Audio input (mic) not working

Question

Hi,

I'm having issues where my mic doesn't work. The mic works on other devices but not on my PC, it will pick up audio the moment it's plugged in, but will not after.

Answer 1

Hi Diren Naidoo,

Thank you for providing the system details and explaining the behavior you’re experiencing. When a microphone works on other devices and briefly detects sound when first connected, this typically indicates a configuration or driver interaction on the PC rather than an issue with the microphone itself. Please try the following targeted steps, in order:

1. Verify microphone privacy settings

• Go to Settings > Privacy & security > Microphone
• Ensure the following are On:
  • Microphone access
  • Let apps access your microphone
  • Let desktop apps access your microphone

Windows privacy controls can allow initial detection while preventing continued access if disabled.

2, Select the USB microphone manually

• Right‑click the speaker icon > Sound settings
• Under Input, explicitly select the USB microphone
• Use Microphone test and speak for several seconds to confirm sustained input

3, Disable enhancements and exclusive control

• In Sound settings > Input > your USB microphone:
  • Set Audio enhancements to Off
  • Open Additional device properties > Advanced
  • Uncheck Allow applications to take exclusive control of this device

Audio enhancements or exclusive mode can interrupt USB microphone input after initial detection

4, Reinstall audio drivers

• Open Device Manager
• Uninstall all entries under Audio inputs and outputs and Sound, video and game controllers
• Restart the PC to allow Windows to reinstall clean drivers

If using a front audio jack, try connecting the microphone to a rear motherboard port instead. A workaround you can try if needed is connecting the microphone through a powered USB hub or a USB audio adapter can provide a stable connection by isolating the device from onboard audio processing.

Let me know if you need further assistance, feel free to ask me by clicking "Add Comment" or "Add Answer" if you cannot add comment so your response will be visible. Thanks for your effort.

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Answer 2

Hi. I'm David, and I'm happy to help you.

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Please clarify the following:

Does the microphone have a standard audio connector (Jack connector) or a USB connector, or is it connected via Bluetooth?

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Also, share a screenshot of your system information.

• Press "Windows + R", type msinfo32 and press Enter.

Maximize the window and use the shortcut "Windows + Shift + S" to use the screenshot tool.

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Looking forward to your reply.

Answer 3

Try these steps in order on Windows 11:

1. Confirm the correct input device and volume
   1. Select Start > Settings > System > Sound.
   2. Under Input, select the microphone in Choose a device for speaking or recording.
   3. Select the mic to open its properties.
   4. Under Input settings, select Start test, speak normally, then Stop test and Play the sample.
   5. If the level is low or silent, increase the Input volume slider and test again.
2. Check app and Windows access to the mic
   1. In Sound settings, make sure the selected input device shows that apps and Windows are allowed to use it (for Surface this is “Allow apps and Windows to use this device for audio”).
   2. In the app being used (Teams, browser, etc.), open its audio settings and confirm the same microphone is selected.
3. Adjust microphone settings and enhancements (Surface or similar devices)
   1. In Sound settings, under Input, ensure the correct device is selected.
   2. Adjust Input volume until the mic records at usable levels.
   3. Turn off any special Audio enhancements for the input device and test again.
4. Reinstall audio drivers if the mic is not detected correctly If Windows stops detecting the mic properly after it is first plugged in, reinstall the audio drivers:
   1. Right-click Start and select Device Manager.
   2. Expand Sound, video and game controllers.
   3. Right-click the audio device/driver related to the microphone and select Uninstall device.
   4. Check Attempt to remove the driver for this device (or Delete the driver software for this device) and select Uninstall. Repeat for other problematic audio devices if needed.
   5. Restart the PC. Windows will attempt to reinstall audio devices and drivers automatically.
   6. If they do not reinstall, open Device Manager again, right-click Sound, video and game controllers, and select Scan for hardware changes.
   7. After devices reappear, right-click the audio driver and select Update driver.
5. If using a Surface device
   1. Go to Sound settings and verify the correct input device is selected and input volume is set appropriately.
   2. Turn off Audio enhancements and test.
   3. If issues persist with the built-in mic, manually update or reinstall Surface audio drivers using the guidance in Download drivers and firmware for Surface.

If, after these steps, the microphone still only reacts at the moment of plugging in and then goes silent, focus on step 4 (driver reinstall) and, for Surface devices, the manual driver update path.

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References:

• Fix microphone problems
• Troubleshoot Surface sound and audio accessories