You’re joining an online meeting on Zoom but find the microphone isn’t working and your teammates couldn’t hear you at all? If yes, here are 5 simple but effective fixes to help you with Zoom microphone not working on Windows 10 and 11.
Try these fixes:
Here is a full list of fixes that helped many Zoom users get their microphone back to work. You may not try them all; just work your way down the list until you find the one that solves your problem.
- Allow access to your microphone
- Check your microphone settings
- Update your audio driver
- Modify Zoom’s audio settings
- Reinstall Zoom
Fix 1 – Allow access to your microphone
To use your microphone on Zoom, you should ensure this app has the necessary microphone acccess. Follow these steps to configure the settings correctly:
1) On your keyboard, press the Windows logo key and I at the same time to open the Settings menu. Then, click Privacy.
2) In the left pane, scroll down and click Microphone.
3) Click Change, and make sure Microphone access for this device is on.
4) Toggle on to allow apps to access your microphone.
5) Scroll down to the Allow desktop apps to access your microphone section, and make sure to turn on this setting.
Now that you’ve granted the access, check if your microphone can pick up your voice as intended. If not, please proceed to the next fix.
Fix 2 – Check your microphone settings
The wrong settings, such as the microphone being muted or not set as the default device or the too low volume, will prevent your microphone from working normally on Zoom. So you should configure everything in the settings correctly.
1) On your keyboard, press the Windows logo key and R at the same time to open the Run box. Then, type control and click OK.
2) Select Small icons from the drop-down menu next to View by. Then, click Sound.
3) Click the Recording tab. Then, right-click on any empty area and tick Show Disabled Devices.
4) Make sure your microphone is enabled. If not, right-click it and click Enable.
5) Check if your microphone is set as the default device. If not, click it and click Set Default.
6) Right-click your microphone and click Properties.
7) Select the Levels tab. If your microphone is muted, click the speaker icon to unmute it. Then, drag the slider to set the microphone volume to the max.
8) Click OK.
After settings are applied as above, your microphone should be working fine. You can simply take a mic test on Zoom to check. If the issue persists, please move on to the next fix.
Fix 3 – Update your audio driver
One of the most common causes of Zoom microphone not working is an outdated or a faulty audio driver. To keep your audio devices work in the tip-top condition, you should install the latest audio driver.
There are two ways you can update your audio driver:
Manual driver update – You can go to the manufacturer’s website of your audio device or motherboard, and search for the most recent driver. After you download the correct driver that’s compatible with your Windows version, follow the on-screen instructions to install it manully.
Automatic driver update – If you don’t have the time, patience or computer skills to update your audio drivers manually, you can, instead, do it automatically with Driver Easy. Driver Easy will automatically recognize your system and find the correct drivers for your exact audio device, and your Windows version, and it will download and install them correctly:
1) Download and install Driver Easy.
2) Run Driver Easy and click the Scan Now button. Driver Easy will then scan your computer and detect any problem drivers.
3) Click the Update button next to the flagged audio driver to automatically download the correct version of that driver, then you can manually install it (you can do this with the FREE version).
Or click Update All to automatically download and install the correct version of all the drivers that are missing or out of date on your system. (This requires the Pro version which comes with full support and a 30-day money back guarantee. You’ll be prompted to upgrade when you click Update All.)
If you need assistance, please contact Driver Easy’s support team at support@drivereasy.com.
The up-to-date audio driver should make you use the microphone on Zoom without trouble. If this method isn’t helpful, there are a few more fixes to try.
Fix 4 – Modify Zoom’s audio settings
If your microphone works well on other programs and only runs into problems on Zoom, the reason may be the app’s settings. You can adjust the settings as follows and see whether this brings back your audio input.
1) Launch Zoom. Then, click the cogwheel icon on the top right corner to enter Zoom’s settings.
2) Click the Audio tab, select the right microphone you’re using from the drop-down menu next to Microphone.
3) Tick Automatically join audio by computer when joining a meeting.
4) Click the Advanced button.
5) Configure the settings as below:
- Suppress Persistent Background Noise: Moderate or Disable
- Suppress Intermittent Background Noise: Moderate or Disable
- Echo cancellation: Auto
Join a meeting to test if your microphone works on Zoom. If you see the microphone icon with a red line in the bottom bar, it’s muted, and you need to click the icon to unmute it before other participants can hear you. If the mic-not-working problem remains, please check out the last fix.
Fix 5 – Reinstall Zoom
If none of the solutions above does the trick, you should consider reinstalling Zoom, as this will solve the underlying issues concerning the app itself.
1) On your keyboard, press the Windows logo key and R at the same time to invoke the Run command. Then, type appwiz.cpl and click OK.
2) Right-click Zoom and click Uninstall.
Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the uninstallation process. Then, download Zoom from the official website and install a fresh new app on your computer.
Hopefully this post resolved your Zoom microphone not working on Windows 10 issue. If you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to drop a comment below.
