TestTheMic
Menu

Device guide

Test Your Microphone on Windows 11

Press Start, allow the mic and speak. If the meter moves, your microphone works. If not, Windows 11 has three settings to check.

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, allow the microphone and speak. If the meter moves and the verdict says your microphone is working, Windows 11 and your browser are both fine. If it does not, go through the three checks below in order: the Windows privacy switch, the selected device, and the volume.

1. Check Windows microphone privacy

  1. Select Start > Settings > Privacy & security > Microphone.
  2. Make sure Microphone access is on, and that Let apps access your microphone is on.
  3. Make sure Let desktop apps access your microphone is on. Microsoft says desktop apps, which is what most browsers are, cannot be switched on one by one.
  4. Go back to the test above and press Start mic test again.

Sources: Microsoft Support “Turn on app permissions for your microphone in Windows” and “Fix microphone problems”, read October 10, 2026.

2. Choose the right microphone

  1. Go to Start > Settings > System > Sound.
  2. Under Input, in “Choose a device for speaking or recording”, select your microphone.
  3. Pick the same microphone in the “Microphone” list of the test above. The name under the list shows what the browser is using.

Source: Microsoft Support “Fix microphone problems”, read October 10, 2026.

3. Test it in Windows and compare

  1. In Settings > System > Sound, select the arrow to the right of your microphone to open its properties.
  2. Under “Microphone test”, select Start test and speak. Select Stop test, then play the recorded sample.
  3. Compare with the level meter above. If Windows picks you up but the page does not, the problem is the browser permission: see allow the microphone in your browser.

Microphone volume at 0 or very low

On the same properties page Microsoft’s steps include the Input volume slider: drag it up, speak, and watch the meter and the verdict in the test above until it says “working”. The mic too quiet guide has more.

Source: Microsoft Support “Fix microphone problems”, read October 10, 2026.

4. Still no sound

  1. Under Settings > System > Sound, scroll to Advanced and run the Input devices troubleshooter.
  2. If Windows does not detect the microphone at all, Microsoft describes reinstalling the audio drivers in Device Manager under “Sound, video and game controllers”.

Source: Microsoft Support “Fix microphone problems”, 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:

  • Windows 10 menus (named only where Microsoft’s page names them).
  • Driver-specific or manufacturer audio software settings, and options such as audio enhancements or exclusive mode.
  • Claims about why a volume slider shows 0.

Frequently asked questions

How do I test my microphone on Windows 11?

Two ways: use the test on this page, or in Settings > System > Sound open your microphone’s properties and use Start test under “Microphone test”. The page above also shows a live level and a plain-words verdict.

Why does the microphone work in Windows but not on this page?

Windows and the browser each have their own permission. After the Windows privacy switches are on, allow the microphone for this site in your browser.

Why is my Windows 11 microphone volume so low?

Check that the right device is selected and raise its Input volume in Settings > System > Sound, then test again on this page.

Does this page send my voice anywhere?

No. The sound is analysed in your browser and is not uploaded. See the privacy page.

More microphone help

Sources

  1. Microsoft Support: Fix microphone problems (Windows 11 and Windows 10). https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/fix-microphone-problems-5f230348-106d-bfa4-1db5-336f35576011
  2. Microsoft Support: Turn on app permissions for your microphone in Windows. https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/privacy/turn-on-app-permissions-for-your-microphone-in-windows
  3. Google Chrome Help: Use your camera and microphone in Chrome (desktop). https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/2693767

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.