Mic Test: Is Your Microphone Working?
Run a mic test in seconds: allow access, speak, and watch a live level meter and frequency display react. ProMedia shows your input level, peaks, background noise floor, sample rate and channels, then records a 5-second sample, plays it back and gives a plain verdict such as “Sounds good” or “Too loud”. The test runs in your browser and nothing is uploaded.
- Runs on your device
- Browser APIs
- Web Audio
- Works offline
Updated
How to test your microphone
Step 1: Click Start mic test and allow microphone access when your browser asks.
Step 2: Pick the right device under Microphone if you have more than one. The list shows every mic found and ticks the active one.
Step 3: Stay quiet for three seconds to read the noise floor, then talk normally and watch the level and peak.
Step 4: Click Record a 5-second test, then play it back to hear exactly what others will hear, with a verdict underneath.
Good to know
Formats
Nothing to upload — recordings are created right here and saved to your device.
How it runs
- Built-in browser features
- Uses standard browser features only — nothing extra to download.
- Web Audio
- Audio is processed with the browser’s built-in Web Audio engine, sample-accurate and fast.
What your mic test results mean
Most problems show up in two numbers: the peak while you talk and the noise floor while you are silent. The test reads the microphone without the echo, noise and gain filters that calls apply, so you see what the mic itself delivers.
| Reading | Healthy value | If it is off |
|---|---|---|
| Level | Moves with your voice | “Silent” while you talk: wrong device, muted or blocked |
| Peak (last 3 s) | About −12 to −6 dB when speaking | Red above −1 dB = clipping: lower the input volume |
| Noise floor | Below about −50 dB | Amber above −45 dB: hiss, fan or room noise |
| Sample rate | 48 or 44.1 kHz | 16 or 8 kHz usually means a Bluetooth headset in call mode |
| Channels | Mono for most mics | Stereo is normal for some USB and studio mics |
| Latency | A few to tens of milliseconds | Only matters when you monitor yourself live |
Test recording verdicts explained
The 5-second test is analysed after you stop. These are the rules behind each verdict, checked in this order:
| Verdict | When it appears | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| No sound detected | Peak below −60 dB | Pick another device, unmute it in system settings, check the cable |
| Too loud | More than 0.1% of samples clipped, or peak above −0.3 dB | Lower the input volume or move back from the mic |
| Quiet | Peak below −30 dB | Move closer or raise the input volume |
| Clear voice, but noticeable background noise | Noise floor above −45 dB | Close windows, turn off fans, or clean recordings later |
| Sounds good | None of the above | You are ready for the call or recording |
How to hear yourself on a mic test
Record the 5-second test and press play: that is exactly what the microphone captured, with no processing. Listen with headphones to judge hiss, echo and distance from the mic. The test does not send your voice to the speakers live, which would cause a howling feedback loop on a laptop.
Fix your microphone on Windows 11, Mac, Discord, Zoom or Teams
If this test hears you but an app does not, the app is using a different input. If this test hears nothing, the problem is the device or the system settings.
Windows 11
Settings → System → Sound → Input: choose the mic and speak to see its bar move. Then Settings → Privacy & security → Microphone: allow access for apps and for your browser.
Mac
System Settings → Sound → Input shows a level meter for each mic. Under Privacy & Security → Microphone, switch on your browser, then reload this page.
Discord
User Settings → Voice & Video: set the input device to the mic that works here, use the built-in check, and if your voice cuts out, turn off automatic input sensitivity and drag the threshold lower.
Zoom and Teams
Zoom: Settings → Audio → Test Mic. Teams: Settings → Devices → Make a test call. Choose the same microphone that gave a good verdict here.
A quick mic check before a call, a stream or an online exam
- Plug in the microphone or headset you will actually use, then start this microphone test.
- Confirm that device is ticked in the list, so the browser and your app agree on the input.
- Talk at your normal volume: peaks should land around −12 to −6 dB and never turn red.
- Record the 5-second sample and listen with headphones for hiss, echo or muffled sound.
- Proctored exam or interview? Check your camera with the webcam test too, in the same browser.
Is it safe to test your mic online?
Here, yes. The microphone is read by your own browser and the meters are calculated on your device. Nothing is recorded until you click Record a 5-second test, and that sample stays in the page until you download it or leave. You can withdraw the permission at any time from the lock icon in the address bar.
Tips & troubleshooting
Testing before a recording session? Once the verdict says “Sounds good”, switch to the voice recorder with the same microphone.
Background noise you cannot remove at the source? Clean the finished recording with the noise reducer.
Checking a webcam’s picture too? The webcam test shows resolution and frame rate the same way.
Bluetooth headset sounds muffled? Many switch to a low-quality call mode when their mic is in use; a wired or USB mic avoids it.
Peaks keep turning red? Lower the input volume in your system settings rather than speaking softer; quiet speech raises the relative noise.
Mic Test FAQ
How do I test my microphone?
Click Start mic test, allow access and talk. If the level meter moves, the mic works. Record the 5-second test and play it back to hear the quality, and read the verdict for advice on volume and noise.
Why is my microphone not working?
Usually one of three things: the browser or system blocks access, the wrong input is selected, or another app is holding the mic. The test shows a message for each case. Check the address-bar permission, pick the device from the list and close video-call apps.
How do I test my mic on Windows 11?
Run this test in Chrome or Edge: it lists every input and shows which one is active. Windows also has Settings → System → Sound → Input, but it only shows a level reading, with no playback or noise floor.
How do I test my mic on a laptop?
Open this page on the laptop and start the test. Built-in laptop mics usually show a higher noise floor than headsets because they sit next to the fan and keyboard; a reading above −45 dB is common and a headset fixes it.
Why does my microphone sound muffled?
Check the sample rate reading. If it says 16 or 8 kHz, a Bluetooth headset has switched to its hands-free call mode, which cuts the high frequencies. Use a wired or USB mic, or make sure the mic points at your mouth and is not covered.
What is the noise floor?
The level of the sound your microphone picks up when you are silent: fans, hum, traffic and the mic’s own hiss. Lower is better. Below about −50 dB is clean; above −45 dB you will hear the noise in recordings.
Is the audio uploaded or saved anywhere?
No. Meters are calculated in your browser, and the optional 5-second sample is kept on your device and deleted when you leave or record again. No sound ever goes to a server.