Quick answer
Healthy speech shows about −25 to −10 dB on the meter. Below −60 dB means silence or a muted mic. Allow microphone access and speak normally to check yours.
How to use the Microphone Test
- Click Start microphone test and allow access when your browser asks.
- Speak normally. The green bar and waveform should move with your voice.
- If you have several microphones (for example a headset and a webcam mic), pick one from the Microphone list.
- Click Record 5 seconds, say a sentence, and play it back to hear your sound quality.
- Click Stop when you're done to release the microphone.
Example
Before a job interview on Zoom, you start the test and see the level only reaching −45 dB when you speak, with a very quiet recording. Choosing your headset in the microphone list brings speech up to around −20 dB and the recording sounds clear. The laptop was using its built-in mic instead of your headset, so you select the headset in Zoom's audio settings too.
How it works
Your browser's Web Audio API reads the signal from your microphone many times per second. The tester calculates the average loudness (RMS) and shows it in decibels relative to full scale (dBFS): 0 dB is the loudest possible signal, and quieter sounds are negative numbers.
| Level | What it means |
|---|---|
| Below −60 dB | Silence or a muted microphone |
| −40 to −25 dB | Quiet speech, still usable |
| −25 to −10 dB | Good level for normal speech |
| Above −6 dB | Very loud, risk of distortion (clipping) |
The test turns off echo cancellation, noise suppression and automatic gain so you see your microphone's real signal. Call apps usually turn these on, so you may sound slightly different in a call.
Get better sound on calls
- Distance matters most: a headset mic should sit about two fingers from the corner of your mouth. Every doubling of distance makes you roughly 6 dB quieter.
- Echo for others but not for you: that's your speakers feeding back into the mic. Use headphones, or lower the speaker volume.
- Muffled sound with Bluetooth earbuds: when the mic is active, many earbuds switch to a lower-quality “headset” mode. A wired or USB headset sounds much clearer.
- Background noise: fans and air conditioning show up as a constant level on the meter even when you're quiet. Turning them off for important calls makes a big difference.
- Microphone works here but not in Zoom or Teams: select the same microphone in that app's audio settings. Apps don't always follow the system default.
Frequently asked questions
Why does the meter not move?
Check that your mic isn't muted (many headsets have a mute switch or button), that the correct microphone is selected in the list, and that your operating system allows the browser to use the microphone. On Windows, look in Settings › Privacy › Microphone; on macOS, System Settings › Privacy & Security › Microphone.
I blocked microphone access by mistake. How do I allow it again?
Click the lock or settings icon next to the web address, set Microphone to Allow, and reload the page.
Is my voice recorded or uploaded?
No. The live meter processes audio inside your browser, and the 5-second recording is stored only in this page. It disappears when you close or reload it.
Why is my microphone so quiet?
Raise the input volume in your system sound settings, move closer to the mic, and make sure you're speaking into the correct side of the microphone. USB microphones often have their own gain knob.
Which microphones work?
Any microphone your computer or phone recognizes: built-in laptop mics, USB microphones, headsets, webcams and Bluetooth earbuds.