Mic Test: Check Your Microphone Online

What this mic test checks

Beyond a simple yes-or-no on whether your mic is detected, this tool also shows you what your browser actually knows about your microphone: things like its name, sample rate, estimated latency, and whether features like echo cancellation and noise suppression are active. It also lets you record a short clip and play it back, which catches problems a waveform alone can miss, like distortion, background noise, or a mic that's technically detected but sounds muffled or quiet.

How to use the mic test

• Click to start the test and allow microphone access when your browser asks.
• Speak normally and watch for the waveform or line to move in response to your voice.
• Use the record and playback feature to hear exactly what your mic is capturing.
• Check the technical details panel for a closer look at your microphone's reported properties.

Testing on mobile and iPhone

This works on phones too, including iPhone, but mobile has its own permission quirks worth knowing about. On iOS, Safari has its own microphone permission separate from your phone's overall system privacy setting, so you may need to allow access in both places. If you've previously denied microphone access to Safari, you'll usually need to go into your phone's Settings app under Safari's permissions to reset it, since the in-page prompt won't reappear on its own. You'll also see a small microphone indicator appear near the top of your screen whenever an app or website is actively using your mic, a useful way to confirm access is genuinely active.

Laptop built-in mic vs external PC mic

These two tend to fail for different reasons, so it's worth knowing which situation you're in. A laptop's built-in microphone is usually a small capsule near the keyboard or webcam, and common issues are more often physical, dust or debris around the mic opening, or your hand or the laptop's own angle partially blocking it, alongside the usual software input selection issues. An external microphone connected to a desktop or laptop is more likely to run into cable, port, or driver problems, especially with USB mics that can sometimes get assigned a new device ID after being unplugged and reconnected, which can quietly reset your default input selection.

What your results mean

Understanding the technical details

If your results include a technical readout, here's what those terms actually mean:

Worth being upfront about where these numbers come from: they're what your browser itself reports about the microphone, which can vary a bit between browsers and won't always match the exact spec sheet from the manufacturer. Treat them as a solid, useful read rather than a certified lab measurement.

Works here but not in Zoom, Discord, or Teams?

This is a common and genuinely confusing situation, but there's a real explanation for it. A browser-based test like this one is about as direct a path as you can get, your voice, your mic, and the page, with minimal software in between. Apps like Zoom, Discord, and Teams typically layer their own audio processing on top of the raw signal, and they often maintain their own separate device selection that can differ from your operating system's default input, so the app might simply be listening to the wrong device even though your actual microphone works fine. Some apps also claim exclusive access to a microphone while running, which can prevent other software from using it at the same time. If your mic passes this test but fails in a specific app, the fix is almost always in that app's own audio settings, not your hardware.

Troubleshooting common issues

• No sound is being detected at all. Check that your microphone isn't muted, either through a physical mute switch on the device or the wire, and that your input volume isn't turned all the way down in your system settings.
• You allowed microphone access but it's still not working. There are two separate layers of permission that both need to be granted, your browser's own site permission, and your operating system's overall microphone privacy setting. Granting one without the other is a common reason access still seems blocked. Check both your browser's site settings and your OS's privacy or sound settings.
• The wrong microphone is being used. If you have more than one microphone connected, check your system's sound input settings to confirm the correct one is selected as default, since some apps and even some browsers can default to the wrong device after you plug in or unplug something.
• Audio sounds distorted, muffled, or too quiet. Try adjusting the input volume in your system settings, and check the microphone's physical distance and positioning, some mics perform noticeably worse if you're speaking too close or at an angle.
• It works here but not in a specific app. That points to the app's own settings or device selection rather than your microphone, see the section above for why this happens.
• Nothing seems to help. Try updating or reinstalling your microphone's driver, and restart your browser or computer to release any lingering exclusive access another app may be holding onto.

While you're checking your hardware, it's also worth taking a moment to check your webcam and test your speakers, since call and stream issues aren't always the microphone.

FAQ