Mic Test guide
Press Start, allow access, and talk: the live meter shows instantly whether your microphone works and how loud it is. Switch between devices, check for clipping, and use the step-by-step fixes for every browser if access is blocked. The audio is never recorded or uploaded.
What this mic test actually checks
When you press Start, the browser asks for microphone permission, opens the selected input device, and feeds the raw signal into the Web Audio API. The tool measures loudness about 60 times a second and draws it as a level bar, a peak marker and a live waveform. If the bar jumps when you talk, the whole chain works: the hardware, the operating system's privacy settings, the driver, and the browser permission.
Nothing is saved. The audio isn't recorded, stored, played back or sent anywhere, and it isn't routed to your speakers, so there's no echo. Press Stop and the microphone is released; your browser's recording indicator turns off.
Reading the meter
The bar shows the signal in dBFS (decibels relative to full scale), mapped from -60 dB on the left to 0 dB on the right. Silence in a quiet room usually sits around -60 to -50 dB. Normal speech at arm's length should land around -30 to -12 dB, the middle of the bar. If your voice hits -3 dB or above, you're clipping: the loudest parts get flattened into distortion. Turn the input gain down or move back.
The amber line holds your recent peak for a moment, so you can see how loud your loudest syllables get. The Peak tile keeps the maximum for the whole session. A good setup for calls peaks around -10 dB with speech and stays under -50 dB when you're silent. That gap is your signal-to-noise ratio. If the room noise sits at -35 dB, expect people to hear fans, traffic or keyboard clatter.
Picking the right device
Laptops often expose several inputs: the built-in array mic, a headset, a webcam's mic, virtual devices from Zoom or OBS, and on Macs sometimes an iPhone via Continuity. After permission is granted the Microphone dropdown lists them by name. Switch between them and watch which one responds. Browsers only reveal device names after you allow access once, which is why the list is empty before Start.
If the right mic works here but not in Zoom, Teams, Meet or Discord, the problem is the app's own input setting, not the hardware. Pick the same device name inside the app's audio settings.
Raw input vs processed input
By default browsers apply echo cancellation, noise suppression and automatic gain control, the same processing video calls use. That's why a quiet voice can still fill the bar and background hum seems to vanish after a second. Tick Raw input to switch all three off and see what the microphone really picks up. This is useful for podcasting and streaming setups, for checking whether a noise problem is in the room or in the processing, and for setting a proper gain level on an audio interface.
Fixing the most common problems
"Microphone access was blocked": the site permission is denied. The fix guide under the tool has the exact clicks for Chrome, Edge, Safari, Firefox, iPhone and Android. Once blocked, browsers don't ask again until you change the setting, so reloading alone won't help.
Permission granted but no device, or the bar stays flat: on Windows check Settings, Privacy & security, Microphone and make sure both microphone access and desktop app access are on. On macOS, check System Settings, Privacy & Security, Microphone and enable your browser, then restart it. Also check hardware mute buttons on headsets, inline cable switches and keyboard mute keys (many laptops have an F-key with a light).
"The microphone is busy": another app holds it exclusively. Close Zoom, Teams, Discord, OBS or any recorder, and on Windows untick "Allow applications to take exclusive control" in the device's advanced sound properties if it keeps happening.
Bluetooth headsets: when the mic is active, most Bluetooth headphones switch to a low-quality "headset" mode that sounds like a phone call from 2005. That's a Bluetooth limit, not a broken mic. For better voice quality use a wired or USB mic, or the laptop's built-in mic with Bluetooth headphones for output only.
A 30-second pre-call routine
Open this page, press Start, choose the mic you'll use, and talk at your normal volume from your normal seat. Aim for the middle of the bar. Stay quiet for five seconds and check that the bar drops near the left. If it doesn't, close windows, pause the fan or move the mic away from your keyboard. Press Stop, then join the call knowing the mic works. Testing your typing too? Try the Typing Speed Test while your hands are warm.
How we calculate: sources
Frequently asked questions
Is my audio recorded or uploaded?
No. The browser measures the input level live and discards the audio immediately. Nothing is recorded, stored, played back or sent to a server.
How do I know if my mic is working?
Press Start and speak. If the level bar moves and the status says your microphone is working, it is. A flat bar means the wrong device, a mute switch, or a blocked permission.
Why is my microphone blocked?
The site permission is set to Block, or your operating system denies the browser access. Open the fix guide under the tool for exact steps for Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge, Windows, macOS, iPhone and Android.
How loud should my mic be?
Normal speech should reach about the middle of the bar (around -30 to -12 dB). Hitting -3 dB or more means clipping; lower the input gain or move back.
Why doesn't the device list show names?
Browsers only reveal microphone names after you grant permission. Press Start once and the list fills in.
My mic works here but not in Zoom or Teams. Why?
The hardware is fine; the app is set to a different input. Choose the same microphone name in the app's audio settings.
What does Raw input do?
It turns off echo cancellation, noise suppression and automatic gain, so you hear the mic's true level and noise. Useful for podcast and streaming setups.