The Microphone is one of the most useful input devices that allow the user to attend online meetings, talk to family or friends over Skype or Zoom, and even dictate with speech recognition. Using a microphone can have multiple purposes, surprisingly it works on a simple logic i.e. it takes the user’s voice as input and then allows the receiver to hear that voice as output through speakers or headphones.

However, sometimes users plug-in their microphones and do not understand how to configure it. That is not all; people fail to make out if the microphone On Windows 10 is even working. If you are struggling with similar issues, then read on to know how to set up and test the microphone on Windows 10.

Set up and Test a Microphone on Windows 10

First, we shall touch on how to set up the microphone on your Windows 10 system. Once the microphone is set up, we will learn how to test the same. Keep reading:

Setting up a new microphone

Firstly, to set up the microphone we need to ensure that the microphone is plugged in or connected via Bluetooth. Please ensure that you have all the necessary drivers for your microphone installed. In most cases, Windows automatically searches for the drivers and installs them on the system. If this doesn’t work, you may have to check the manufacturer’s website for the specific drivers and have them installed.

You can set-up a new microphone, following these steps:

Make sure your microphone is connected to your system.
Click on Start and go the Settings.
Select System option, and click the Sound tab from the options appearing on the left-side panel.
In the Sound settings windows, go to the Input section.
Under Choose your input device, select the microphone or recording device you intend to use.

Your microphone is now set up and ready for use.

Read: How to Increase Microphone Volume in Windows 10.

Testing the microphone on Windows 10

To test the microphone that has already been installed on your Windows 10 PC, you will need to perform the following steps:

First, make sure your microphone is connected to your system.

Click on Start and go the Settings.
Now, select System option, and click Sound from the options appearing on the left-side panel.
In the Sound settings page, go to Input.
Under the Input options, you will see the Test your microphone option.
Here, look for the blue color bar that rises and falls as you speak into your microphone.

If you see the bar moving, you can be sure that your microphone is working properly. However, if it doesn’t, select the Troubleshoot option to fix your microphone.

This method will only tell you if Windows is detecting your microphone, it doesn’t tell you how you actually sound.

Read: How to set up Preferred Speaker & Microphone for different Apps.

Using Voice Recorder to test your microphone

Another quick way of testing on Windows 10 is with the pre-installed app i.e. Voice Recorder.

Voice Recorder is an in-built Windows application that can be used for recording lectures, conversations, and other sounds. Earlier this application was called Sound Recorder. To use the voice recorder, use these steps:

1] Open the Voice Recorder from the Start Menu. You can search with the exact term and hit the top result.

2] Once the application opens, allow the app to access your microphone by hitting Yes.

3] Now hit the big Record button appearing in front of you to start recording.

4] Hit the Stop icon to finish recording.

5] You can now view all your recordings on the left pane of the application.

6] Click on the recording to hear how your recording sounded using the selected microphone.

This way, Voice Recorder allows you to test your microphone. You can speak and instantly listen to your recording. Along with testing if your microphone is working, this application also lets you perform immediate quality checks for the recordings.

We hope these tips helped you easily and quickly test the microphone on Windows 10.