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Microphone Test
Press Start to see your microphone level and waveform in real time, then record a short clip and play it back to hear how you sound.
Your browser will ask for permission. Audio is analyzed locally and never uploaded.
All audio stays on your device. Nothing is recorded until you start the echo test, and nothing is ever uploaded.
Works in your browser. No account needed.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my microphone is working?
Press Start, allow access, and speak. If the blue bar and the waveform move with your voice, the microphone, its driver and the browser permission are all working. If they stay flat for three seconds the page shows a “no signal” hint — that almost always means a mute switch, the wrong input device, or a permission blocked at the operating-system level.
What do the dB numbers on the meter mean?
The reading is the loudness of the signal relative to the loudest level the digital audio can represent, which is 0 dB. The bar covers −60 dB (far left) to 0 dB (far right), and the peak figure holds your loudest recent moment. A quiet room should sit near the left; normal speech should push the bar well into the middle. If speech regularly drives the reading above about −10 dB, you are close to clipping and your voice may distort.
The browser allowed the mic but the meter does not move — what now?
Check the operating system as well as the browser. On Windows, open Settings → Privacy & security → Microphone and make sure both “Microphone access” and “Let desktop apps access your microphone” are on. On macOS, open System Settings → Privacy & Security → Microphone and enable your browser, then restart it. Also check for a hardware mute switch or mute key, and on headsets with a boom arm, whether flipping the arm up has muted it.
Why do I sound quiet or distorted in the playback?
If the playback is faint, raise the input level in your system sound settings or move closer to the microphone. If it is harsh or crackly, the input is clipping — the peak marker jumping to the far right confirms it — so lower the input level or back off a little. Aim for speech that moves the bar clearly without the peak marker touching the right end.
Is the playback exactly what people on a call will hear?
Close to it. Most browsers apply echo cancellation, noise suppression and automatic gain control to microphone input by default, the same kind of processing Zoom, Teams, Google Meet and Discord apply. So the playback is a good preview of how you will come across on a call, including background noise and room echo. Recording software that turns this processing off will capture a rawer signal than you hear here.
Why does my Bluetooth headset sound worse when the microphone is on?
Most Bluetooth headsets, including many wireless earbuds, switch to a hands-free profile when their microphone is in use, which lowers audio quality for both the mic and the speakers. That is expected behavior, not a fault. If your voice sounds thin in the echo test, a wired headset or a USB microphone will usually sound noticeably better.
Is my voice recorded or uploaded anywhere?
No. The meter analyses audio locally with the Web Audio API and nothing is sent over the network. The five-second echo recording is held in memory only so you can play it back, and it is discarded when you record again or leave the page. Pressing Stop releases the microphone immediately.
About this tool
This microphone test answers two questions: is the mic picking anything up, and what does it sound like? The level meter and scrolling waveform answer the first within a second of pressing Start — speech should move both. The five-second echo test answers the second: it records a short clip and plays it straight back, so you hear the volume, clarity, background hum and room echo that other people would hear.
Most microphone problems have one of four causes, in this order. First, the wrong input device: operating systems often switch the default when a headset or webcam is plugged in, so if more than one mic is listed here, try each and watch which one moves the meter. Second, a mute: a hardware switch on the headset cable, a mute key on the keyboard (on many laptops, a function key marked with a crossed-out microphone), or a flipped-up boom arm. Third, permissions: the browser prompt is only half of it, because Windows and macOS each have their own microphone privacy setting that can block the browser silently. Fourth, another app holding the device exclusively — close the calling app you were using and press Start again.
Reading the meter: the number next to the bar is the current level in dB relative to the digital maximum, and the thin dark marker is the recent peak. A room with no one speaking typically sits near the left edge. Conversational speech at a normal distance should land comfortably in the middle. If the peak marker keeps hitting the right end, the input is clipping — lower the input level in your system sound settings rather than speaking more quietly. If the bar barely moves while you talk at a normal volume, the input level is too low or you are too far from the mic.
Run the test with the exact setup you are about to use — same headset, same room, same position — a few minutes before an interview, a podcast recording or a stream. It takes ten seconds and catches the problems you would otherwise discover when someone says “you’re on mute” or “you sound like you’re in a tunnel”. Everything runs in the browser, and the microphone is released as soon as you press Stop.