Microphone Test

What this microphone test checks

A line that moves when you speak only proves that some sound arrives. This test goes further and answers the questions that matter before a call, a recording or a game:

• Does the microphone work? As soon as it picks up a sound, the test confirms it.
• Is your voice loud enough? The voice level shows whether people will hear you clearly, or whether you are too quiet or close to distortion.
• Is the background too noisy? A short moment of silence measures the hiss, fan or street noise your microphone picks up.
• Does your voice stand out? Clarity compares the two: how far your voice rises above the noise.
• Is the signal overloaded? Clipping shows whether loud peaks hit the maximum and distort.

You can also record a short clip and play it back, to hear exactly what others would hear. Everything happens on your device: the sound is analysed by your browser and is never uploaded.

How to test your microphone

1. Press “Start microphone test” and allow the microphone when your browser asks. The waveform and the level bar start moving when you make a sound.
2. Check the microphone name under “Device details”. If it is not the one you want to test, choose another in the list.
3. Run the 8-second check. Stay quiet for the first 3 seconds, then speak at your normal distance and volume for 5 seconds. The four results fill in below.
4. Record and listen. Record a few sentences and play them back. The microphone turns off when the recording ends, so that you hear it at normal volume. To continue, press “Record” or “Start the 8-second check” again: the microphone comes back on. Use headphones for playback if you can: small speakers hide hiss and distortion.
5. Save the result if you want to compare it later with another microphone, another position or another setting. When you have finished, press “Stop microphone”: your browser’s recording indicator goes off.

How to read your results

What the numbers mean

Levels are shown in decibels relative to the loudest sound your microphone can record. Zero is that maximum, so every value is negative: −20 dB is louder than −40 dB. These are not the decibels of a sound level meter, and they depend on your system’s input volume. They are indicative values, useful to compare microphones and settings on your own device. See how we measure.

Voice level

Between about −40 and −8 dB, your voice is comfortably loud. Below that, people will ask you to speak up: move closer to the microphone or raise the input volume in your system sound settings. Above it, you are close to the maximum: lower the input volume a little, or move back.

If the test says that no voice stood out, the microphone only recorded the room. The usual causes are a muted headset switch, the wrong microphone selected, or speaking too late during the check.

Background noise

A quiet room with a decent microphone stays below about −55 dB. Higher values mean the microphone hears something all the time: a computer fan, traffic, an air conditioner, or the electrical hiss of a cheap microphone or a long cable. A constant hum often comes from a poorly shielded cable or a charger plugged in nearby.

Clarity

Clarity is the gap between your voice and the noise. With 25 dB or more, your voice is clean. Between 12 and 25 dB, people understand you but hear the background. Below 12 dB, your voice struggles to rise above the noise. Moving closer to the microphone is the simplest fix: it raises your voice without raising the noise.

Clipping

A microphone signal has a hard ceiling. When your voice hits it, the peaks are cut off and the sound becomes harsh. Any clipping while you speak normally means the input volume is too high. Lower it in your system sound settings, or on the microphone itself if it has a gain dial.

Raw microphone or voice processing

Browsers can clean up a microphone signal before a website receives it: echo cancellation, noise suppression and automatic gain. Call apps normally leave these on.

• Voice processing off (the default here) tests the microphone itself. Use it to compare two microphones, find a noisy cable or set your input volume.
• Voice processing on shows roughly what a call app would send. Background noise is reduced and the level is evened out, so the numbers look better than the microphone really is.

“Device details” shows what your browser actually applied. Some browsers and phones keep part of the processing on whatever a page asks.

Troubleshooting

The browser never asks for permission, or says access is blocked

You, or a setting, blocked the microphone for this site earlier. Open the site settings from the icon at the start of the address bar, set the microphone to “Allow” and reload the page. On iPhone and iPad, also check Settings, then your browser, then Microphone.

Access is allowed, but the microphone cannot be started

Your system may be blocking the browser itself. On Windows, open Settings, Privacy and security, Microphone, and allow desktop apps to use it. On a Mac, open System Settings, Privacy and Security, Microphone, and enable your browser. Another app holding the microphone, such as a call in progress, can also be the cause on some systems: close it and try again.

No microphone found

Desktop computers often have no built-in microphone. Plug in a headset or a USB microphone, then start again. If one is plugged in, check that it is enabled in your system sound settings and try another port or cable.

The level stays at zero or the test reports pure silence

The microphone is connected but muted. Look for a mute switch on the headset cable or the microphone body, a mute key on the keyboard, and the input volume slider in your system sound settings.

The wrong microphone is used

A laptop with a headset has at least two microphones, and a webcam adds a third. Choose the right one in the list of the test, then choose the same one in the app you plan to use: each app keeps its own choice.

My voice is too quiet

Raise the input volume in your system sound settings, then run the check again. Speak a hand’s width from the microphone and point it towards your mouth. With a headset, position the boom near the corner of your mouth rather than in front of it.

There is a constant hiss, hum or buzz

Unplug the charger of a laptop to see if the hum disappears. Try another USB port, a shorter cable, or the other audio jack. Move the microphone away from the computer fan. If the noise remains at a normal input volume, the microphone itself is the limit.

Other sounds become very quiet while the microphone is on

Phones and tablets switch to a “call” audio mode when a page uses the microphone: music, videos and other sounds are played quietly, or through the small earpiece. That is why this test turns the microphone off as soon as a recording ends. The normal volume returns once the microphone is off, sometimes after a few seconds.

A Bluetooth headset sounds muffled

When its microphone is on, a Bluetooth headset switches to a hands-free mode with much lower sound quality. That is normal for the technology. For better quality, use the headset for listening only and another microphone for speaking.

Frequently asked questions

Is my voice recorded or sent to TestrHub?

No. The sound is analysed inside your browser. The optional recording is kept in your device’s memory so you can play it back, and it disappears when you close the page or record again. Nothing is uploaded.

What does a saved result contain?

Only numbers: voice level, background noise, clipping and a few technical details. The microphone name is kept in the history of this browser, and is not included in the link you share.

Why do I sound different in my call app?

Call apps add their own processing and compress the sound to send it over the internet. Turn on “Voice processing” here for a closer idea, and remember that the listener’s speakers matter too.

Does it work on phones and tablets?

Yes, in recent browsers on Android, iPhone and iPad. Phones always apply some processing of their own, so the raw mode is less raw than on a computer.

Can I test a headset or earbud microphone?

Yes. Connect it, start the test and choose it in the microphone list. For earbuds with several microphones, the system decides which one is used.

Why is the downloaded recording a different file type in another browser?

Each browser records in its own default format: usually WebM in Chrome and Edge, Ogg in Firefox, and MP4 audio in Safari. Recent media players open all three.

Is this a professional measurement?

No. A browser cannot calibrate a microphone or measure real sound pressure. The results tell you whether your setup is good enough to be heard clearly, and help you compare microphones and settings on the same device.

Which test should I run next?

If people cannot hear you well, also check what you hear: the speaker test checks the left and right channels of your speakers or headphones.