About the Mic Test
What is a mic test?
A mic test is a quick check that your microphone picks up sound at a usable level. Web pages get that sound through the Media Capture and Streams API, a W3C specification, and can measure its level in dBFS (decibels relative to full scale).
A mic test is also called a mic check. Our tester shows a meter for each channel, warns about clipping and digital silence, and lets you turn echo cancellation, noise suppression and auto gain on or off. The What your browser reports panel shows what the browser actually applied.
How do you test your microphone?
Allow the microphone, then speak at the volume you'd use on a call.
- Start the test. Press the Start mic test button, then choose Allow when your browser asks to use the microphone.
- Check the microphone's name. The Microphone list shows the mic in use. If it's the wrong one, pick another from the list.
- Speak normally. The bar should reach well across the meter while the Clip light stays off.
- Hear yourself. Press the Record a clip button, read the line in the Read aloud box, then stop and play the clip back.
- Try the processing switches. Turn on echo cancellation, noise suppression or auto gain, then record again to hear what each one changes.
How do you test a microphone in Windows 11 or macOS?
Windows 11 and macOS can both test a microphone in their sound settings.
- Windows 11. Open Settings, then System, then Sound. Under Input, open your mic's properties, select Start test and speak normally, then select Stop test. Choose Play to hear the sample.
- macOS. Open System Settings, then Sound, then Input, and choose your mic. The input level moves as you speak, and the Input volume slider sets how loud the mic is.
How do you read a mic level meter?
The level meter shows the signal in dBFS, where 0 dBFS is full scale. That's the highest level a digital recording can store without clipping.
- The blue bar shows the level right now. It runs from −60 dBFS on the left to 0 dBFS on the right, and every 6 dB lower is about half the amplitude.
- The thin line holds the highest recent peak. It stays put for 1.5 seconds before it falls, and the Peak reading shows the highest level of the same 1.5 seconds.
- Clip means a sample reached full scale. The loudest part of that sound was likely cut off, which can sound harsh and distorted. Turn the input volume down until the light stays off. Peaks that read slightly above 0 dBFS count as clipping too.
- No sound at all for 3 seconds means digital silence. A microphone that's switched on picks up at least faint noise, so samples at exactly zero point to a mute switch, a system mute, an input volume of zero or a noise gate.
- L and R bars mean the browser is sending two channels. If one bar never moves, that channel carries no sound, or almost none, as when a mic is plugged into only one input of an audio interface.
What do echo cancellation, noise suppression and auto gain do?
Echo cancellation, noise suppression and auto gain change the sound before a web page gets it.
What the three microphone processing settings do
| Setting | What it does | When to turn it off |
|---|
| Echo cancellation | Removes the sound of your own speakers from what the mic picks up, so people on a call don't hear themselves. | Recording music, or hearing the mic's raw sound |
| Noise suppression | Reduces background noise such as a fan, hum or hiss. | Checking how noisy your room really is |
| Auto gain | Turns the level up or down to keep your voice at a similar volume. | Setting the input volume yourself for a podcast or a stream |
Chrome turns all three on by default. It also mixes a stereo mic down to one channel while any of them is on, so turn all three off to see separate L and R bars.
Why isn't your microphone working?
A browser can't use your microphone when access is blocked or the mic is busy, missing or muted.
- Blocked for this site. Open the site settings from the icon to the left of the web address and allow the microphone. In Firefox, clear the block there instead, and in Safari on a Mac, choose Website Settings from that icon's Page menu. Then press Start mic test again.
- Blocked by Windows or macOS. On Windows 11, open Settings, then Privacy & security, then Microphone, and turn on Microphone access and Let desktop apps access your microphone. On a Mac, open System Settings, then Privacy & Security, then Microphone, and turn on your browser.
- Busy or failing to start. Another app may be holding the microphone, or the system couldn't open it. Close call and recording apps, reconnect the mic, then try again.
- No microphone found. Plug the mic in or switch it on. For a Bluetooth headset, check that it's connected and set as the input device.
- Running, but the meter stays empty. Check the mute switch on the headset or mic, any mute key on the keyboard and the input volume in your system's sound settings.
- Working here but not in another app. Check that app's own input device setting. On Windows, an app from the Microsoft Store also needs its own switch on in Settings, then Privacy & security, then Microphone.
What should you say during a mic test?
Read a sentence or two at the volume you'll use for real.
Words with p and b sounds show whether bursts of breath pop the mic, and s and sh sounds show how harsh your hiss gets, which audio engineers call sibilance. The Read aloud box has lines for both, including these three.
- Bob put a big blue paper bag by the back porch.
- Sally sews silk shirts and sells them on Sundays.
- Five fresh fish fell off the fishing boat.
Many speech-quality tests read from phonetically balanced lists, where sounds appear about as often as in everyday English. One widely used set is the Harvard sentences, published by the IEEE in 1969, and List 1 opens with "The birch canoe slid on the smooth planks."
What can't an online mic test measure?
A web page sees only the sound the browser passes on.
- How loud the room is. dBFS is a digital level, not sound pressure in dB SPL, so the same voice reads higher or lower depending on the mic's sensitivity and the input volume.
- What a call app will do. Apps such as Zoom, Teams and Discord run their own noise suppression and gain control, so your voice may sound different there than in the clip.
- Changes your system makes first. Some sound drivers and system settings, such as microphone boost, change the sound before any app gets it, and a web page can't tell they're on.
Common mistakes
These mistakes during a microphone test make a weak mic look fine or a working one look broken.
- Judging your level with auto gain on. Auto gain boosts a quiet mic, so the meter can look healthy even though the mic is weak on its own. Turn auto gain off to see the mic's own level, and recheck your system's input volume, since Chrome's auto gain can change it.
- Testing the wrong mic. A laptop's built-in mic hears you from across the desk, so the meter moves even when your headset mic is dead. Check the name in the Microphone list before you trust the result.
- Expecting music quality from a Bluetooth headset. Many Bluetooth headsets switch to a hands-free mode while their mic is on, which sounds like a phone call. In the Frequency view, the graph then often drops to the bottom above about 4 kHz or 8 kHz.
Common Use Cases
A mic test helps whenever someone needs to hear you clearly.
- Before a call or interview. Confirm the right mic is in use and record a clip to hear how you'll sound.
- Setting levels for a stream or podcast. With processing off, raise the input volume until your voice fills most of the meter without the Clip light coming on.
- Choosing between two microphones. Record the same line on each one, pressing Save clip before you switch, then play the two files back to back.
- Checking a new headset or webcam. Make sure its mic shows up in the Microphone list and moves the meter. The Webcam Test checks the camera.
Saved a clip? The AI Audio Transcriber turns a recording into text. For the rest of your setup, the Keyboard Tester shows which keys respond when you press them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my microphone show zero volume?
An empty meter means the browser gets no sound from the mic, or only sound quieter than −60 dBFS. Check the mute switch, your system's input volume and the Microphone list.
Why is my mic so quiet?
The input volume may be set low, or the mic may be too far from your mouth. Raise the input volume in your system's sound settings, and check that you aren't using a laptop's built-in mic by mistake.
Can you hear yourself through your mic?
Yes, record a short clip and play it back to hear what the microphone picked up. The tester doesn't play your voice live, because without headphones your speakers would feed it back into the mic.
Does the mic test record or upload your voice?
The microphone tester never uploads your voice. It records only after you press Record a clip, and the clip stays in the open page until you delete it, record another one or leave.
How do you let a website use your microphone?
Choose Allow when your browser asks for the microphone. If you blocked it before, click the icon next to the web address and unblock the microphone.
Can you test a mic on your phone?
Yes, current browsers on iPhone, iPad and Android can run the mic tester's meter, recorder and playback. Any processing switch a phone's browser can't control is dimmed, with a note that it's not available.
Why is my mic echoing on calls?
Your mic is probably picking up the call from your speakers. The other people on the call then hear their own voices a moment later, so wear headphones or keep echo cancellation on in your call app.
