Online Mic Test

How to test your mic

1. Press "Start mic test" and allow microphone access when the browser asks.
2. Speak at your normal volume and distance. Watch the meter and the advice beside the reading.
3. If you have several microphones, choose the right one from the device list.
4. Press "Record a 5-second clip", then listen back with headphones.

Reading the level meter

The meter shows the loudest point of the signal, in decibels relative to full scale (dBFS). 0 dBFS is the maximum a digital recording can hold; everything below is a negative number.

-1 dBFS or higher

Clipping. The peaks are hitting the ceiling and will distort. Move back or lower the input level.

-12 to -1 dBFS

A good level for speech, with room for the occasional laugh or raised voice.

-30 to -12 dBFS

A little quiet. Move closer or raise the input level in your system's sound settings.

Below -30 dBFS

Very quiet or no sound reaching the browser. Check the device, the mute switch and permissions.

The thin dark marker holds the most recent peak for a moment, so you can see how loud your loudest words get. The audio levels and dBFS explainer goes deeper.

Listen to the test recording

A meter can't tell you about tone. Play the 5-second clip back on headphones and listen for room echo, a hum, hiss, a muffled or distant sound, or a thin "phone call" quality. Each points to a different fix: a softer room, a different cable or USB port, moving closer, or using a different microphone. The information panel also shows the sample rate and whether the browser's noise suppression and echo cancellation are on, which can make a voice sound processed.

If no sound is detected

• Check that the browser has permission: click the lock or settings icon in the address bar and allow the microphone.
• Make sure the right device is selected, both in the list above and in your system's sound settings.
• Look for a mute switch on the headset or microphone, and a mute key on the keyboard.
• Close other apps that may be holding the microphone, such as a call app.
• Bluetooth headsets often switch to a lower-quality hands-free mode when their microphone is in use. A wired or USB microphone usually sounds much better.

Before an important recording

For interviews and podcasts that you will transcribe later, a good level and a quiet room matter more than an expensive microphone. The guide to choosing a microphone for speech and the room acoustics article cover the setup, and clipped audio and transcription explains why distortion hurts transcripts.