Decibel meter › Mic test

Mic test

Test your microphone online in one click: press Start, allow the microphone, and speak. The page shows whether sound is arriving, which input device the browser is using and how loud you are in decibels, with an optional five-second recording you can play back. It runs in your browser and nothing is uploaded.

Press Start and allow the microphone

Level: -- dB
Peak: -- dB
Input: --

Nothing is recorded or uploaded unless you press Record, and even then the clip never leaves your device.

Last updated: September 13, 2026

What the verdict means

The three states and what to do about them
Verdict	Peak level	What it means
Your microphone works	50 dB and up	Speech is arriving at a normal level. The mic, the cable and the browser permission are all fine.
Something is coming through, but quietly	38 to 49 dB	The input is live but weak: too far away, input volume down, or a headset with a half-engaged mute.
No sound detected yet	under 38 dB after six seconds	Nothing usable is arriving. Check permission, the selected input and any mute switch.

Levels are estimates from an uncalibrated microphone, within roughly 10 dB of a sound level meter. For a real measurement of the room rather than of the mic, use the online decibel meter, which adds A-weighting, a calibration trim and a saved report.

Microphone not working? Check these in order

Browser permission. Click the microphone or lock icon in the address bar and set Microphone to Allow, then reload.
Operating-system permission. macOS: System Settings › Privacy & Security › Microphone, switch the browser on. Windows: Settings › Privacy & security › Microphone, allow desktop apps and the browser.
The right input. Laptops with a USB headset or a webcam often have three inputs. The Input line above names the one in use; change the default in your sound settings if it is wrong.
Mute switches. Many headsets have a switch on the cable or a button on the earcup, and some keyboards have a mic-mute key with its own light.
Exclusive use. A call app that is already running can hold the device. Quit it, then press Start again.
Bluetooth. Wireless earbuds connect in a headset profile for the mic that some browsers handle badly. Try the built-in mic to confirm the test itself works, then reconnect.

How loud is a normal speaking level?

Normal conversation at about a metre is 60 to 70 dB, a whisper 20 to 30 dB, a raised voice 75 to 80 dB. Those are the same reference points as the decibel levels chart, so a mic that reads in the 55 to 70 dB range while you speak is doing its job. Read the peak rather than the live level: the live number follows the pauses between words.

Does this mic test record me?

Not unless you press Record. The live test computes a level from the microphone in your browser and throws the audio away ten times a second. If you press Record, a five-second clip is held in memory on your device so you can hear it back, and it is discarded when you press Stop or leave the page. Nothing is uploaded and there is no account.

Why does the test say my microphone is not working?

In order of likelihood: the site was not given microphone permission (look for the microphone icon in the address bar), the operating system has microphone access switched off for the browser (Privacy settings on macOS and Windows), the browser picked a different input than the one you are speaking into, the headset has a physical mute switch, or another application has taken exclusive control of the device. Fix the one that applies and press Start again.

How loud should my microphone be?

Speaking normally at arm's length from a laptop or a headset mic should read roughly 55 to 70 dB here, the same range as normal conversation on the decibel chart. Under 40 dB while you are talking means the input gain is too low or the mic is far away. A peak that pins at the top of the bar while you talk means the input is too hot and will distort on calls.

Can I test my microphone on an iPhone or Android phone?

Yes. Open this page in Safari on iPhone or Chrome on Android, press Start and allow the microphone. The test uses the same browser microphone access that video-call sites use. Phones apply their own processing to the built-in mic, so the level reads a few decibels differently from a laptop, but the working / quiet / silent verdict is the same.

The test works here but my mic does not work on Zoom, Teams or Discord. Why?

Then the microphone and the browser permission are fine and the problem is inside that application: it is pointed at a different input device, its own input volume is down, or it was denied microphone access at the operating-system level. Open the audio or device settings inside the call app and pick the same input this page reported under Input.

Which microphone is the browser using?

The Input line under the level shows the device label the browser reports once you allow access, for example a built-in microphone, a USB headset or AirPods. If it is not the one you expect, change the default input in your system sound settings or in the browser's site permissions, then press Stop and Start again.

Test the other direction too

If your microphone works and people still cannot hear you, the problem may be on their side. The speaker and headphone test plays a pure tone through the left and right channels so you can check the output the same way. And if you want to know how loud the room itself is, the decibel meter measures it with the same microphone.