never asks for permission, open Settings → Safari → Microphone and set it to Ask or Allow.

Microphone not working? Try this

Mic test on Windows

• Open Settings → System → Sound and choose your mic under Input. Speak and watch the input volume bar.
• Open Settings → Privacy & security → Microphone and make sure microphone access and “Let desktop apps access your microphone” are on.
• Raise the input volume in the mic’s Properties; it is sometimes set to 0.

Mic test on a Mac

• Open System Settings → Sound → Input, choose your mic and watch the input level as you speak.
• Open System Settings → Privacy & Security → Microphone and turn on your browser.

In the browser

• Click the lock or microphone icon in the address bar and set the microphone to Allow.
• Close other tabs or apps that might be using the microphone, such as Zoom, Teams, Discord or OBS.
• For a Bluetooth headset, make sure it’s connected in headset mode, not just as headphones.

Tips for a clearer voice on calls

• Keep the mic a hand’s width from your mouth and slightly to the side, to avoid breath noise.
• A headset or USB mic almost always sounds better than a laptop’s built-in mic, which picks up keyboard and fan noise.
• Soft furnishings help: a room with curtains and a rug echoes far less than an empty one.

FAQ