Fix a microphone no one can hear

Steps

1. 01

   Check the mute you can touch

   • Headset: check the mute button or inline switch
   • Laptop: check for a microphone key with its own light
   • Bluetooth headset: confirm it's paired and connected, not just switched on
2. 02

   Choose the right input and run Windows' microphone test

   Windows 11

   • Settings›System›Sound›under Input, pick your mic in 'Choose a device for speaking or recording'
   • Select the arrow beside it›Start test under Microphone test, speak, select Stop test, then Play under Recorded sample
   • Raise the Input volume slider on the same page if your voice is quiet

   Windows 10

   • Settings›System›Sound›under Input, pick your mic in 'Choose your input device' and speak while watching 'Test your microphone'
   • Device properties → Levels tab to raise the Microphone and Microphone Boost sliders

   ✓You should see: Your voice played back, or the test bar moving as you speak — Windows can hear you, so anything still wrong is permissions or the app.

3. 03

   Allow microphone access

   Windows 11

   • Settings → Privacy & security → Microphone → turn on Microphone access and 'Let apps access your microphone', and check your app in the list
   • Turn on 'Let desktop apps access your microphone' — Zoom, Discord and browsers rely on this one

   Windows 10

   • Settings›Privacy›Microphone›Change›turn on access, then 'Allow apps to access your microphone' and 'Allow desktop apps to access your microphone'

   Why?

   Desktop apps aren't listed one by one, so one switch covers all of them. A webcam with a built-in mic also needs camera access on.

4. 04

   Set the same mic inside the calling app

   • Calling apps such as Teams, Zoom and Discord have their own microphone setting — pick the mic you tested in step 2
   • After changing a privacy switch, quit the app completely and reopen it
5. 05

   Run the troubleshooter, then reinstall the audio driver

   • Windows 11:Settings›System›Sound›under Advanced, 'Troubleshoot common sound problems' → Input devices (Windows 10:Update & Security›Troubleshoot›Additional troubleshooters›Recording Audio)
   • Device Manager›Sound,video and game controllers›right-click the audio device›Uninstall device, tick 'Attempt to remove the driver for this device', then Uninstall
   • Restart so Windows reinstalls it — if it doesn't,Action›Scan for hardware changes—then right-click the device›Update driver

   !Careful: Sound stops entirely until the restart, so don't do this in the middle of a call.

   Also see: No sound? The four-minute fix