Hello! I hope you’re doing well. I’m writing to issue a warning about something that may be causing some microphone problems on Windows 10. Some users have reported that their microphone is not working properly, even after following instructions to fix the issue.
I recommend that you disable “Hey Cortana” until this is fixed. If you need assistance disabling “Hey Cortana”, please let me know and I’ll be happy to help.
What Causes Microphone Not Working Error
This is caused by Windows 10 having two different but related devices, “Xbox In” and “Smart Viewer”, that provide the same functionality. The problem arises when one of these disconnects and the other starts to use it’s capability instead.
If you’re a fan of Xbox One games or SmartGlass features on your PC, please do not change in settings until this issue has been fixed.
Make sure apps have access to the microphone
Sign into your Xbox using the same Microsoft account on both devices.
To confirm that Hey Cortana is listening for you say “Hey Cortana”. From there, if it’s not working, follow these steps:
You’ll need to disable Apps from accessing microphone and personal info If a Windows Store app uses audio services ( like Skype ) open settings > Privacy & security> Speech input under Data usage Set Allow apps to use my mic & access.
The microphone volume is too low or does not appear to be working at all
Use the Volume down button on your headset or around to adjust. You’ll need three steps to fix it: Adjust sliders (1st & 2nd) scroll cursor and click “Mute” under volume wheel
If you’re using one of these Kinect devices, unplug it Install Audacity Download this file If a calibration is needed then follow Microsoft instructions here . Click download if no files are found Then double-click on Start.exe
It will ask you to insert the disc or USB Drive. If you have a disc, insert it into your computer. If you have a USB Drive, plug it in. Click on Start and type “msconfig” In the Window that pops up, click “Startup”, and then under “Hardware” click on “Add.” Find the file called “KinectADK.exe” and click on it.
PC mic muted? Driver need an update? Or is it something else?
O.K, so we plugged in your microphone (either the front or the device one ) and you can’t hear anything!
According to Sohne, you must go into windows settings to make sure that: You have Make my Mic work ready installed under devices plug ins > set as default. Needed for Cortana search purposes Gooqle Voice Input lacks mic permission by design It will be weird with this issue if it also has these two listed below Change wmic
device set-up command:
wmic hardware get name, device
If the microphone is not on the front of the PC and it’s not plugged into a USB port then try these steps:
- Make sure that your microphone is turned on and properly installed.
- If you are using a built-in microphone, make sure it is plugged into the audio jack on the side of your PC. If you are using a USB microphone, make sure it is plugged into a USB port on the back of your PC.
- Open Windows Sound Settings by pressing Win + S together, or clicking Start, clicking Control Panel, clicking Sound, and then clicking Windows Sound Settings.
- In the Sounds tab, click Recording devices.
Causes of a Computer Mic Not Working on Windows 10
Not only is a computer mic not working, but when you try to use any audio recording software like Skype or call in VoIP services the
computer mic cuts out as well. Or sometimes while playing games where it comes up every now and again that your microphone isn’t picking up input. If Cortana also works on this PC then add “%userprofile%\AppData\LocalLow” (make sure you are using Administrator account privileges) Also browse
to “C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Speech Platform\SpeechRecognitionServer.exe” and delete the file if it exists.
How can I fix built-in microphone issues?
The built-in microphone may be disabled on your Windows 10 computer. To try to enable it you will want to go into the Settings section of Microsoft Edge and click Enable listening with web camera under Options. If that doesn’t work or if this does not fix the issue then make sure that VMicro is enabled in the System control panel and let us know which issues matter most for what sounds like a similar problem to yours below: My WiFi is dropping out randomly.
- Make sure that your WiFi is enabled and connected to the internet.
- Make sure that the network adapter for your computer is set as the primary connection.
- Check to see if there are any other devices on your network using the same wireless band as your computer. If you have multiple routers, then try connecting to each one in turn until you find the one that works best for you.