TodayTools

Microphone test

Check your microphone before an interview, a class or a family video call.

PrivateNo uploadsRuns in your browser

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Level

Allow the microphone, then speak or clap.

Works in your browser. Nothing is uploaded.

Recordings stay in this tab and are gone when you leave.

Microphone blocked? How to allow it

We picked your browser for you. Follow the steps in order.

On a computer

On a phone or tablet

Chrome

See a microphone icon with a red cross at the right end of the address bar? Click it, choose Always allow, then Done.

  1. Click the small icon at the left end of the address bar, just before sdev.in. It looks like two sliders or a lock.
  2. Find Microphone and turn it on, or set it to Allow.
  3. Not in the list? Click Site settings and set Microphone to Allow.
  4. Reload this page, then press Start test.
Another way: from Chrome settings
  1. Open a new tab and go to chrome://settings/content/microphone.
  2. At the top, pick the microphone you want to use.
  3. Under Not allowed to use your microphone, find www.sdev.in and click the bin icon next to it.
  4. Make sure Sites can ask to use your microphone is selected. Then come back here and press Start test.

Still blocked? Allow the microphone in your computer settings

  1. Click Start and open Settings.
  2. On Windows 11, go to Privacy & security, then Microphone. On Windows 10, go to Privacy, then Microphone.
  3. Turn on Microphone access and Let apps access your microphone.
  4. Turn on Let desktop apps access your microphone. Your browser is a desktop app.
  5. Close the browser fully, open it again and press Start test.

Other things to check

  • Close call apps and other tabs that may be using the microphone.
  • Check the mute switch on your headset, and the mute key on the keyboard (an F key with a microphone icon).
  • Pick the right input: on Windows, Settings, System, Sound, Input. On a Mac, System Settings, Sound, Input.
  • Using a Bluetooth headset? Make sure it is connected, then pick it in the Device list above.
  • On Android 12 or later, swipe down from the top of the screen and make sure the Microphone access tile is on.
  • In a private or incognito window, the browser forgets your choice when the window closes.
  • On a work or school computer, the microphone may be turned off by your admin. Ask them to allow it.
  • Still stuck? Restart the browser, or the whole computer or phone, and try again.
A woman speaking into a microphone at her desk

Before you press record

Sound clear before the big moment

First podcast. Check the level once. The first episode sounds like a pro.

BeforeJoin the call and ask can you hear me

With sdevTalk, see the bars move, you are ready

  • A boy singing loudly into a microphone

    Singing practice

    He hears his own voice back and smiles.

  • A woman holding a gift by a Christmas tree

    Family call on the holiday

    Grandpa hears every word. No one says you are on mute.

How to test your microphone

  1. Press Start and allow access

    Your browser asks once. Choose the microphone if you have more than one.

  2. Speak or clap

    The meter and waveform move with your voice. You should see peaks around -20 dB and a green Working badge.

  3. Record and listen

    Record a 10 second clip and play it back to hear what others hear. Switch noise suppression on or off to compare.

Good to know

  • Your browser shows a microphone icon in the address bar while the test runs; click it to change the permission or the default device.
  • Good speech peaks between -20 and -6 dB. If you barely reach -40 dB, move closer or raise the input level in the system sound settings.
  • Noise suppression removes fans and keyboard clatter but can thin out music. Try the recording with it on and off.
  • Bluetooth headsets often switch to a low-quality mode while the mic is on; the sample rate shown will drop to 8 or 16 kHz.
  • On macOS, apps need permission in System Settings, Privacy and Security, Microphone; on Windows it is Settings, Privacy, Microphone.

Where people use it

  • Before an online class or interview

    Speak and watch the meter move, then play back a short recording to hear yourself.

  • Which mic is being used

    Pick your headset or laptop mic from the list and test each one.

  • Too quiet or echo

    Turn noise suppression, echo cancellation and auto gain on or off to hear the change.

  • Check the camera too

    Make sure people can see you as well as hear you.

    Webcam test

  • Check your speakers

    If you cannot hear others, test the left and right sides.

    Speaker and headphone test

Why this one

It does not just say working or not. It shows the level, the sample rate and lets you hear a real recording.

  • Live level meter, waveform and spectrum.
  • Record 10 seconds and listen back.
  • Plain fixes for a blocked or quiet mic.
  • Sound stays on your device and is never uploaded.

What you can change

  • Microphone device
  • Noise suppression
  • Echo cancellation
  • Auto gain
  • Listen with headphones

People find this page by searching

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Cite this tool
  • APA
    sdev.in. (n.d.). Mic test online [Web tool]. https://www.sdev.in/tools/mic-test
  • MLA
    "Mic test online." sdev.in, https://www.sdev.in/tools/mic-test.
  • Chicago
    sdev.in. "Mic test online." https://www.sdev.in/tools/mic-test.
  • BibTeX
    @misc{sdev-mic-test,
  title = {Mic test online},
  author = {{sdev.in}},
  howpublished = {\url{https://www.sdev.in/tools/mic-test}},
  note = {Web tool}
}

Questions people ask

Why is my microphone not working?

Press Start test and speak. If the meter does not move, pick the right mic in the Device list (laptops often have two or three). Check that the mic is not muted by a switch or a key, and that the system input volume is up. Close video call apps that may hold the mic, then try again.

The microphone is blocked in my browser. How do I allow it?

Click the lock icon next to the web address. Set Microphone to Allow, then press Start test again. On a phone, open the browser settings, then Site settings, then Microphone. The steps further down this page cover every common browser, phone and computer.

Why is my mic so quiet?

Move closer, about a hand's width from your mouth for a headset or an arm's length for a laptop. Raise the input level in your system sound settings. Good speech peaks between -20 and -6 dB on the meter.

Why do I hear an echo?

Your speakers are feeding back into the mic. Use headphones, keep Echo cancellation on, and turn Listen off when you are not wearing headphones.

What do the dB numbers mean?

0 dB is the loudest sound the mic can record. Normal speech sits around -30 to -15 dB. Below -45 dB is very quiet. Peaks at 0 dB clip and sound broken.

Is this mic test safe and private?

Yes. The sound stays in this browser tab and is never uploaded. The 10 second test recording is kept in memory only and is gone when you leave the page.

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