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Microphone Test — Check Your Mic Online, Free, No Upload

Test your microphone online: see a live level meter, record 5 seconds and play it back, and pick the right device. Free, nothing uploaded or saved.

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Your browser will ask for permission. The sound stays on this device.

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Check that your microphone works in a few seconds

Press the button, allow the microphone when your browser asks, and speak. A level meter moves as you talk, and you can record five seconds and play them back to hear what other people will hear. Everything happens in your browser: the sound is never uploaded or saved.

What the level meter tells you

The meter shows how strong the microphone signal is on a scale from −60 dB, which is practically silence, up to 0 dB, the loudest a signal can be. Speak in your normal voice and watch the loudest peak, which the page reads out as no sound, very quiet, a little quiet, a good level or too loud. As a rule of thumb for speech, peaks between about −12 dB and −3 dB are loud enough to be clear with room to spare before the sound distorts.

If the meter does not move

First check that you allowed the microphone in the browser's address bar. Then check the Microphone box above shows the device you mean, because laptops often list a built-in microphone and a headset. Look for a hardware mute switch or a mute key, make sure no other app or browser tab is using the microphone, and raise the input volume in your system's sound settings. If a headset is plugged in, try unplugging and reconnecting it.

Noise suppression, echo cancellation and automatic gain

Browsers switch these on by default because they help in calls: noise suppression removes steady background noise, echo cancellation stops your speakers feeding back into the microphone, and automatic gain keeps your volume even. They can also make music or a quiet voice sound processed. Untick them to test and measure the raw microphone; the test restarts each time you change one.

Use the recording to judge the sound

Record five seconds and listen for hiss, a steady hum, echo from a bare room, harsh popping on the letter p, and a distorted, crackly sound when you speak loudly. Moving closer, switching a fan off or lowering the input volume fixes most of these. To tidy a real recording afterwards, the audio converter changes its format and increase video volume raises one that came out too quiet.

Frequently asked questions

How do I test my microphone online?
Press Start microphone test, allow the microphone when your browser asks, and speak. The level meter should move as you talk. For a closer check, press Record 5 seconds and play it back and listen to the result.
Is my voice recorded or uploaded?
No. The sound is processed in your browser to draw the meter. The five-second test recording exists only in your browser's memory so you can play it back, and it is discarded when you leave the page. Nothing is sent to a server.
My microphone shows no level. What should I check?
Allow the microphone for this site in the address bar, choose the right device in the Microphone box, check for a hardware mute switch, close other apps or tabs that use the microphone, and raise the input volume in your system's sound settings.
What level should my microphone be at?
For speech, loudest peaks between about −12 dB and −3 dB are a good target: clear, with room before distortion. Below about −30 dB is very quiet, and peaks close to 0 dB may distort. These bands are a rule of thumb, not a standard.
How do I choose a different microphone?
Once the test is running, open the Microphone list and pick another device. The list shows the names of your microphones only after you have allowed access. The test restarts with the new one.
What do noise suppression, echo cancellation and automatic gain do?
Noise suppression reduces steady background noise, echo cancellation stops speaker sound feeding back into the microphone, and automatic gain evens out your volume. They help in calls and can colour music or quiet speech, so switch them off to test the raw microphone.
Why is my voice too quiet or too loud?
Too quiet usually means the microphone is far from your mouth or its input volume is low; move closer or raise the input volume. Too loud means the input volume is too high or you are too close; lower it or move back a little until the peaks stay below −3 dB.
Does the microphone test work on a phone?
Yes, in current mobile browsers on a secure page, once you allow the microphone. If it fails, check the browser's microphone permission in the phone's settings.

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