Methods to Fix the Microphone of Windows 10

There are various reasons for why your microphone doesn’t work on Windows 10. A lot of Windows systems have had these problems due to the sound output, but the problem can occur due to the sound input as well, which can be easily fixed at home. Before beginning with any procedure to adjust the sound on microphones in your PC, you must always check the Windows sound settings. This way, you will be able to recognize where the problem begins.

Before doing anything, simply restart your computer because most of the issues can be resolved quickly with just a reboot of the system. If the problem is not fixed with a reboot, you can begin troubleshooting. Your first method has to be :

Check the Settings

1. Go to the settings of your device.
2. Tap on ‘System’ and click on ‘Sound.’
3. Under the Input section, click on the box of ‘Choose your input device.’ Select the mic you want to test.
4. Under that option, you will see ‘Test your microphone’ and speak on it. The bar alongside will move up and down, and if it doesn’t move, hit the troubleshoot button. Windows will try to fix the problem with the mic.
5. Click on the ‘Device properties’ link to rename the input so that you can find the microphone easily in the future.
6. Check the Disable box to make sure that the mic does not show up.
7. In the Sound page, you can find the ‘App volume and device preferences’ menu, which will allow you to choose any output and input device for your app, and you can check if you have selected the wrong microphone for the app or not.

Check permission for your microphone

Just like phones, Windows also requires permission for every app to access some of the settings. Windows 10 has a Privacy menu from where you can block or give access to the camera, microphone, etc. If you have denied access to the microphone, it will not work. You can check by following this procedure:

1. Go to Settings, and head to Privacy.
2. And the left side of the screen, click on App Permission and tap on Microphone.
3. Make sure that the toggle under the Allow apps to access your microphone is switched on.
4. Scroll down the page and switch on the toggle for ‘Allow desktop apps to access your microphone.’

If you are not able to switch on the toggle for giving access on the desktop apps, check when was the last time they accessed your mic. This will help you figure out if the mic is working for the app or not.

Troubleshoot

You can troubleshoot the microphone hardware setup.

1. If you use a USB mic, you can try plugging it directly to another USB port of your PC. If the mic doesn’t work with a USB port, the first one is probably dead or has an issue.
2. If you use another mic, make sure that the cable is plugged in the pink line-in port only.
3. For any other mic, make sure that the cables are not loose and the cords are not damaged.
4. Switch off the physical mute toggle from the microphone.
5. Update your existing sound card driver, and it will fix your problem.

Manage the Sound Devices

If your mic doesn’t work properly with any of these methods, you should review the list of available input devices.

1. Go to the Control Panel from the Start menu.
2. Change Category and choose Sound from the list.
3. Switch to the Recording tab, and it will show you all the microphones that are connected to your PC.
4. Give a write click anywhere on the screen and check mark the Show Disabled Devices and Show Disconnected Devices.
5. It will show you a list of devices from where you have to right-click and choose Enable for your primary mic.

Check Mic Levels and Exclusive Mode

1. Go to the Recording panel and click on the name of your mic. It will let you edit a few options.
2. Adjust the input from the Levels tab. You can also make changes to the enhancement, but this option appears only in a few computers and a mic.
3. Go to the Advanced tab and uncheck the boxes under Exclusive Mode.
4. Go back to the Recording tab, after making changes and give a right-click on the inputs that you don’t use and select the Disable option.
5. Give a right-click on the main mic and choose Set As Default Device. The apps will use the main mic by default.

Troubleshoot Mic in Various Apps

Various video calling apps and gaming apps can interfere in the normal processing of your mic. If your mic doesn’t work properly, then these apps could be the culprit behind it. You’ll have to tweak the settings from the app.

1. If you use Zoom, then click on the gear icon on the right side of the page to open the settings.
2. Go to the Audio tab, and under the microphone section, you will find that the input level moves as you speak.
3. Click on Test Mic to make sure that the sound words properly. If needed, you can swap your mic from the drop-down box.
4. Click on the Menu button and go to Settings.
5. Click on the Audio and Video tab. Under the Microphone section, you will see the blue dots moving as you speak.
6. If the bar doesn’t move, click on your mic’s name and select another device.

Fix Echo on your Mic

If your mic repeats everything you say, it could be because of the echo problems, which can be reduced in a few ways.

1. You can use headphones to reduce echo.
2. Check the settings of microphone sensitivity. If it is too high, it will not work correctly, even with headphones.
3. If the problem occurs without any headphones and video calls, check the Settings of your Windows by going to Recording tab > double-click on your input device > tap on the Listen tab and uncheck the Listen To This Device option.

Either of these methods will help you solve the microphone issues on your Windows device. The reasons for the recurring problems may vary.

Source : Window 10