Fix Microphone Not Working in Windows 11

Windows 11 is the latest edition of the Microsoft Windows operating system, and with it comes some new challenges that users may encounter. One such common issue is the microphone not working. Imagine you are in an online meeting or trying to record a voice note, and your microphone just won’t work—it can be incredibly frustrating. This can happen due to various reasons like incompatible drivers, incorrect settings, broken mic, etc.

Many people have encountered this frustrating problem, but luckily, there are a few fixes that might help. In this blog post, we’ll look at some of the possible solutions to fix microphone not working in Windows 11. So if your sound isn’t up to par and you need to fix your microphone not working issue in Windows 11, read on for helpful information.

Why Is the Microphone Not Working in Windows 11?

Before moving on to the solutions, it’s important to understand why this issue occurs in the first place. The microphone not working in Windows 11 can be caused by a variety of factors, including:

• Incompatible drivers: Depending on your system and hardware configuration, some audio input drivers may not be compatible with Windows 11 and thus lead to microphone issues.
• Incorrect settings: A few incorrect settings in the audio setup or related applications can prevent your microphone from properly functioning.
• Broken or damaged hardware: In some cases, the actual hardware of the microphone may be broken or damaged, which could lead to issues with audio input. If your mic is dependent, make sure headphone is detected by the Windows.
• The incorrect microphone is set as default: In some cases, the system may be set to use an incorrect microphone as the default.
• Use of Microphone is disabled: In some cases, the use of a microphone could be disabled by the application or the system itself due to privacy concerns.
• Corrupted system files: In rare cases, corrupted system files can also result in the microphone not working.

How to Fix Microphone Not Working in Windows 11

Once you’ve determined the cause of the microphone not working in Windows 11, it’s time to look at some solutions. Here are a few methods you can try.

Fix 1: Try Basic Troubleshooting

The first step you should take is to perform some basic troubleshooting and try to identify the issue.

• Ensure that the microphone is properly connected to your system. Sometimes a simple loose connection can cause this issue.
• Check your microphone for physical damage or dirt. If the mic is damaged, it might not work as usual.
• If the microphone has a mute button, make sure it is not muted.
• Similarly, ensure that the application on which you are using the mic, for example, Zoom, has not muted your microphone.
• Check for any external software or applications that may be blocking the microphone from working properly.
• Restart your system and try again. Many times restarting the system just reset the settings that might be causing the trouble with the mic.
• Check the settings of your audio input device, and make sure they are correctly configured.

Fix 2: Enable Microphone Access on Windows 11

If the basic troubleshooting doesn’t work, you can check if the microphone access has been enabled on Windows 11.

If not, follow these steps to do that:

1. On Windows 11 system, click the Start button and select Settings from the menu.
2. Switch to the Privacy & security tab on the left and select Microphone on the right.
3. If the “Microphone access” is turned off, toggle the button next to it to enable it.
4. Now, on the same setting page, toggle the button next to “Let apps access your Microphone” to enable the mic for apps.
5. Expand the “Let apps access your Microphone” and check if your intended app can access the mic. If not, just toggle the button to enable it.

Fix 3: Run the Recording Audio Troubleshooter

If the issue persists, you can run the Recording Audio Troubleshooter to check for any audio input issues and fix them. To do that:

1. On Windows 11 system, click the Start button and select Settings from the menu.
2. Under the System tab, scroll down and select Troubleshoot.
3. Now under the Troubleshoot settings, choose the Other troubleshooters option.
4. Look for the Recording Audio and click the Run button next to it to run the troubleshooter.
5. Windows will run the troubleshooter and provide you with the solution(s) to apply.
6. Apply the required solutions to fix the issue.

Fix 4: Update the Microphone Driver

If the microphone still doesn’t work, you can try updating the audio input device driver to ensure it is compatible with Windows 11. To do that:

1. On Windows 11 system, right-click the Start button and select Device Manager from the menu.
2. Under the Device Manager window, expand the Audio inputs and outputs section.
3. Right-click on your microphone driver, and select Update driver.
4. Now, select Search automatically for drivers.
5. Follow the on-screen instructions to update the driver.

Fix 5: Enable the Microphone Device

In some cases, the microphone device might be disabled due to certain settings. You can check and enable that from the Device Manager.

Here are the steps to enable the microphone device:

1. Launch Device Manager on Windows 11 by right-clicking the Start button and selecting Device Manager from the list.
2. Under the Device Manager window, expand the Audio inputs and outputs section.
3. Right-click on your microphone driver, and select Enable device option from the menu if it is disabled.

If the device is already enabled, move on to other fixes.

Fix 6: Restart Windows Audio Services

Malfunctioned Windows audio services can sometimes cause the microphone to not work properly. Restarting these services can help you fix the issue.

To do that, follow these steps:

1. Press “Windows key + R” together on your keyboard to launch the Run Command box.
2. Type “services.msc” in the Run dialog box to launch the Windows Service window.
3. Now look for the Windows Audio service and right-click on it.
4. Select Restart from the context menu to restart the audio service.

Once completed, check if your microphone is working now.

Fix 7: Check if Your Microphone is Selected as Default

If your microphone is not working, you can check if it has been selected as the default input device.

Here are the steps for that:

1. Right-click the Volume icon in the taskbar and select Sound settings from the menu.
2. Under the Windows 11 Sound Settings window, look for the Input section.
3. Expand the “Choose a device for speaking or recording” and check if your microphone is selected as default.
   

Fix 8: Check the Microphone Volume

Sometimes the problem might be just a low microphone volume set on your system. You can check if the microphone volume is set too low for proper functioning and increase it as per your comfort level.

Here is how to check the microphone volume level:

1. Open the Sound Settings window as mentioned above.
2. Look for the Input section under Sound Settings.
3. Under the Input section, you will find the volume bar.
4. Using the slider, adjust the mic’s volume per your comfort level.

Fix 9: Run SFC Command

If the problem is caused by corrupted Windows files, you can use the SFC command on Command Prompt to fix them.

Here is how to run the SFC command:

1. Press “Windows key + X” together on your keyboard and select Command Prompt (Admin).
2. In the Command Prompt window, type “sfc /scannow” without quotation marks and hit enter.
3. Now wait while it scans your system files and tries to fix any corrupt file that it might find.

Once completed, try to use your microphone and check if the issue is fixed.

Fix 10: Update Windows 11

If the issue persists, try updating Windows 11 to its latest version. Microsoft often releases patches and updates that can fix common issues, including microphone-related problems.

To update Windows 11, follow these steps:

1. Open Windows 11 settings from the Start Menu.
2. Switch to the Windows Update tab on the left side and click the Check for updates button on the right.
3. Windows will download the updates if they are available.
4. Click the Install all button after the updates are downloaded and ready to install.

How to Prevent Microphone Not Working Issue on Windows 11

Windows 11 can come up with different kinds of issues, such as the Microphone not working, without any particular reason. However, there are certain preventive steps you can take to avoid it:

• Keep drivers updated: Drivers are the basic need to run any hardware component on your system, and keeping them updated can help prevent several issues.
• Make sure that the microphone is always enabled: After every use, check if the microphone device has not been disabled inadvertently.
• Ensure the connection is proper: Always ensure the connection between your system and microphone is secure.
• Check volume levels: Make sure that the mic volume level is set to a comfortable level, not too low or high.
• Run scans regularly: Regularly scan your system with anti-virus software to ensure it’s free of malicious files.
• Take care of your mic: Always take good care of your microphone; keep it away from dust and other debris.

Summing Up

Microphone not working can be an annoying issue that can hamper your voice chatting experience on Windows 11. However, you can fix the issue easily with the help of the methods mentioned in this guide.

These are some of the simple but effective solutions to fix microphone issues on Windows 11. However, if you cannot fix the issue by applying any of these methods, it is best to contact a local technician or computer support service for further assistance.

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