Microphone not working on Windows 11
A Windows 11 microphone failure can come from a hardware mute, the selected input, a privacy permission, a browser site permission, or the app's own device choice. Check those layers in order, then use the live test to identify where signal is present.
Step-by-step fix
-
Check the microphone's physical mute first: press the headset or microphone mute switch/button and inspect its indicator, if it has one. Also unmute it in Windows and in the app you plan to use.
-
Open Settings → System → Sound → Input, select the microphone you are actually speaking into, and confirm its input volume is not at zero. This is the device Windows is testing; it may not be the laptop mic or headset you expected.
-
Open Settings → Privacy & security → Microphone. Turn on Microphone access, Let apps access your microphone, and Let desktop apps access your microphone when you use a desktop call app.
-
In your browser, open this site's lock or tune icon → site settings and allow Microphone, then reload. Run the CheckMyMic microphone test and select the same input in its device dropdown.
-
Test outside the target app before changing drivers: speak into CheckMyMic and the Windows input meter. If those receive signal but a call app does not, select the same input in that app and check its mute and permission state.
-
If the mic is still silent after the mute, device, permission, and browser checks, try another port or computer to compare. Only then consider a driver update or reinstall; silence that follows the mic needs the device maker or repair support.
Frequently asked questions
Why is my mic detected but silent on Windows 11?
Start with the physical mute switch, then open Settings → System → Sound → Input and select the device you are using. Confirm its input volume is above zero and review Settings → Privacy & security → Microphone, including the desktop-app access toggle. A browser site permission or the app's own input selector can still block a working Windows device.
How do I know which microphone Windows 11 is using?
The selected device appears under Settings → System → Sound → Input, while the CheckMyMic device dropdown lets you compare each available input. Speak with one selected at a time and watch which meter moves; that proves which input supplied the signal, not that every app has chosen it.
Why does the browser test work but my call app does not?
The browser test and the desktop app have separate site/OS permissions and device selectors. In the call app, select the same input that moved in CheckMyMic, clear its mute state, and confirm Windows still allows desktop apps to use the microphone.
I've tried every step and my mic still doesn't work on Windows 11 — what now?
Test the mic outside the app on another port or computer. Signal in CheckMyMic but not one app points to that app's selector or permission; no signal in the Windows meter or on a second computer points to the connection, device, or manufacturer support rather than a browser setting.
Which Windows 11 microphone permissions matter for desktop apps?
Open Settings → Privacy & security → Microphone and check Microphone access, Let apps access your microphone, and Let desktop apps access your microphone. Also review Settings → System → Sound → Input to select the intended device. If another app is open, close it while you retest; exclusive-control options can vary by driver, so use them only if the device maker or app documents that setting.