Microphone not working on Windows 11

1. Check the hardware first

• Look for a mute switch on the headset cable or earcup, and a mute key on the keyboard (often an F key with a crossed-out microphone). Many headsets also show a red light when muted.
• Unplug the microphone and plug it into another port. For USB mics, avoid unpowered hubs and front-panel ports while testing.
• Headsets with a single 3.5 mm plug (four rings on the plug) need a combo jack. On a desktop with separate pink and green jacks, you need a splitter or the mic will not be detected.
• For Bluetooth headsets, remove the device in Settings > Bluetooth & devices and pair it again.

2. Turn on microphone access

Windows has a privacy switch that blocks every app from the microphone at once, which makes a working mic look dead. Go to Settings > Privacy & security > Microphone and turn on all three: Microphone access, Let apps access your microphone and Let desktop apps access your microphone. The list below the switches shows which apps used the mic recently.

Browsers like Chrome and Firefox, Zoom, Discord and most games count as desktop apps. If only Let desktop apps access your microphone is off, the Camera and Voice Recorder apps may work while everything else hears silence.

3. Choose the right input device

1. Open Settings > System > Sound and scroll to Input.
2. Under Choose a device for speaking or recording, pick the microphone you actually use. Webcams, monitors and docks often add extra inputs that Windows may select instead.
3. Speak and watch the bar under the device: it should move with your voice.

4. Raise the input volume

In Settings > System > Sound, click the arrow next to your microphone to open its properties. Set Input volume to around 70 to 100. If the page shows the microphone as not allowed for audio, select Allow. If the level is still very low, a headset with its own app (or a mixer or audio interface with a gain knob) may need to be turned up there as well.

5. Check the app

Each app keeps its own microphone choice, separate from the Windows default. In Teams, Zoom, Discord, Meet or the game, open the audio or voice settings and pick the same microphone you chose above. If a website asks for the microphone, it also needs the browser permission. Quit and reopen the app after changing devices.

6. Update or reinstall the driver

1. Right-click Start and open Device Manager.
2. Expand Audio inputs and outputs and find your microphone. A yellow warning sign means a driver problem.
3. Right-click it and choose Update driver. If that does not help, choose Uninstall device and restart the PC so Windows installs it again.
4. For built-in laptop mics, also check the audio driver under Sound, video and game controllers, and the laptop maker's support page for the latest audio driver.

7. Turn off exclusive mode and enhancements

When one app takes exclusive control of the microphone, other apps hear nothing. Go to Settings > System > Sound > More sound settings, open the Recording tab, double-click your microphone and, in the Advanced tab, untick Allow applications to take exclusive control of this device. In the same window, the Levels tab shows the microphone level and sometimes a Microphone Boost slider. If your voice sounds robotic or cuts out, try turning off audio enhancements in the microphone's properties in Settings.

8. Run the troubleshooter

Windows can check the usual causes for you. Go to Settings > System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters and run Recording Audio. On recent versions of Windows 11 this opens the Get Help app, which runs the same checks. Restart the PC afterwards, especially after a Windows update.

Test the microphone outside your apps

The Hardcheck mic test tells you whether the problem is the microphone or an app. Press Start, pick your microphone in the Device list and speak. If you see Your microphone works, Windows and the mic are fine and the fix is in the app's settings. If you see No sound is reaching the browser, go back to steps 1 to 4. Press Record 5 s and play Your recording to hear what other people hear.