This online microphone test lets you check that your mic is working before an important call, recording or stream. Grant microphone access and you get a live input-level meter plus a real-time waveform, so you can see your voice register the instant you speak. A device picker lets you switch between a built-in laptop mic, a headset and a USB microphone, which is the quickest way to confirm the right input is selected when several are connected.
The level meter reacts to how loud your input is, so you can set your speaking volume and position. Aim to keep the meter moving well into the middle of its range when you talk normally: if it barely twitches, the mic gain is too low or the wrong device is selected, and if it slams to the top and stays there, you are likely clipping and should move back or lower the input gain. The waveform gives a second view of the same signal, making it easy to spot background hum, a noisy fan or a mic that only picks up on one side.
Microphone access always requires your explicit permission, and this test handles that gracefully. If you deny access or your browser blocks it, you get a clear message explaining how to re-enable the microphone rather than a broken, silent page. Nothing you say is recorded or sent anywhere: the audio stream stays in your browser and is only used to draw the meter and waveform in real time, then discarded. When you close the page, the microphone is released.
A quick mic test like this is the fastest way to settle whether a problem is your hardware or the app you were using. If your voice shows up clearly on the meter here but a meeting app cannot hear you, the fault is almost always that app's device selection or permissions, not the microphone. If nothing shows up here either, work back through the cable, the port and the device picker until the meter starts to move.
How this test works
This test asks for a microphone stream with navigator.mediaDevices.getUserMedia, runs it through a Web Audio AnalyserNode, and draws the level and waveform on every animation frame. The audio never leaves that chain: it is not recorded, buffered or uploaded, and there is no server to upload it to. Device names come from navigator.mediaDevices.enumerateDevices, which the browser only fills in after you grant permission. You can verify all of this yourself: open your browser's Network tab and run a full test, and there are no requests.
How to use the microphone test
- Click the button to start the microphone test and allow access when your browser asks.
- Choose the correct input from the device picker if you have more than one mic.
- Speak at your normal volume and watch the level meter respond.
- Check the waveform for a clean signal without constant background noise.
- Stop the test when you are done to release the microphone.
Reference tables
These are server-rendered, so they are readable without running the test and quotable without running any JavaScript. Where a figure comes from a specification it is cited under the table; where it is our own judgement, the table says so.
| What it measures | What it cannot see |
|---|---|
| That your microphone is delivering a signal, and how loud it is relative to full scale | Absolute sound pressure level in decibels SPL: that needs a calibrated reference the browser does not have |
| Which input device the browser selected, once you grant permission | Device names before you grant permission; the browser hides them deliberately |
| Whether the level is stuck at zero | Whether the cause is a mute switch, a driver, an OS privacy setting or the mic itself |
| The waveform of the incoming signal | Frequency response, noise floor in absolute terms, or distortion figures |
Compiled by MyGearCheck from the browser APIs each test uses. Every limit listed here is a limit of the browser, not of your hardware.
Frequently asked questions
Why can I not hear myself during the test?
By design, this test does not play your microphone back through your speakers, because that would cause an echo or feedback loop. Instead it shows a live level meter and waveform, which confirm that your voice is being captured without the risk of loud feedback.
My browser blocked microphone access. How do I fix it?
Look for the camera or microphone icon in your browser address bar and set the permission for this site to allow, then reload. On some systems you also need to grant the browser microphone access in your operating system privacy settings.
Is my audio recorded or uploaded?
No. The audio stream is processed entirely in your browser to draw the meter and waveform, and it is never recorded, saved or sent to any server. Closing the page releases the microphone immediately.
Can I choose which microphone to test?
Yes. Once you grant access, the device picker lists every microphone the browser can see, so you can switch between a laptop mic, a headset and a USB microphone to find the one you want to use.
Does the test work without an internet connection after the page loads?
Yes. Everything happens in the page: the audio is analysed and drawn locally, and there is no request to make once the page is open.
Why is the meter moving when the room is quiet?
That is the noise floor: room noise, fans and the microphone's own self-noise. A meter that sits near the bottom and twitches is healthy; one that sits high with nothing happening means the input gain is set far too high.
Can this test tell me how good my microphone is?
No. It shows that a signal arrives and how loud it is relative to full scale. Frequency response, noise figures and distortion need a calibrated reference the browser does not have and cannot fake.
Does it work with a Bluetooth headset?
Yes, but note that a headset switches to a lower-quality mono profile the moment its microphone is in use. That is the connection, not the microphone, and it happens in every application.
Why did the browser stop the test on its own?
Another application probably took the device. Meeting clients that keep running in the tray are the usual cause, and the browser reports that case specifically rather than showing a generic failure.
Guides for this test
The test shows you what is happening. These explain what to do about it.
More hardware tests
The closest tests to this one are the rest of the audio & video group. Working through a whole machine instead? The full check runs everything in order and ends in one report.
Everything else in the suite: