What is a microphone test?
It checks that your microphone works and that your voice comes through at a good level — before a call, a recording or a stream. Nothing is saved or uploaded.
How to use it
- Press Start test. Allow the microphone when your browser asks.
- Talk normally. At the distance you would in a call. The wave should move and the bar should fill.
- Read the message at the top. It tells you in plain words if you are too quiet, too loud, or just right.
- Press Hear yourself. It records three seconds and plays them straight back, so you can hear how your microphone sounds.
What everything means
- The message. A plain answer: working, too quiet, too loud, clipping, or no sound.
- The wave. Your voice as a moving line. Flat means silence.
- Level and loudest. How loud the input is now, and the loudest so far. 0 is the most the input can take, so for speech aim well below it — the message tells you if it is too quiet or too loud.
- Controls. Start or stop, choose which microphone to use, Hear yourself, and Reset peak.
Microphone details
Once the test runs you also see the device name, its sample rate, how many channels it has, and whether your browser is changing the sound (echo cancellation, noise suppression or automatic volume).
Is my voice recorded?
Only when you press Hear yourself. Those three seconds stay in the page to play back, are never uploaded, and are thrown away when you stop the test. The rest of the time, the sound is drawn as it arrives and thrown away.
Why isn’t my microphone in the list?
Browsers only list microphones after you allow access once, so start the test first. If it is still missing, check it is plugged in and not being used by another app.
Why am I so quiet?
Usually the input volume in your system sound settings, or distance — move a little closer.
What does clipping mean?
The sound was louder than the input can take, so the tops of the wave were cut off. It sounds harsh. Move back or lower the input volume.
The wave moves, so why can’t anyone hear me in my call?
Your microphone is reaching the browser, so check that the call app uses the same microphone and is not muted.