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Device guide

Test Your Mic on a Mac

Press Start, allow the mic and speak. If the meter moves, your Mac’s microphone works. If not, check macOS permission, the site and the input volume.

Press Start, then choose Allow when your browser asks to use the microphone.

Private by design. Audio is processed locally in your browser and never uploaded. There is no server for audio, nothing is recorded unless you press Record, and recordings are never stored: they live in this tab’s memory until you delete them or leave the page. Privacy

Quick answer

Press Start mic test above and allow the microphone when your browser asks. On a Mac the browser needs permission twice: once in macOS (Privacy & Security) and once for the site. If the meter does not move, check these in order.

1. Let your browser use the microphone in macOS

  1. Quit the browser. Choose Apple menu > System Settings, then click Privacy & Security and Microphone.
  2. Turn on the setting for your browser (Chrome, Edge, Firefox…).
  3. Open the browser again, return to this page and press Start mic test.

Source: Apple Support “If you can’t record audio from an external source on Mac”, read October 10, 2026. These menu names are for macOS Ventura and later.

2. Safari: allow the site

Safari also has its own per-website microphone setting.

Safari (Mac)
  1. In Safari choose Safari > Settings, then click Websites.
  2. Select Microphone in the list on the left.
  3. Next to testthemic.app choose Ask or Allow (not Deny).
  4. Reload this page and press Start.

Source: Apple Support, read October 10, 2026.

3. Pick the input and set its volume

  1. Choose Apple menu > System Settings > Sound and click Input.
  2. Select the device you want to use (the built-in microphone, a headset or a USB microphone).
  3. Drag the Input volume slider while you speak. Apple notes that if someone speaks softly you can increase the input volume so your Mac can better capture the voice.
  4. Choose the same device in the “Microphone” list of the test above and check the verdict.

Source: Apple Support “Change the sound input settings on Mac”, read October 10, 2026.

What we left out

We only include steps we could confirm on the vendor’s own help page. We left these out because we could not confirm them there:

  • Differences between MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac and other models (Apple’s pages we read do not split steps by model).
  • macOS versions before Ventura.
  • Apps’ own microphone settings (Zoom, Teams and so on).

Frequently asked questions

How do I test my mic on a MacBook?

Press Start on this page, allow the microphone, and speak. The meter and the verdict show whether the built-in or external microphone is picked up. The same steps apply to an iMac or Mac mini with a connected microphone.

Why can’t my browser use the Mac microphone?

Either the browser is switched off in System Settings > Privacy & Security > Microphone, or the site is not allowed in the browser (in Safari: Settings > Websites > Microphone).

How do I raise my Mac’s microphone volume?

In System Settings > Sound > Input, select your device and drag the Input volume slider, then test again here.

Does the test upload my voice?

No. The sound stays in your browser. See the privacy page.

More microphone help

Sources

  1. Apple Support: If you can’t record audio from an external source on Mac (Privacy & Security > Microphone). https://support.apple.com/en-us/102071
  2. Apple Support: Change the sound input settings on Mac. https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/change-the-sound-input-settings-mchlp2567/mac
  3. Apple Support: Change Websites settings in Safari on Mac. https://support.apple.com/guide/safari/customize-settings-per-website-ibrwe2159f50/mac

The level rule behind the verdict (−35 to −8 dBFS is “working”) is our own rule of thumb; see the mic test.

Read and checked: October 10, 2026. Vendors change their menus, so if a name differs on your device, use the vendor page above. Found a mistake? Email info@testthemic.app.