Microphone Test (Input Level & Recording)
Before a video call or stream, check that your microphone picks up sound, that the volume is right and that it is not distorting. You can record a clip and play it back to hear what others will hear. Audio never leaves this page. To check your camera as well, use the Webcam & Microphone Test.
🔒 Runs in your browser · Your data is never sent to a server
Input level
Press "Start microphone test" and speak into your microphone.
-Peak: -
The sound is distorting (clipping). Move away from the microphone or lower the input volume.
No sound has been detected for a while. Check whether the microphone is muted and that the right device is selected.
Detected information
| Microphone name | - |
| Sample rate | - |
| Channels | - |
Record and play back
Recording stops automatically after 5 minutes.
Your browser does not support recording.
Recorded audio
How to use
- Choose the device to check under "Microphone" (the default microphone if you leave it as is).
- Press "Start microphone test" and choose "Allow" in the browser prompt.
- Speak into the microphone and check that the level meter moves and the sound is not distorting.
- Press "Start recording", then "Stop recording", and play the clip back to hear how you sound.
Notes
- The first time, your browser asks for permission to use the microphone. You cannot test without allowing it.
- To avoid feedback, live audio is not played back. Use "Record and play back" to hear how you sound (headphones are recommended).
- Echo cancellation, noise suppression and auto gain control are processing done by the browser. Turning them off gives you a rawer signal and a more accurate level. Changing them restarts a running test.
- Recording stops automatically after 5 minutes. The recording lives only in this browser and is discarded when you close or redo it; download it if you want to keep it.
- On phones, the microphone may be unavailable during a call in another app or while the browser is in the background.
Glossary
dBFS (decibels)
A unit that expresses digital audio volume relative to the maximum value (0 dBFS). Quieter sounds are larger negative numbers. For speech, roughly -30 to -12 dBFS is loud enough without being likely to distort.
Clipping
When the input is so loud that the waveform is flattened at its upper limit, causing distortion. Avoid it by moving away from the microphone or lowering the input volume.
Echo cancellation & noise suppression
Browser processing that reduces echo (speaker sound feeding back into the microphone) and background noise. It helps on calls but can change the sound when recording music or instruments.
FAQ
Is my microphone audio recorded, saved or uploaded?
While testing, audio is only used in your browser to draw the input level and is never sent to a server. A recording is made, in this browser only, when you press "Start recording", and it is discarded when you close the page or record again.
The level meter does not move. What should I check?
Make sure the browser permission is set to "Allow" and that you picked the right microphone. A microphone muted in your operating system, or a physical mute switch on a headset, also produces no sound.
What should I do if it says the sound is distorting?
The input is so loud that the waveform reaches its limit. Move a little away from the microphone, lower the input volume (gain) in your OS or on the microphone, or turn off auto gain control.
Should echo cancellation and noise suppression be on or off?
Leave them on for calls such as video meetings. Turn them off when you want to judge the microphone’s own performance and raw level, or when recording instruments or singing, to avoid the browser’s processing changing the sound.
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