Windows 11 is the latest in the long line of Windows operating systems by Microsoft. It has improved performance along with AI support in the form of Copilot.
That being said, the operating system is far from being perfect. Many people have reported bugs and other minor flaws from time to time. For example, people have reported issues with the microphone not working in Windows 11.
Fortunately, there are a few solutions that you can try to fix the problem. In this article, we’ll explain these solutions in detail so that you can fix the problem and get your microphone working again. Let us start this article by illuminating some of the possible reasons for the problem.
Why is the microphone not working in Windows 11?
There can be many possible reasons why the microphone isn’t working in Windows 11. Some of the most common ones are as follows:
- Outdated microphone driver.
- No access to the microphone.
- Problem with the microphone itself.
- Outdated Windows OS.
Also read: Fix: Can’t change the time zone in Windows 10
How to fix microphone not working in Windows 11?
Now that we have understood some of the most common causes, let us head to the fixes for the microphone not working issue in Windows 11.
Before that, do a physical check of your microphone. Do check if your microphone has not been muted or that it has not been damaged in any way. Also, you can reconnect your headphones again before continuing further. For wired headphones, make sure that the wire is correctly plugged into the port. With these preliminary checks done, let us move forward for more technical fixes.
Allow apps’ access to microphone
For the microphone to work properly in Windows 11, you will have to allow it first. If you haven’t allowed it, it will probably not work correctly.
Here’s how to do that:
Step 1: Open Windows Settings by pressing the Windows key + I and then head to Privacy and Security > Microphone.
Step 2: Turn on the toggle in front of Microphone access.
After that, you can add the apps that you want to have microphone access by individually turning on the toggle button in front of the apps.
Update microphone driver
The second step that you should take to fix microphone not working issue in Windows 11 is to update or enable the microphone driver from the Device Manager.
Step 1: Open Device Manager by searching Device Manager in the taskbar search bar. Or, right-click the start button and then select Device Manager.
Step 2: Now, double-click on Audio inputs and outputs and then right-click on Speakers/Headphones and then select Update driver.
Now, you can select either of the two options that you will see on the screen. The first option, Search automatically for drivers lets your computer roam the internet and download the driver for you. On the other hand, the second option, Browser my computer for drivers will allow you to install the driver from your local drive.
Usually, most people do not have drives on their local drive. So, they go for the first option.
When the process is finished, give your computer a restart and you’re good to go.
Reinstall your microphone driver
If the microphone driver is still showing problems, you can reinstall it and install a fresh version to fix the microphone not working issue on Windows 11.
Just head to Device Manager > Expand Audio inputs and outputs > Right-click on Speakers/Headphones and then select Uninstall driver.
After that, restart your computer and during the boot-up process, Windows will automatically install a fresh version of the driver.
Set the default device
Sometimes, your default sound settings may be misconfigured. You will have to set the default sound device again.
Here’s how to do that:
Step 1: Search for ‘change system sounds’ in the taskbar search box and then click on the result. Now, click on Recording and then double-click on the device.
Step 2: Next, check that Use this device (enable) is selected.
Update Windows 11
Sometimes, outdated Windows 11 may cause issues with various functionalities including the sound and microphone functions.
Press the Windows key + I and then head to Windows Update located at the end of the left panel. Then click on Check for updates.
Restart Windows Audio Service
With the Services app, you can tweak various background apps and services that run in the background.
You can also restart various services if you feel that it is not working properly. Here’s how to do that:
Step 1: Search Services in the taskbar search box and then select the result.
Step 2: Locate Windows Audio and then right-click on the option and then select Restart.
Using these steps, you can fix the microphone not working in Windows 11 easily.
Also read: Fix: Can’t connect to this network in Windows 11
