If you are hing trouble with your microphone features, or with the microphone on your headset or webcam, the following information can help you troubleshoot and resolve issues.
Make sure apps he access to the microphone
If your microphone isn't detected after updating Windows 11, you may need to give your apps permission to use it. Here's how:聽
Select Start > Settings > Privacy & security > Microphone and make sure Microphone access is turned on.
Make sure Let apps access your microphone is turned on, then choose which apps he access. Desktop apps won't appear in this list.
If you want to give access to desktop apps, make sure that聽Let desktop apps access your microphone聽is turned on. You can't turn off microphone access for individual apps.聽
If your camera contains a microphone, you might also need to give your apps permission to use your camera.聽 If so, select聽Start > Settings > Privacy & security > Camera聽and make sure Camera聽is turned on.
Others can't hear meTry the following solutions:
If your headset has a Mute button, make sure it isn't聽active.
Make sure that your microphone or headset is connected correctly to your computer. If your headset is a wireless Bluetooth device, make sure your Bluetooth device is paired and connected by following the steps at聽Pair a Bluetooth device in Windows.
Make sure that your microphone or headset is the system default recording device. Here's how to do this in Windows 11:
Select Start聽>聽Settings聽> System > Sound.
In聽Input, go to聽Choose a device for speaking or recording, and select the device you want.聽
To test your microphone, speak into it. In聽Volume, make sure the blue bar moves to make sure Windows hears you.聽
Run the Recording Audio Troubleshooter.聽Select Settings > System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters.聽Select the聽Recording Audio聽troubleshooter.
Windows isn't detecting the headset, camera, or microphoneIf the previous troubleshooting steps do not resolve the problem and Windows is not even detecting your microphone, try reinstalling your audio drivers:
鈥嬧€嬧€嬧€嬧€嬧€嬧€嬧€嬧€嬧€嬧€嬧€嬧€嬧€嬧€嬧€嬧€嬧€嬧€婻ight-click the聽Start button and select聽Device Manager.
Expand the Sound, video and game controllers section.
Look for any audio devices or drivers.聽Right-click the聽audio device and select Uninstall device.聽Make sure to check the box that says Delete the driver software for this device聽and then select Uninstall. Repeat this process for any other audio devices.
Restart your computer.聽 Windows will attempt to reinstall your audio devices聽and drivers automatically.聽 If it does not, right-click the聽Start button and select聽Device Manager. Right-click the聽Sound, video and game controllers聽section and select Scan for hardware changes.
Update your drivers.聽聽Once your computer restarts, go back to Device Manager.聽 Expand the Sound, video and game controllers section. Right-click聽your audio driver聽and select Update driver.
The microphone volume is too low or does not appear to be working at allTry the following solutions:
Make sure that the microphone or headset is connected correctly to your computer.
Make sure that the microphone is positioned correctly.
Increase the volume of your microphone. Here's how to do this in Windows 11:
Select Start聽>聽Settings聽> System > Sound.
In聽Input, select a microphone to see its properties.
In聽Input volume, make sure the blue bar adjusts as you speak into the microphone.聽
If it doesn't, go to Test your microphone and Start test.聽This will help you troubleshoot any issues with your microphone.聽
If you are hing trouble with your microphone features, or with the microphone on your headset or webcam, the following information can help you troubleshoot and resolve issues.
Make sure apps he access to the microphone
If your microphone isn't detected after updating Windows 10, you may need to give your apps permission to use it.
To let apps access the microphone, select Start聽聽,then select Settings聽 > Privacy聽 > Microphone聽 . Select Change, then turn on Allow apps to access your microphone.
After allowing access to the microphone, you can choose which Microsoft Store apps can access these features under Choose which Microsoft Store apps can access your microphone, and give access to non-Microsoft-Store desktop apps by ensuring that the switch beneath Allow desktop apps to access your microphone is set to On.
If your camera contains a microphone, you might also need to give your apps permission to use your camera.聽 If so, select聽Start > Settings > Privacy聽> Camera聽and make sure camera access for this device is on, and that allowing apps to access your camera is set to On.
Others can't hear meTry the following solutions:
If your headset has a Mute button, make sure it isn't聽active.
Make sure that your microphone or headset is connected correctly to your computer.聽If your headset is a wireless Bluetooth device, make sure your Bluetooth device is paired and connected by following the steps at聽Pair a Bluetooth device in Windows.
Make sure that your microphone or headset is the system default recording device. Here's how to do this in Windows 10:
Select Start聽,聽then select Settings聽 > System > Sound .
In聽Input, ensure your microphone is selected in聽Choose your input device.
To test your microphone, speak into it and check Test your microphone to make sure Windows is hearing you.
Run the Recording Audio Troubleshooter.聽Select Settings > Update & Security > Troubleshoot > Additional troubleshooters.聽Select the聽Recording Audio聽troubleshooter.
Windows isn't detecting the headset, camera, or microphoneIf the previous troubleshooting steps do not resolve the problem and Windows is not even detecting your microphone, try reinstalling your audio drivers:
鈥嬧€嬧€嬧€嬧€嬧€嬧€嬧€嬧€嬧€嬧€嬧€嬧€嬧€嬧€嬧€嬧€嬧€嬧€婻ight-click the聽Start button and select聽Device Manager.
Expand the Sound, video and game controllers section.
Look for any audio devices or drivers.聽Right-click the聽audio device and select Uninstall device.聽Make sure to check the box that says Delete the driver software for this device聽and then select Uninstall. Repeat this process for any other audio devices.
Restart your computer.聽 Windows will attempt to reinstall your audio devices聽and drivers automatically.聽 If it does not, right-click the聽Start button and select聽Device Manager. Right-click the聽Sound, video and game controllers聽section and select Scan for hardware changes.
Update your drivers.聽聽Once your computer restarts, go back to Device Manager.聽 Expand the Sound, video and game controllers section. Right-click聽your audio driver聽and select Update driver.
The microphone volume is too low or does not appear to be working at allTry the following solutions:
Make sure that the microphone or headset is connected correctly to your computer.
Make sure that the microphone is positioned correctly.
Increase the volume of your microphone. Here's how to do this in Windows 10:
Select Start聽聽, then select Settings聽 > System > Sound .
In聽Input, ensure your microphone is selected under Choose your input device, then select Device Properties.
On the Levels tab of the Microphone Properties window, adjust the Microphone and聽Microphone Boost sliders as needed, then select聽OK.
Speak into your microphone while checking under Test your microphone to make sure your settings work. If you see the line moving from left to right, your microphone is working. If you see no change, the microphone is not picking up sound.
Others cannot hear me in Skype calls
Make sure that your microphone or headset is the Skype default recording device. Here's how:
If Skype is not open, select Start聽, then Skype聽 to open it.
In the upper right corner of the Contacts List in Skype, select More聽, then Settings.
In Audio & Video, under Microphone, make sure your microphone or headset is selected.
Under Speakers, make sure your preferred speaker or headset is selected.