turn on microphone

Question

My microphone volume slide is stuck on 0 . how do i turn it up

Answer 1

Hi Ellen Verry,

Thank you for posting on Microsoft Q&A forum. I understand how disruptive it can be when your microphone volume won’t increase, especially if you rely on it for meetings, calls or recordings.

Q&A Assist has already outlined a few steps, so I’ve pulled them together here and added some extra suggestions that may help:

Step 1: Check microphone access permissions

Windows controls microphone access at the system level. If access is restricted, Windows may automatically hold the microphone volume at zero.

1. Open Settings
2. Go to Privacy & security > Microphone
3. Make sure the following options are turned ON:
   • Let apps access your microphone
   • Let desktop apps access your microphone

After enabling these, close Settings completely and reopen it before testing the microphone again.

Step 2: Disable exclusive control for the microphone

Some applications can take direct control of the microphone and override the volume setting. This can cause the volume slider to move briefly and then snap back to zero.

1. Press Windows + R, type mmsys.cpl, then press Enter
2. Open the Recording tab
3. Double‑click your active microphone
4. Go to the Advanced tab
5. Uncheck:
   • Allow applications to take exclusive control of this device
   • Give exclusive mode applications priority
6. Click Apply, then OK

This allows Windows to manage the microphone volume consistently across all apps.

Step 3: Set the microphone as the default device and adjust levels

Adjusting the microphone level from the classic Sound panel ensures the setting is applied at the device level.

1. In the Recording tab, right‑click your microphone
2. Select Set as Default Device
3. Select Set as Default Communication Device
4. Double‑click the microphone and open the Levels tab
5. Move the volume slider to 70–100
6. Click Apply

Step 4: Reinstall the audio driver

If the volume still returns to zero, the audio driver may not be applying changes correctly. Reinstalling it allows Windows to reset the audio configuration.

1. Right‑click Start > Device Manager
2. Expand:
   • Audio inputs and outputs
   • Sound, video and game controllers
3. Right‑click your microphone or audio device and choose Uninstall device
4. If prompted, check Remove the driver software for this device
5. Restart your computer

Windows will automatically reinstall the driver after restart.

After completing the steps above, open Sound Recorder or another simple recording app and speak into the microphone to confirm that the input level responds as expected. Once the microphone is working there, return to the application you were originally using and test again to ensure the issue is fully resolved.

If the issue continues, kindly let me know:

• Whether the microphone is built‑in or an external USB / headset
• Whether it works in Sound Recorder but not in other apps

Please let me know the results after trying these steps and I’ll be happy to assist you further.

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Answer 2

To turn up your microphone volume when the volume slider is stuck on 0, you can follow these steps:

1. Check Privacy Settings: Make sure that microphone access is enabled for your applications. Go to Settings > Privacy & security > Microphone and ensure that Microphone access is turned on. Also, allow apps to access your microphone.
2. Adjust Volume Settings: If your microphone settings are correct, check the volume mixer settings on your system. Right-click the speaker icon in the taskbar, select Open Volume Mixer, and adjust the microphone volume there.
3. Device Settings: If the above steps do not work, check your device settings. Go to Settings > System > Sound and ensure that the correct microphone is selected and the volume is adjusted accordingly.
4. Hardware Check: If the slider is still stuck, it could be a hardware issue with the microphone itself. Try using a different microphone or check the connections.

If you are using specific applications like Mesh or Teams, ensure that they have permission to access the microphone and that their individual settings are correctly configured.

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References:

• Troubleshooting and FAQ
• The volume of the incoming audio is low