Free1. Check the simple things
- Make sure the plug is pushed fully in, or try a different USB port.
- Look for a mute switch on your headset cable or ear cup, and a mute key on your laptop keyboard (often one of the F keys, with a crossed-out microphone).
- On a desktop PC, try the microphone socket on the back of the computer instead of the front.
2. Allow microphone access in privacy settings
Windows can block every app from the microphone at once, which looks exactly like a broken mic.
- Open Settings › Privacy & security › Microphone. On Windows 10, it's Settings › Privacy › Microphone.
- Turn on Microphone access.
- Turn on Let apps access your microphone.
- Scroll down and turn on Let desktop apps access your microphone. Browsers such as Chrome, Edge and Firefox count as desktop apps.
3. Choose the right microphone
- Open Settings › System › Sound.
- Under Input, pick the microphone you want to use. Webcams, headsets and laptops each add their own, so the wrong one is often selected.
- Select it to open its properties, and check the Input volume isn't at or near zero.
- Speak, and watch the level bar under the device name move.
4. Allow the microphone in your browser
- Click the icon to the left of the web address and set Microphone to Allow, then reload the page.
- In Chrome or Edge, you can also pick which microphone websites use, under the browser's Settings › Privacy and security › Site settings › Microphone.
5. Close apps that might be holding the mic
Call and recording apps can keep the microphone to themselves. Quit apps such as Teams, Zoom, Discord or recording software, including from the system tray next to the clock, then try again.
If this keeps happening, stop apps taking exclusive control: search Start for Change system sounds, open the Recording tab, choose your microphone, select Properties › Advanced and untick Allow applications to take exclusive control of this device.
6. Update or reinstall the driver
- Right-click the Start button and choose Device Manager.
- Expand Audio inputs and outputs and right-click your microphone.
- Choose Update driver. If that doesn't help, choose Uninstall device and restart the computer; Windows reinstalls it automatically.
- For USB and gaming headsets, also install the latest software from the maker's website.
7. Run the troubleshooter and restart
Search Start for audio troubleshooter and follow the steps for recording audio. Then restart the computer, which clears many temporary glitches.
Still not working?
Try the microphone on another computer or phone. If it fails there too, the microphone or its cable is faulty. If it works elsewhere, the problem is with this PC's port, driver or settings.
Frequently asked questions
My mic works in one app but not another.
Check that app's own audio settings for an input device choice, and make sure it's allowed in step 2. Some apps, such as games and call apps, ignore the Windows default.
People say I sound quiet or far away.
Raise the input volume in step 3, move closer to the microphone, and check you're using your headset mic rather than the laptop's built-in one.
My mic stopped working after a Windows update.
Updates sometimes reset privacy settings or swap drivers. Check step 2 first, then reinstall the driver as in step 6.