How the microphone test works
Click Turn on microphone and allow access. The bar shows the sound level as it happens, and the number next to it is the level in dBFS (decibels relative to full scale): 0 is the loudest signal the microphone can deliver and lower numbers are quieter. The bar should move clearly when you speak and drop back when you stop. The page also shows the microphone's name, its sample rate and the number of channels. To hear yourself, click Record 5 seconds and play back. Echo cancellation, noise suppression and automatic gain control are turned off, so you hear the microphone as it really is, without the processing that call apps add. The recording stays in your browser.
How the speaker test works
Left, Both and Right play a one-second tone of 440 Hz on the chosen side. If the left tone comes from the right speaker, the channels are swapped; if one side stays silent, check the cable, the balance setting in your system's sound settings and the speaker itself. After you allow the microphone, the page can also list your audio outputs, and in Chrome and Edge you can choose which one plays the tone.
If the microphone does not work
- Allow access: click the icon to the left of the address bar, set the microphone permission for this site to allow, and reload the page.
- Choose the right microphone from the list. Laptops often have a built-in microphone and a headset microphone, and the browser may start with the wrong one.
- In your system's sound settings, check that the microphone is not muted and its input level is not at zero.
- Windows 11: open Settings > Privacy & security > Microphone and turn on microphone access, including access for desktop apps. macOS: open System Settings > Privacy & Security > Microphone and allow your browser.
- Headsets often have a mute switch on the cable or a button on the ear cup.
Before a call or a recording
Record five seconds of normal speech at the distance you will use and listen to it. A hum often comes from a faulty cable or interference from other equipment. Constant hiss usually means the input level is set very high or the microphone itself is noisy. A distant, hollow voice often means the browser is using a different microphone than you think, for example the laptop's built-in one instead of the headset. Then check the picture on the webcam test.
Questions
Is my recording sent anywhere?
No. The 5-second recording stays in your browser and disappears when you close the page.
Why does my voice sound worse than in calls?
Call apps clean up the sound with noise suppression and echo cancellation. This test turns them off, so you hear the raw microphone, including background noise.
Why can't I hear the test tone?
Check that sound is not muted in the system or in the browser tab, and that the right output device is selected. If you use several outputs, choose the right one in the list under the buttons.
Does the mic test work with Bluetooth headphones?
Yes. Pick the headset microphone in the list. While the microphone is on, many Bluetooth headsets switch to a call mode with lower sound quality; this ends when you turn the microphone off.
How do I test a laptop's built-in microphone?
Choose the built-in microphone in the list and speak from your usual distance. Built-in microphones also pick up typing and fan noise, which you will hear in the recording.
What does dBFS mean?
Decibels relative to full scale. 0 dBFS is the loudest signal the microphone can deliver; quieter sounds have negative values, and silence is far below zero.