“The microphone does not work” can mean that a page cannot obtain permission, the wrong input is selected, a recording contains silence or the recording cannot be heard through the current output. Check these stages separately. Fixing the speaker route will not repair capture, and replacing a microphone will not resolve a saved browser denial.
Begin with permission and input selection
Open the microphone diagnostic directly in a browser and choose Start microphone. If the site reports denied access, check both the site's permission and the operating system's permission for the browser app. A previous denial can suppress a new prompt. Closing the tab does not necessarily reset that permission.
If the page cannot expose a preflight permission status, that is only a limitation of the permission-query interface. Starting capture can still work. An unavailable or empty device list before permission likewise does not prove that no microphone exists.
After access is allowed, inspect the input label. Disconnect Bluetooth headsets or other audio devices if you want to test the phone's built-in input. Phone microphone arrays may appear as one logical input; the browser may not identify which physical microphone handles each call or camera mode.
Speak, pause, then record
- Speak a normal phrase at your usual distance and watch the live input level.
- Pause briefly. A level that remains high could be environmental noise or processing rather than your speech.
- Speak again, then record the three-second phrase. Recording releases the microphone when it finishes.
- Press Play and listen at a comfortable output volume. The tool does not assume autoplay worked or that you heard the result.
The level is relative digital amplitude, not calibrated loudness. Automatic gain and noise suppression can change it. A low reading is not necessarily a weak microphone; distance, quiet speech and the selected input matter. A near-full-scale peak is a clue to possible clipping, not an automated diagnosis of audible distortion.
Follow the branch that matches the result
| Result | Next action |
|---|---|
| Permission denied | Correct site and OS permissions, then retry the same input |
| No input can open | Close competing capture apps, reconnect accessories and try the default device |
| Input opens; meter stays quiet | Check physical mute, routing and distance; compare another available input |
| Meter reacts; playback is silent | Press Play manually, inspect output routing and run the speaker test |
| Playback starts but is distorted | Move slightly farther away, speak normally and compare without Bluetooth or optional processing |
| Browser recording is clear; one app fails | Inspect that app's permission and input choice, then retry the app |
Use the speaker test when playback is suspect. If its tones are also silent, the output path needs attention. A recording-format error is different: the browser may capture audio but fail to play that container or codec. A second browser can help compare this without implying hardware damage.
Compare a native recording and a call
Make a brief recording in the phone's normal voice-recording app, with permission from anyone whose voice could be captured. Compare intelligibility, background noise and whether the problem repeats at the same distance. A successful browser recording narrows the problem, but different apps can use different input processing or microphone paths.
If only calls fail, compare call-app mute, accessory routing and connection conditions. If front-camera and rear-camera video record different audio quality, note which mode fails rather than assuming every microphone in the device shares one fault. The camera preview test can check video separately but does not map every physical microphone.
Know when the comparison is enough
Do not insert pins into microphone openings or use aggressive cleaning to test a theory. Follow the model's cleaning guidance. Persistent muffling or missing input across native recordings and multiple apps—especially after a drop, liquid exposure or repair—may need professional inspection.
Record the selected input, exact error, browser/OS and which comparisons succeeded. TestMyPhone keeps diagnostic recordings in page memory and does not upload them; only chosen summary metrics and assessments persist locally. Clear the recording with Reset when finished, and see the privacy policy for separate analytics and advertising activity. Do not send private voice recordings with a support request when a description of the behavior will do.