Mic test

Test your microphone

See your mic's level move as you speak, hear a short recording of yourself, and find out how much background noise it picks up.

Sound stays on your device. Nothing is uploaded or saved.
–Microphone
–Level now
–Background noise
–Sample rate

Press Start mic, allow the microphone, then say something.

Check your speakers or headphones

Each button plays a short tone. Left should only come from the left, and right only from the right.

Mic not working? Try these first

  • Check for a mute switch on the headset, its cable or the mic itself. Many headsets also mute when the boom mic is flipped up.
  • Pick the right mic. Computers often default to the laptop's built-in mic or a webcam's mic instead of your headset.
  • On Windows, open Settings › System › Sound, choose your mic under Input and check its volume. On a Mac, use System Settings › Sound › Input.
  • A headset with one combined 3.5 mm plug needs a splitter on PCs with separate pink (mic) and green (headphone) sockets.
  • For a wireless headset, check it's charged and connected in "headset" mode rather than music-only mode.

Shopping for a new headset?

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Our sister site Sudo Picks compares headsets on mic quality, comfort, battery and price.

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If the fixes don't help, our sister site Sudo Picks compares headsets on mic quality, comfort, battery and price.

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How to use the mic test

Press Start mic and allow the microphone when your browser asks. Talk normally: the bar and waveform should move with your voice, and the test tells you in a sentence whether the mic is working. Press Record 5 seconds and play back to hear exactly what other people hear.

If you have more than one mic, pick the one to test from the list. The test only listens while the mic is on, and nothing is uploaded or saved.

Raw sound or video call processing

The test starts with the raw sound from your mic, so you hear its real quality and noise. Tick Video call processing to switch on the echo cancelling, noise suppression and automatic volume that Teams, Zoom and Google Meet use, and hear the difference.

Background noise

Between words the test measures the quietest sound your mic picks up: fans, traffic, hum from a cable. Below -65 dB is very quiet. Above -40 dB, people on a call will notice it. A mic closer to your mouth, or a headset with a boom mic, helps more than any setting.

Common questions

Why does the meter not move at all?

The mic is sending silence. That's almost always a mute switch, the mic muted in your computer's sound settings, or the wrong mic picked. If the browser shows an error instead, the mic is blocked for this site or in use by another app.

Why do I sound quiet on calls when the test looks fine?

The app you call with may use a different mic from the one you tested. Check the audio settings inside Teams, Zoom or Discord and pick the same mic there.

Is it safe to allow the microphone on this site?

Yes. The sound is analysed by your own browser and isn't uploaded. The playback recording is held in memory and disappears when you close the page.

My headset sound only comes out of one side. Is it broken?

Use the speaker check: if Play both only comes from one side, try the headset on another device. If it's the same there, the cable or a speaker has failed. If it's fine elsewhere, check the computer's balance setting and the plug is pushed fully in.