Is your microphone working? This free online mic test checks it in seconds, right in your browser. Press Start and say something: a live meter and waveform show whether your microphone picks up sound, whether it is too quiet or clipping, and how much background noise it hears.
Record 5 or 10 seconds to play yourself back, pick a different mic, or hear yourself live. Nothing is uploaded.
Online Microphone Test
Press Start, allow the microphone and say something. You'll see if your mic works, how loud it is, and you can record and play yourself back.
Not started
Microphone off. Nothing leaves your device: recordings stay in this browser tab.
- Level now
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- Loudest peak
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- Background (noise floor)
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- Voice vs background
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Microphone, settings and device details
- Device
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- Sample rate
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- Channels
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- Echo cancellation
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- Noise suppression
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- Auto gain
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Levels are in dBFS: 0 dBFS is the loudest signal your device can record. For how loud the room is in dB, use a sound level meter.
Related Tools
- Background Noise Test
Check that your room is quiet enough for calls and recording.
- Sound Decibel Meter
Measure how loud a sound is in dB.
- Frequency Analyzer
See the frequencies your mic picks up.
- Online Tone Generator
Play test tones through your speakers or headphones.
How to Test Your Microphone
- Plug in your microphone or headset, then press Start microphone and choose Allow when the browser asks.
- Speak at your normal volume. The verdict tells you whether the mic works, and the meter shows the level.
- Press Record, talk for a few seconds, then play the recording to hear how you actually sound. You can download it too.
- If you have several microphones, open the settings and choose another one; the test restarts with it.
What Your Results Mean
| Result | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| No signal | The browser receives silence | Check the mute switch, the input device and your system privacy settings |
| Working, but very quiet | Speech peaks below about −40 dBFS | Move closer or raise the input volume |
| Working | Speech peaks between about −40 and −6 dBFS | Nothing: aim for peaks around −20 to −6 dBFS |
| Too loud: clipping | The signal hits 0 dBFS and distorts | Lower the input volume or move back |
Background (noise floor) is the level when you are silent, and voice vs background compares your speech with it: 20 dB or more sounds clean, 30 dB or more is excellent. Levels are in dBFS, relative to the loudest signal your device can record; dB vs dBFS explains the difference from sound level in dB (see also the decibel units guide).
Microphone Not Working? Try These Fixes
- Permission blocked: click the padlock or microphone icon next to the address bar, set Microphone to Allow and reload. In Safari, go to Settings for This Website → Microphone.
- Windows: open Settings → Privacy & security → Microphone and allow apps and desktop apps to use it; then check Settings → System → Sound → Input.
- Mac: open System Settings → Privacy & Security → Microphone and allow your browser; choose the input in System Settings → Sound.
- Wrong device: pick the right microphone in the tool’s settings and as the default input in your system.
- Busy: close calling, recording and streaming apps that may be holding the microphone.
- Muted hardware: many headsets and USB mics have a mute button or a volume wheel.
Too Quiet, Too Loud or Noisy?
Keep the microphone 10–30 cm (4–12 inches) from your mouth and adjust the input level until your speech peaks around −20 to −6 dBFS without clipping. If the background level is high, reduce the noise at its source: close windows, switch off fans and move away from computers. Quiet-room targets are in podcast room noise levels, office noise levels and room noise levels.
Test Before Calls, Recording and Streaming
Calling apps usually switch on echo cancellation, noise suppression and automatic gain. Tick Browser voice processing in the settings to hear roughly what they do to your voice, and untick it to hear the raw microphone. Use Hear yourself live with headphones to check how you sound while you adjust your position or gain.
Using Your Microphone as a Decibel Meter
The same microphone can measure how loud a room is, but phone and laptop microphones differ, so readings are estimates. Calibrate once against a real sound level meter (how to calibrate your microphone) and read about online decibel meter accuracy, online meters vs apps and how to measure decibels. To see where a reading sits among everyday sounds, use the decibel chart.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this mic test safe and private?
Yes. Sound is processed in your browser. Recordings stay in the page until you close it or download them; nothing is uploaded.
Why do I sound different in the recording?
You normally hear your own voice partly through the bones of your head, which adds bass. A recording captures only the sound in the air, which is how others hear you.
Can I test a headset, USB or Bluetooth microphone?
Yes. Connect it, then choose it under Microphone in the settings. Bluetooth headsets often switch to a lower-quality mode when their microphone is in use, which is normal.
What does dBFS mean?
Decibels relative to full scale: 0 dBFS is the loudest level your device can record without distortion, so levels are negative numbers. It is different from sound pressure level (what is a decibel).