Poor microphone sensitivity in Windows 10. How to set up a microphone on a computer and laptop

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The Internet is not just a limitless repository of all information, but also one of the most the best means for communication between people. Many of us use different programs For voice communication (like Skype or Viber) and from time to time situations may arise when the interlocutors cannot hear each other well. For example, if the sound is simply quiet, then the problem is definitely not the Internet connection or even the program itself.

Typically, inexpensive headsets connected to a not very high-quality built-in sound card can produce a fairly low level of sound and its quality. Now we will try to figure out how to improve this situation.

Which microphone will be suitable for communicating on the Internet?

In our case, you can choose one of three main types of microphones:

Conventional with analog output;
Web cameras with microphones;
Microphones connected via USB.

Microphones with analog output

This is the most common type of microphone. They are found in various configurations: on a stick, with a stand, or combined with headphones. All of them are connected to the microphone jack on the PC using a regular “Jack 3.5”. Inside such a microphone there is a special capsule, which receives sound vibrations. The capsules themselves may have various characteristics in terms of sensitivity and noise level. It’s clear that cheap microphones don’t differ much high level and quality. So the situation when an inexpensive microphone is very quiet, or too noisy, occurs quite often.

Web cameras with microphones and digital USB microphones

You can find cameras equipped with both a simple analog microphone and a digital one. In the first case, two cables will be connected to the PC at once: one to USB, the other to the microphone input. In fact, the microphone here is no different from the analog ones that we described above, it’s just hidden in the camera body.

In the second case, only one comes from the camera USB cable. This option is much preferable. This is due to the fact that the signal from the microphone capsule must be converted into digital view through a special analog-to-digital converter, which is already adjusted to specifications capsule and transmits sound in fairly good quality.

Of course, in inexpensive cameras the sound will also be far from ideal, but thanks to such a converter, the quality can be higher than that of analog microphones with a terribly quiet sound. Among the cameras with digital reception sound, Logitech products performed well. Moreover, even the cheapest models can boast of quite normal sound.

What is a USB microphone? In general, it is the same as a camera equipped with a microphone, only without a camera. Often, this type of microphone has the most best quality sound. Unfortunately, they are quite rare on sale, and those that are available are professional models with a high price.

Microphone settings

In earlier articles we already looked at. But many users still often talked about the quiet sound. Some even had to shout loudly into the microphone so that the interlocutor could at least hear something. To correct this situation, you should configure the microphone not in the IP telephony program at all, but in the sound parameters of the operating system.

We will take a step-by-step look at setting up a microphone on the Windows 7 operating system using the fairly common Realtek HD codec and setting it up on Windows XP with an AC’97 compatible codec. Having seen how the settings are done in these codecs, you can do this in others, all by analogy.

Increase microphone volume in Windows 7 via Realtek HD

Before you begin making all the settings, make sure that the microphone is connected to the computer. After connecting the microphone (usually it is connected to the Pink colour) The codec manager will make a request to determine the connected device.

It’s clear that we need to select “Microphone input”. After this, the microphone will be available for use, and we can begin setting it up.

Now open the sound manager for Realtek HD, or launch the standard volume mixer. To open the dispatcher, click on its icon in the notification area. And if you decide to do everything through the volume mixer, then do right click mouse click on the sound icon and select volume mixer. Then open the Recording tab or go to Recording Devices.

We can do the same through the parameters in the control panel. Open the “Start” menu and click on the “Control Panel” button. After that, in a new window we find the necessary sections.

Let's try setting up the microphone using standard means systems. And so, launch the volume mixer using any of the already known methods.

Find the input to which the microphone is connected. Typically these inputs are identified by color and the computer panel they are on. At the same time, at the beginning there is the word “Microphone” “Mic” and other variations with the same meaning. If you do not connect the microphone anywhere, it will not be displayed. To enable output even of inactive inputs, right-click on empty space in the window and check the box next to “Show disconnected devices”.

In general, select the input to which the microphone is connected and click on the properties button. Then, in the next window, open the “Levels” tab.

On this tab you can adjust the input signal strength and gain level. The reason usually lies in the level of amplification quiet sound. To amplify the sound, you simply need to increase the gain level. Often it is enough to set it at +20 dB. You can specify more (if there is such a possibility at all), but then the noise level will increase too much. To get rid of them, or at least reduce them, open the “Improvements” section.

First, uncheck the "Disable" sound effects”, and then set it next to the “Noise reduction” item. If, in addition to noise, there is also an echo, then suppression of such a phenomenon as echo can be activated. Unfortunately, when such filters are activated, the voice will sometimes significantly change its sound, in some cases it even sounds with a “metallic” coloration. This is the price of inexpensive microphones.

Now open the “Communication” tab. Here you can activate convenient function reducing the volume of playing music and others system sounds while using voice communication.

Adjusting microphone sensitivity via Realtek HD

Open the Realtek manager window and go to our microphone tab.

You can configure the same parameters as last time. Everything is shown very clearly and quite understandably. The manager window looks the same in both Windows 7 and Windows XP.

Setting up a microphone in the operating systemWindows XP

Here we will use the AC’97 compatible codec setup. We will consider the setup at Intel example built-in audio device, but the principle of all actions in all other codecs will be identical.

Do double click by the sound icon on the taskbar. The Audio Mixer will open.

If you suddenly find that the sound icon is missing on the panel, you can turn it on. Open the Start menu, click on the Control Panel launch button and open the Sound and audio devices settings. In the “Volume” section, check the box next to the line “Display icon on taskbar”.

After opening the mixer, expand the Options menu and click on “Advanced Options”.

Now let's start setting up the recording mixer. Open the Options menu and select Properties. After that, set the switch to the “Record” position and in the next list, make sure that the checkbox next to “Microphone” or “Mic Input” is checked.

Click the "OK" button. In the main window of the mixer we look for microphone adjustment. Here you can set the required sensitivity level and, if necessary, turn on the gain (this feature may have different names, but the effect is always the same - +20 dB to the volume).

Question from a user

Hello.

A couple of days ago, my Windows 10 updated itself (my heart felt that it was unnecessary, but they didn’t ask me...). Now my microphone does not work - no one can hear me during conversations. Is there anything that can be done? I’m already thinking about tearing it down and installing Windows 7 (but on my laptop the HDD had drivers only for Windows 10 - also an ambush...)

Good time!

Yes, unfortunately, Windows 10 sometimes updates without user permission (but judging by latest news, they want to “soften” this policy...). Regarding the microphone: in the vast majority of cases it stops working due to privacy settings (funny. They introduce such “strict” privacy settings, and at the same time it’s up to the user...).

And so, now closer to the topic...

Check your privacy settings

This is the first place to start. Need to open Windows settings(not to be confused with the control panel), section "Confidentiality" (see screenshot below).

Note: To open Windows settings, press the Win+i button combinations, or use the START menu.

allow applications to access the microphone (number 3 in the screenshot below);
allow access to the microphone for "Win32WebViewHost" (number 4 in the screenshot below);
Also check that the list of allowed applications includes the application in which your microphone does not work.

Privacy settings in Windows 10 | Clickable

After making changes to the privacy section, restart Windows, try opening the application again and check the microphone. In most cases, such “manipulations” return the microphone to work.

Setting up audio devices

Perhaps this is the second thing you need to pay attention to. The point here is that with certain settings, the sound from the microphone can become almost inaudible (that is, it seems to be there, but barely audible).

To help! How to log into the control panel [incl. on Windows 10] -

Please note, by the way, if you have two or more microphones, is the microphone selected by default for recording? It’s just that your microphone may not be working because Windows “selects” the wrong device by default...

In the "General" tab, check that the status opposite the device is "Use this device (Enabled)."

In the "Listen" tab, make sure that the checkbox next to "Continue operation when switching to battery power" is checked. (otherwise, in some cases, the microphone may be turned off to save battery power) .

Continue operation when switching to battery power

In the "Levels" tab, check:

microphone set: set the slider to 80-90;
microphone gain: try moving the slider towards the gain (for example, in my case the microphone behaves well at +12 dB).

Well in last tab"Additionally" try changing the bit depth and sampling frequency: set to the mode, for example, 24 bit, 48000 Hz (studio recording).

Save the changed settings and check the microphone operation again.

Are “native” drivers installed? Driver settings

When installing (updating*), Windows 10 installs a “universal” microphone driver into the system, which does not always work correctly. Therefore, after installing the system, I always recommend updating the driver by downloading it from the official website of your equipment.

To check for driver availability, just enter device Manager and see if there are any devices in yellow wax. signs indicating whether the device model is determined. See the screenshot below - the driver is installed. By the way, there you can also run automatic update drivers (just right-click on the device).

Note! To enter the device manager, press the Win+R button combination and enter the command devmgmt.msc in the Run window that appears.

By the way, for comparison, I’ll give another screenshot below: Please note that there is no microphone in the sound devices tab, but in the “Other devices” tab there is one unknown thing. This means that there is simply no driver for the microphone in the system...

Device Manager - There is no driver for the microphone

How to update your microphone driver:

PS: If your microphone is quite old, it is possible that there is simply no driver for it for Windows 10. In this case, you can either install an older OS on your PC or buy a more modern microphone.

By the way, after updating and installing the drivers, do not forget to go to their settings and check the volume levels, effects, and other parameters. As a rule, they take precedence over sound settings in Windows.

Regarding Skype, Steam and other applications for conversations...

All of these applications have their own own settings sound. After updating Windows OS, it could happen that in these settings it is now selected wrong device(that is, instead of your real microphone, it is indicated to receive sound from another device, which this moment It may not be connected at all!).

Also, if you touch the same Skype, pay attention to the checkbox "Allow automatic setup microphone." This “trick” does not always work correctly. I recommend trying to remove it and adjust the sound manually.

In Steam, in my opinion, there are even more settings for the microphone (section "Voice"). You can adjust the volume (including output volume), check its operation, you can set a specific key for sound transmission, manually specify a microphone (relevant if you have several of them).

What else to pay attention to

1) 1 headphone input

If you have a headset jack on your laptop (i.e. you have 1 jack for simultaneous connection microphone and headphones), then by connecting a “regular” classic microphone to such a port, there is not much chance that it will work.

Note!

In fact, I have a whole article on my blog devoted to this problem. I recommend checking it out. "One input for headphones and microphone in a laptop - how to connect them":

2) Try running the Debugging and Troubleshooting Tool

What to be grateful for Windows developers 10 - so this is for the appearance of everything large number troubleshooting experts. The essence of this wizard is that the Windows OS in automatic mode will try to find and eliminate the cause of the problem. In many cases it helps solve the problem.

To run the debug tool: open Windows settings (Win+i button combination), then open the “Update and Security/Troubleshooting” section, the “Sound Recording” tool (see screenshot below).

Within a minute or two, Windows will “think” and then offer solutions (for an example, see the screenshot below).

3) Check the condition of the sockets and cables

If the microphone shows no signs of “life” at all, pay attention to the plug, sockets and cable itself. Often, everything may look fine with the cable, but due to frequent kinks, the copper strands inside may be broken. It would be a good idea to test the microphone on another device.

4) Pay attention to the phone (may create noise/interference)

If your mobile phone is located next to the microphone - it can affect the sound quality (phonic noise). Because of this, crackling, noise, hissing, etc. will be heard. (it may happen that due to these interferences, you will not hear yourself...).

I note that this can also happen due to radio telephones, walkie-talkies, various gadgets and consoles. You can, of course, try to shield the devices, but it’s better to just place them in different sides table...

Additions to the solution to the issue are welcome...

Subscribers may notice faint audibility of sound when communicating via VoIP-telephony or other players in online games, weak level sound may appear when playing back screencasts you have just made from voice recording or recording audio from a microphone. Cause of the weak sound signal coming from the microphone on Windows devices lies not only in the low quality of individual budget models microphones, systems Hands Free or webcams. Alas, successful installation of an audio driver in the Windows operating system does not mean optimal settings signal level coming from the microphone.

Microphone settings in individual applications

Access to microphone settings is usually offered only to functional programs. For example, in a powerful audio editor, options for setting up sound recording are placed on the program toolbar. Right on the toolbar you can assign the required microphone signal level, select a recording device if several microphones are connected to the computer, decide on mono or stereo sound for future recording, etc.

Low-functional applications that work with audio rarely provide tools for adjusting the microphone signal. For example, a standard Windows 10 application, which seems to be being developed Microsoft company I’ve gone too far with minimalism; after launch, the entire emphasis will shift to the start button for sound recording.

However, the microphone settings present in the application will be linked to the link in the standard application section "Options", where what you can do is either allow or not allow installed applications use a microphone, and if allowed, install a list of such applications. But we will not find any settings for the signal coming from the microphone.

Some sound settings are available inside the desktop Skype: in the program settings section, you can select and apply one or another microphone specifically to Skype for communication, if several are connected, and set the signal volume.

As you can see, the settings individual applications working with a microphone will not always help solve the problem with weak signal. It’s much easier to adjust the microphone sound in the system settings once Windows sound and not be distracted by this in each individual program.

Strengthening the sound coming from the microphone in Windows settings

So, we have a microphone connected to computer device operating room based Windows systems, we have a problem with low level its signal when working with voice communication services or during audio and video recording. To enhance the sound of the microphone, we need to get into the Windows system sound settings section. There is a volume icon in the Windows system tray, call up the context menu on it and select .

A window with sound settings will open on the tab we need with a list of recording devices connected to the computer, i.e. microphones. Only one of them, if there are several, will be designated as the default recording device in the system. Click on it and press the properties button at the bottom.

An additional properties window for the selected microphone will appear, where we are interested in the tab. Here, in this tab, the microphone signal level is adjusted by moving the slider along the volume scale or along the gain scale located below.

The preset low microphone gain value in most cases is the reason for poor audibility of the sound. For optimal audibility, just drag the slider to +20 dB, since at a higher value the natural consequence of increased microphone volume will be annoying noise. But even with a slight amplification of the microphone to +20 dB It is better to additionally set the noise suppression option. It is in the next tab. The noise reduction option will only be available when all other sound effects are turned off.

Alternative ways to access system audio settings.

In rare cases, the volume icon may not appear in the system tray.

As a rule, these are cases of manual intervention in the notification area settings of the panel Windows tasks or audio driver failure. In the latter case, of course, it is better to update the audio driver or reinstall it altogether. But if there are no problems with sound, and instead of the volume control in the system tray, hardware buttons are used speaker system or multimedia keyboard, the solution to the problem can be postponed for a while if you get into system settings sound in alternative ways.

You can open your audio settings and access your microphone options using the Windows Control Panel.

Versions of Windows 7, 8.1 and 10 allow you to get to any section of the system settings using an in-system search. IN Windows versions 7 keyword must be entered in the menu search field "Start".

In-system search in Windows 8.1 appears when you call up the charms by touching the right edge of the screen or by pressing the Win + Q keys.

The same combination of a quick call to the intra-system search is also available for Windows 10, but in this version of the system using the mouse button to call up the search field will be much easier, since such a button is located next to the menu button "Start".

The microphone is an input device on Windows 10 that allows you to record your voice. We'll tell you how to set up a microphone on your PC in two steps

When working with a laptop, sometimes a situation may arise when you need to configure the microphone on Windows 10. Usually this turns out to be quite simple. If you are a novice user, then you just need to follow the instructions provided and your device will work normally again.

Also, as with , you need to be sure that you have the right hardware on your PC. After all, if you do not have a means of recording sound, then even if you want, you will not be able to use the instructions presented below.

How to configure the microphone in several ways on Windows 10

When using a sound recording device, certain difficulties may arise with it. Let's see what situations might arise and try to fix them in the simplest way:

You just need to activate the integrated device;
The microphone seems to work, but the sound is not transmitted;
The sound pickup device cannot be detected
You need to set the correct noise reduction.

To activate the integrated sound pickup device in a laptop, proceed as follows:

Open Control Panel;
Go to hardware settings;
Select sound devices to work with;
Select the device you need from the list and go to its properties;
You will need to select the “Use this equipment” option.

Typically, these steps should be enough for your microphone to start functioning normally. Next, you can configure its operation in more detail by setting gain and volume levels.

It's another matter when the system itself cannot find the device you need among all the available equipment. In such a situation, in order to configure the microphone on Windows 10, you must first detect it. Open Device Manager and navigate to your audio hardware. See what devices are detected on sound card. If it displays normally, then there is nothing more for you to do here. If there is a yellow triangle, you will have to reinstall the drivers.

Go to audio outputs and open this item. Find the microphone there and simply turn it on. It happens, of course, that the system recognizes as the main device something completely different from what you need. Then you just need to redefine them or disable unnecessary ones. Next, all you have to do is configure the device itself and set all the levels.

If audio is recorded from extraneous noise, then you need to remove the gain. IN additional settings You can experiment with the format of the captured sound. You can also set echo and noise suppression options through a special sound manager. Please note that the final quality of suppression depends on how strong your high quality microphone, as well as from your sound card.

Of course, the better equipment you have, the better results you can achieve. However, even if you have the most best equipment, however, you have not configured it, then you will ultimately not be able to use it and will not be able to unlock its capabilities. Therefore, if you follow our instructions, you will probably get good result. Which, of course, don’t forget to write to us in the comments.

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Useful programs for Windows 10

Within Windows functionality 10 Setting up the microphone (both external and built-in) is easy. Just read the instructions carefully and you can get a fully functioning microphone.

Enabling the integrated microphone

To enable the built-in microphone on a Windows 10 laptop, follow these steps:

Right-click on “Start” → select “Control Panel” from the context menu.
Select the “Hardware and Sound” item and in the drop-down menu of the panel, click on “Manage audio devices”.
Left-click on the “Recording” tab. A window opens with the inscription “Microphone”. In this window, click “Properties”.
On the “General” tab, select the “Use this device” line, and then click “Apply”.
Finally, you need to go to the tab called “Levels”, then in “Microphone Gain” move the slider to the +20.0 dB position and activate the changes made.

Device setup

Initially, you need to check whether the microphone driver is installed on the system.

To do this, the following set of operations is performed:

Open the “Control Panel” in the system.
In the menu, find “Device Manager”, and then find sound devices and gaming devices in the list.
Find a line indicating the name of the sound card (it should be included in the others, if so, then everything is in order with the card).
If it is not on the list, you need to go to the manufacturer’s official website and select required driver, download it latest version. To find out what your sound card, press Win+R and enter dxdiag.exe
In the "Sound" tab, you can find detailed information. The DevID.info website will help you determine which driver is needed.
If everything is in order with the card, you should open the “Control Panel”, and then select the “Hardware and Sound” subsection.
In the window that opens, the user should go to the “Sound” → “Recording” menu, where the microphone can be seen, designated as a device with appropriate HD Audio support.
You should right-click on it and then select “Use as default”.

If everything is done correctly, a green circle with a corresponding check mark appears on the microphone icon.

Turning on and setting up your portable device

You can easily connect a microphone to the laptop into the appropriate jack (one for the microphone, the other for headphones). If after connecting from sound device You can’t hear anything, you should check whether the socket is turned on/off.

Follow these steps:

The “Sound” section opens on the laptop, for which you press the “Start” button, and then select “Control Panel”.
In the field for subsequent search, enter the query “Sound”, after which we go to the appropriate item.
You need to go to the tab called “Recording”, right-click to call context menu and go to “Properties”.
The user needs to check if the microphone is turned on and also go to the levels tab. After that, we check what the “Microphone Activity” indicator looks like. If there is a crossed out red circle at the levels, you need to turn it on, and then click on the “Apply” button.

How to remove noise?

Before removing annoying noise from the microphone, you need to check the device to find its weak points.

To do this you need:

Microphone setup unsuccessful? Please indicate in detail in the comments or in what problem you are encountering so that we can help.