OneTaskBy Tim King · Updated
Online Microphone Test
Is My Mic Working? Check the Live Level, Hear Yourself and Spot Clipping
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How the Microphone Test works
Press Play and allow the microphone. If the waveform moves and the level changes when you speak, your microphone test has passed. The panel names the device the browser is using, reports its sample rate and channel count, and warns if the signal is too quiet or clipping. Turn on Hear yourself, with headphones, to listen back live. Nothing is recorded or uploaded.
Most "my microphone doesn't work" problems come down to one of four things: the browser has not been given permission, the wrong input device is selected, the input is muted or turned right down, or the level is so high it distorts. This page checks each one.
What the microphone test checks
Permission. The first time you press Play the browser asks whether this page may use the microphone. If you refuse, or refused in the past, the page says so; click the microphone or padlock icon in the address bar to change it. On macOS the operating system also has its own permission under Privacy & Security → Microphone, and the browser itself must be ticked there.
Device. The Device line shows the name of the input the browser picked. If it says something unexpected — the webcam's built-in microphone rather than your USB headset, say — change the default input in your operating system's sound settings, or choose it from the site permissions menu in the address bar, and press Play again.
Level. Levels are shown in dBFS, decibels relative to full scale, where 0 dBFS is the loudest value the input can represent. Normal speech at arm's length usually sits between −40 and −20 dBFS. Loudest so far keeps the highest level since you pressed Play, so you can speak, stop, and read it. If it never rises above about −50 dBFS the page reports the input as very quiet; if it shows silence the input is muted or disconnected.
Clipping. A sample at full scale means the signal was too hot and the tops of the waveform were cut off, which sounds harsh and crackly. The clip counter shows how many samples hit the limit. Lower the input gain in your system settings or on the interface.
Browser processing. Video-call sites switch on echo cancellation, noise suppression and automatic gain control. This test turns them off by default so you see what the microphone actually delivers. Switch processing on to hear the difference: background hiss drops away, and the level is pulled towards a fixed loudness whether you whisper or shout.
Hear yourself. With monitoring on, the microphone is played straight back to your output. Use headphones: through speakers the microphone hears itself and howls. There is a short delay on most systems, which is normal for browser audio.
FAQ
Why does the level move but people on calls still cannot hear me?
The microphone is working, so the problem is in the call app. Check it has the same input selected as the Device line here, that you are not muted inside the app, and that the app itself has microphone permission. Some apps keep their own device setting separate from the system default.
What sample rate should my microphone use?
44.1 kHz and 48 kHz are both fine for speech and music, and most microphones default to 48 kHz. The browser resamples to its own rate if it needs to, so the figure here is mostly useful for confirming an audio interface is set the way you expect.
Is my audio recorded or sent anywhere?
No. The signal goes from the microphone to the browser's audio engine, is measured and drawn on screen in this tab, and is discarded. Stopping the test or closing the page releases the microphone immediately, and the recording indicator in the browser tab disappears.
Why do I hear an echo when monitoring is on?
You are hearing yourself twice: once directly and once, a few tens of milliseconds later, through the headphones. The delay comes from the browser and operating system audio buffers and cannot be removed from a web page. It does not affect recordings or calls.
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