Microsoft puts all its resources into Windows 10 and still manages to somehow break the core features after every major update. Recently, following the Windows 10 update on September 10, many users faced microphone issues in the latest version. To be honest, the microphone issue is not new. One of the common problems that has plagued Windows 10 for a very long time. In this article, we will show you how to fix microphone problems in Windows 10. We have provided four different ways to fix the problem and the steps are quite easy and straightforward. Having said that, let’s get started with our article.
Fix Microphone Issues in Windows 10 in 2020
As mentioned earlier, we have added 4 different ways to fix microphone error. The methods are quite simple and anyone with basic computer knowledge can fix the problem. However, here is the first method you should start with.
1. Manage Microphone from Windows Settings
Before moving on to the advanced settings, let’s make sure that the microphone settings are configured correctly. To do this we will first go through some Windows Settings and then move on to the advanced steps. Here is the first step to follow.
1. Press the Windows key once and type “microphone” in the search box. Click on “Microphone Privacy Settings” from the search result.
2. Make sure “Allow apps to access your microphone” is turned on here.
3. After that, scroll down and check microphone access for all apps. Turn on microphone permission especially for apps you use for video calling or audio recording. Similarly, turn off microphone access for apps you don’t use often.
4. Now close the window and type “sound” in the Windows search box. Here, click on “Audio Settings”.
5. Scroll down and Find the “Introduction” section. Here, make sure to select your microphone from the drop-down menu. If there is no microphone listed, your microphone may be damaged or have driver issues. I explained how to update the sound driver in the last part of this article, so check this out.
6. Next, click on “Device properties” just below the microphone setting. Here, Make sure the “Disable” box is unchecked. Now restart your computer and check if the microphone works in Windows 10.
2. Configure Microphone Settings from Control Panel
1. Press “Windows” and “R” keys at the same time, a small Run window will pop up in the lower left corner. Here, Type “mmsys.cpl” and press enter.
2. A sound window will open. Here, Go to the “Registration” tab and you will find your microphone device here. Double click on it and a properties window will open.
3. Here, make sure “Device Usage” is enabled in the General tab.
4. After that, go to the “Listen” tab and manually select your microphone device. Followed by, Select “Continue working on battery saver” and click the “Apply” button.
5. Now switch to the “Levels” tab and make sure the “Microphone Level” is close to 100.
6. After doing this, go to the last “Advanced” tab and Uncheck both boxes under “Private mode” episode. Finally, apply the changes and click the “OK” button. Now, restart your Windows 10 PC and this time you should have a working microphone.
3. Adjust Game Bar Settings
If you are unable to record your voice while playing games on Windows 10, this method will help you fix microphone problems in Windows 10. How to do this is described below.
1. Press the “Windows” key again and Type “joybar settings”. Now, click on the top result.
2. Next, switch to the “Captures” tab on the left and Proceed to “Recorded audio”. Here, enable the toggle and check the box below. These changes allow you to record audio while playing games.
4. Update Audio Driver
If all else fails, it may be the sound driver that has become incompatible with the operating system and hardware device. To fix the microphone error in Windows 10, we need to update the drivers as a last resort.
1. Type “Device Manager” in the Windows search box and open the top result.
2. Here, double click on it “Audio inputs and outputs” and the menu will expand. Now, right-click on “Microphone” and select “Update Driver”.
3. In the next window, Click “Search automatically” and it will check the latest audio driver from internet. Therefore, make sure you are online. After that, restart your computer and hopefully this time the microphone error will go away on your Windows 10 PC. If the microphone still does not work, it is probably physically damaged. This means you will need to use an external microphone or take your device to a service center for repair.
Fix Microphone Issues in Windows 10 in Four Easy Ways
This was our short article on how to fix microphone problems in Windows 10. We’ve included some general and advanced steps to fix the issue. Often times, the microphone does not work because another app continues to block access. So, follow the first method step by step and it should fix most of the problems. If nothing works, you can always reset your computer to start from scratch. However, remember to create a backup before doing this. Anyway, that’s it for us. If you found the article helpful, let us know in the comment section below.
