How to test your microphone with recording and playback
- Start with the system default input. Speak, pause briefly, then speak again. The level should change with your voice; a moving meter alone could be background noise.
- If several inputs are listed, select one and start again. A Bluetooth headset may take over from the built-in microphone. Device labels come from the browser and do not identify every physical microphone in a phone array.
- Record a phrase such as “near, far, quiet, normal.” Recording stops after three seconds and releases the microphone. Use the audio player's Play button and judge intelligibility, not just loudness.
What the measurements mean
The meter and waveform use sampled audio amplitude. Average RMS and peak values are relative to digital full scale, not calibrated decibels or sound pressure. Processing such as automatic gain, echo cancellation and noise suppression can change these readings. Near-full-scale samples flag possible clipping; they do not prove audible distortion.
A signal above the quiet threshold means changing audio samples were received. Very quiet speech can remain below that threshold. Clear playback is your confirmation that this input and output path worked for this recording, not certification of microphone health.
Choose the next check from the symptom
- Permission denied: allow access for this site and for the browser app in OS settings. A saved denial may prevent a new prompt. Browser permission can remain saved after closing this page.
- No input listed: reconnect an external microphone, check the system input list, and retry. Before permission, an empty browser device list is inconclusive.
- Device opens but the meter stays quiet: check mute switches, input routing and distance. Disconnect Bluetooth and repeat with the built-in input.
- Meter reacts but playback is silent: press Play manually, check output routing and run the speaker test. This separates a capture problem from muted speakers or an unsupported recording format.
- It works here but fails in calls: compare app permissions and selected inputs using the microphone troubleshooting decision path. Pair this with the camera test for browser video calls.
For a headset mic, select the headset input here and use the headphone left/right test to check its output separately. For a meeting setup, the webcam test checks framing and lighting before you compare the same devices in your calling app.
Recording support and privacy
HTTPS and microphone permission are required. Device selection, permission queries and recording formats vary by browser. If MediaRecorder is unavailable, live input can still be checked where Web Audio works. The browser chooses the recording format.
The tool holds recordings in page memory and clears them on reset or navigation. Only summary metrics and your assessment are saved in this browser. The site's separate analytics and advertising requests are described in the privacy policy.