How to Test a Microphone
The fastest way to test a microphone is with a browser-based tool that needs no installation. Follow the steps below and you'll know whether your microphone works in under 30 seconds:
- Click Start Microphone and approve "Allow" in the browser's permission prompt.
- If you have more than one microphone, pick the device you want to test from the dropdown menu.
- Speak a few words in your normal voice. A level bar moving from green toward red shows the microphone is picking up your voice.
- To check clarity, use "Start Recording" to record a few seconds and play it back.
If the level bar never moves, the microphone either isn't being detected or the wrong device is selected — check the troubleshooting section below.
Microphone Not Working: Causes and Fixes
Browser permission denied or never granted
This is the most common cause. If you closed the permission prompt or previously selected "Block," the page can't access your microphone. You can manually enable the microphone permission from the lock/site-info icon in the address bar.
Wrong device selected
A computer can have a built-in mic, a USB microphone, and a headset mic connected at the same time. The operating system may default to a different device than you expect — make sure the right one is selected in the device menu on this page.
Microphone access disabled at the OS level
Windows and macOS can block app/browser-level microphone access for privacy reasons. On Windows, check Settings → Privacy & Security → Microphone; on macOS, check System Settings → Privacy & Security → Microphone, and confirm your browser has access.
Hardware fault or connection issue
If the settings above are correct and no audio is still detected, check the cable/USB connection and try the microphone on another device. If the problem persists, it may be a hardware fault.
How to Allow Microphone Access by Browser
🟦 Google Chrome
- Click the lock icon to the left of the address bar
- Open "Site settings"
- Set Microphone to "Allow"
- Reload the page
🟧 Mozilla Firefox
- Click the camera/microphone icon in the address bar
- Switch blocked permissions to "Allow"
- Reset site permissions from the "Connection Secure" icon if needed
- Reload the page
🟦 Microsoft Edge
- Click the lock icon in the address bar
- Open "Permissions for this site", set Microphone to "Allow"
- You can also check Edge Settings → Cookies and site permissions → Microphone
- Reload the page
🍎 Safari
- From the menu bar: Safari → Settings for This Website
- Set Microphone permission to "Allow"
- Check macOS System Settings → Privacy to confirm Safari has microphone access
- Reload the page
Frequently Asked Questions
Why isn't my microphone being detected?
This is usually because the browser hasn't been granted microphone permission. Click the lock icon to the left of the address bar and check the microphone permission. Your operating system's privacy settings also need to allow that browser to access the microphone. If you have multiple microphones, having the wrong device selected can also cause this issue.
My browser won't ask for microphone permission, what should I do?
If the permission prompt isn't appearing, you may have permanently denied it earlier. Open the site settings menu from the address bar, manually set microphone permission to "Allow," and reload the page. See the browser guide above for details.
The audio level looks very low, is my microphone broken?
A low audio level doesn't always mean a broken microphone. Try increasing the microphone gain in your operating system's sound settings and reducing the distance between your mouth and the mic. To check for a hardware fault, try the microphone on a different device.
My Bluetooth headset's microphone isn't working, why?
Bluetooth headsets typically switch between a high-quality music profile and a call profile with microphone. Your device often defaults to the music profile, which disables the mic. Switch your headset to "call/headset" mode in your sound settings.
Where does my recorded audio go, is it private?
All testing and recording on this tool happens entirely in your browser's memory — nothing is sent to or stored on any server. The recording is automatically discarded when you close or refresh the page.
I have multiple microphones, how do I know which one is better?
Use the device menu to switch between microphones and compare their level response and recording clarity. In general, external USB or XLR microphones carry less background noise than built-in laptop microphones.