If your laptop has a faulty or broken mic, it’s probably never ever going to record a good quality sound. Luckily, all is not lost. Damaged or malfunctioned laptop mics can actually be repaired. In this post, we will walk you through all the different steps and or methods on how to fix laptop mic not working. Read on for the details…..
If your laptop’s mic is not working the way it should, you are likely not going to have ameaningful conversation with someone online. This can be very evident during video calls on platforms such as Zoom, Skype, WhatsApp, etc. While the reason why your laptop mic isn’t working could be manifold, the solutions are equally many. Below, we will explore some of the ways to resolve this problem. Before that though, let’s explore some of the common issues that may cause your laptop mic to stop working.
Causes of faulty laptop microphone
There are a number of potential causes of faulty laptop microphone. While some may be complex and require professional knowledge to fix, some of the associated glitches may only require basic tweaks in your PC settings. Here are some common reasons why your laptop mic is not working:
- Improper configuration
- Outdated microphone drivers
- Faulty internal wiring
- Physically damaged microphone
- Internal wiring glitches
- Permission settings
Fix a mute microphone on your laptop
Laptops have a physical mute button which disables the functioning of the microphone. In case you accidentally pushed this button, you are required to flip it again to un-mute your microphone. However, there is a possibility that your microphone may be muted in the Sound settings. This is how to revert this action:
Step 1: On your laptop, open the Control Panel.
Step 2: Click on Hardware and Sound.
Step 3: Click on Sound.
Step 4: Click on Recording.
Step 5: Right-click on Your Microphone.
Step 6: Click on Properties.
Step 7: Click on Levels.
Step 8: In case the Microphone Icon displayed has a Crossed Out Red Circle next to it, click on the Crossed Out Red Circle to Un-mute.
Step 9: On the same menu, check the Microphone Level and Boost, in case they are too low, Slide Them to Full.
Now, you can exit this window and check if your microphone works.
Set the correct microphone on default
Have you previously used other microphones on the laptop? If yes, your laptop may have an incorrect microphone set as default. This is how to check and change the default microphone on your computer:
Step 1: On your laptop, open the Control Panel.
Step 2: Click on Hardware and Sound.
Step 3: Click on Sound.
Step 4: Click on Recording.
Step 5: Click on Microphone.
Step 6: Click on Set Default.
Allow applications to gain access to your laptop’s microphone
It's advisable to only allow certain apps to access your microphone for your privacy reasons. In case you are using an app and your microphone does not seem to work, you may need to grant the app permission to access your microphone. Note: This procedure only works in Windows 10.
Step 1: On your laptop’s Windows Search Bar, type Microphone.
Step 2: Click on Microphone Privacy Settings.
Step 3: Set on Allow Apps to Access your Windows (Windows 10) or set on Let Apps Use My Microphone (Windows 8).
Step 4: Scroll down and ensure that Your Specific App is granted permission.
Switch to the correct microphone on your laptop
You may either be trying to use an external or internal microphone. In case it's not working Windows may have set the wrong microphone as default. To switch to the correct microphone on your laptop:
Step 1: Try plugging in and out an external microphone if you want to use the internal microphone.
Step 2: Or else try unplugging and plugging in back your external microphone to use the external microphone.
Note that this procedure may help Windows to automatically choose and set the correct microphone as default.
Enable your laptop’s microphone.
By the use of the device manager, you need to ensure that your laptop’s microphone is enabled. In case, it's disabled enable it. If the action is not successful and it stays disabled then there is an in-depth conflict in your devices Hardware or Drivers. In this case, you are required to update or troubleshoot your device’s drivers to enable your microphone. Troubleshooting sound on your device will automatically check and fix issues related to Sound, Recording and Playback. Use these steps to run the sound troubleshooter:
Step : On your laptop, open the Control Panel.
Step : Click on Troubleshooting.
Step : Click on Hardware and Sound.
Step : Click on Sound.
Step : Click on Recording.
Step : Click on Next and follow the Onscreen Prompts.
Set your microphone or headset as the system default recording device
If you use your Windows 11 laptop to attend online meetings or maybe do some audio recording often, you may want to simplify things bysetting the mic as your default recording device. Here’s how to do it:
Step 1: On your laptop, click on Start.
Step 2: Click on Settings.
Step 3: Click on System and then click on Sound.
Step 4: Click on Input and click on Choose a device for speaking or recording.
Step 5: Select Your Preferred Device.
Step 6: Test your laptop’s microphone by speaking into it, and ensure that the Volume Blue Bar moves to verify that Windows hears you.
Increase the volume of your laptop’s microphone
Sometimes, all it takes to fix this issue is but a quick tweak on the microphone’s volume. Here’s how to do it:
Step 1: On your laptop, click on Start.
Step 2: Click on Settings.
Step 3: Click on System and then click on Sound.
Step 4: Click on Input and select a Microphone to see its Properties.
Step 5: Test your laptop’s microphone by speaking into it, and ensure that the Volume Blue Bar moves to accordingly.
Step 6: If not, go to the Test your Microphone and Start Test for troubleshooting.
Check for audio driver updates on your laptop
Your microphone may fail due to the device’s drivers being out of date or compromised. That can be easily fixed. All you need to do is:
Step : Install new or update your computer’s microphone driver.
Step : Restart your computer for the drivers to take effect.
Physically examine your Laptop’s microphone
Another way to fix the laptop mic not working issue is to do a thorough examination of your laptop (if you are familiar with the process. Else take your device to a professional). If you are conversant with the process and wouldn’t mind doing it by yourself, proceed as follows:
Step 1: Carefully open your laptop's case. Make sure that you remove all the necessary screws.
Step 2: Check if the microphone is dislodged or physically broken, if yes, go on and replace it.
Step 3: Go on and check on the wires connecting the microphone to the motherboard and the hinge.
Step 4: If the wires are broken or unplugged from the motherboard, fix them or plug them back into the motherboard.
In case you did not notice anything wrong during the microphone and wiring inspection, please consider getting professional help.
