Is the microphone not working after upgrade to the latest Windows 11? A number of users claiming that the microphone is not working in windows 11 which can be related to various reasons. To fix this issue, check the device’s basic settings are correct. Also Running the audio troubleshooter helps you fix this annoying issue. Another effective way to fix Windows 11 microphone is to update associated drivers. Here is What do if microphone is not working in Windows 11, applicable for both internal and external microphones.
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Why microphone not working?
Most microphone failures are hardware related, often caused by loose connection, damaged cable or plug, or improper connection. Also, errors can still occur due to driver incompatibility or incorrect settings.
The first thing to check is the operation of the microphone on another device. Basically, the reason can be a loose cable connection, due to a damaged cable or a faulty microphone. Inspect the cable and plug for damage, connect it to another PC or media device and check if it works.
If everything is fine and it works on another device, try reconnecting it to the PC that was having problems. Check the socket it is connected to and whether the plug is firmly seated in the socket. Make sure it is connected to the correct port. It should be marked with the appropriate color or marked with a microphone icon.
If you are using the front panel to connect a microphone, it makes sense to check the functionality of the rear panel.
Also, check if the microphone is turned off to do so,
- Right-click on the speaker icon on the taskbar and select the sound option,
- Move to the record tab, select the microphone, and open – Properties.
- In the properties window check if the microphone is disabled, there should not be a red icon there.
- Its recommended to set the volume level to 90% to 100%
- click apply and ok to save this setting.
Change Microphone Privacy Settings
The new version of the operating system introduces a privacy feature that allows you to control the access of applications to the microphone. check and Allow Your Computer to Access Your Microphone via Windows Settings.
To resolve privacy issues in Windows 11,
- Press Windows key + I to open the Settings app, then go to Privacy & Security.
- Click on the microphone, and enable the toggle for Microphone access and – “Allow apps to access microphone”.
- Again if you are having trouble with a specific app, then find out it in this list and enable access.
- Its also recommended to enable access to – Web Tool to view classic applications.
- In addition, open settings, Go to the system then sound.
- Check your input settings, your microphone should be selected here.
If the microphone is not listed, open the section below – All sound devices, and click the button here – Allow apps and Windows to use this device for sound.
Set the microphone as the default device
Sometimes you might experience the microphone is not working because it is not selected as default in the system settings. Especially If you have connected more than one recording device to your PC, the operating system may have changed to that device.
- Press Windows key + S, type Change system sounds and press enter key,
- Move to the Recording tab, Here If you see that there are two or more microphones in the list and there are green ticks on several, click on the microphone that you need for all tasks and select “Set as default” or “Use default communication device”
- As a result, only the desired microphone will be marked in green and will be used in the system for all tasks: recording and communication.
- Then click Apply and OK to save the changes.
Recording Audio troubleshooter
Run the built-in Recording Audio troubleshooter, which will scan the system for potential issues and recommend fixes accordingly.
- Open settings windows key + I, locate the system then Troubleshoot on the right side of the window
- Click on Other Troubleshooters to access a list of troubleshooters available
- Scroll down Locate Recording Audio and click on the Run button with it
- The troubleshooter do an initial scan after this select the device you are having an issue with and follow on-screen instructions.
- The troubleshooter automatically detects the problems causing the microphone not working and try to resolve them.
- Once the process is completed, restart your PC and check if the issue is fixed.
Restart Windows 11 Audio Service
If there is no sound on your computer, check if the Windows audio service is running. The services are solely responsible for running the available applications and managing various system resources along with their configuration.
- Press Windows key + R, type services.msc and click ok to open the Windows services console,
- Scroll down and locate Windows audio service check if it is running then right-click on it and select – Restart.
- Well if the service stopped or not started, double-click on it to open its properties, here change the startup type automatic and start the service next to service status.
- In some situations, this helps resolve the problem with the microphone.
Update audio driver
If the microphone is not on this list, check if it is enabled in Device Manager.
- To open Device Manager, right-click on the Start menu – Device Manager.
- Expand the section – Audio Inputs and Outputs, and check if the desired microphone is displayed here.
Reinstall audio driver:
If the microphone is listed but has a yellow exclamation mark next to it, try right-clicking it, selecting Uninstall, confirming the removal,
- Then in the Device Manager main menu, click “ Action” – “Update hardware configuration”.
- If the microphone is displayed with a gray arrow icon, right-click on it and select “Enable” from the context menu.
- And if the exclamation mark persists after updating the settings, try updating the driver.
- To do this, right-click on the device and select Update driver from the context menu.
- If the system could not find a suitable one, you need to download the sound driver from your motherboard model manufacturer’s website and install it manually.
- If it is a laptop, the microphone can be disabled in the BIOS settings of the device. In this case, you will need to find this setting in the BIOS and enable it.
Checking the microphone settings in the program
In addition to the device’s system settings, some programs have their own microphone settings, usually located in the sound settings. These settings may differ from system settings and sometimes reset spontaneously.
If the microphone does not work in a separate program or game, try to find the appropriate settings and select the desired microphone.
Also, do not forget to enable this program’s access to the microphone from the second paragraph.
Install Windows 11 update
Microsoft regularly releases patches for the operating system that include the latest modifications, built-in tools, and many features. For Windows to work properly, it is recommended that you install all updates.
To update Windows 11:
- Press Windows key + X and select settings,
- Select Windows update, If there is an update pending, click – Download and install, if not – Check for updates.
- Once Windows starts checking for updates, install the found updates and reboot the system and check if the error is gone.
These troubleshooting steps should resolve the issue in most situations. However, if the problem persists even after you plug in another microphone, the problem is likely with Windows or your computer’s audio hardware. You may want to perform a system reset or connect a new sound card to your computer.
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