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Solved: Microphone Not Working Properly in Windows 10

I connect the external device and then find out that Windows 10 microphone not working. Solving the microphone problem does seem easy to deal but it is a complete situation when you have an external microphone. I have a headset with a microphone and external professional microphone for gaming & content creation. I have faced plenty of problems during the set up of the microphone, but I was able to master the art of settings and solutions while going through the issue.

How to quickly solve Microphone if doesn’t work properly

Allow me to show you a quick solution that everyone can apply right away and solve the software-based problem. Make sure to update Windows OS to the latest build version and avoid software bugs that newer updates brought along with it.

  • Open “Settings” Window. You can use the search bar to look for it and access the settings.
  • Tap on “Update & Security” to continue.
  • Click on “Troubleshoot” and then click on “Playing Audio” to start the process.
Audio Troubleshooter in Windows 10
  • Select the audio device, and I have multiple devices because I connected multiple monitors to the computer.
  • Windows will troubleshoot the audio devices and then suggest the solution.

The solution varies from PC devices and their problems, so I cannot cover them all, even if I want to make a guide on it. Whatever solution is suggested to the administrator, I recommend following it, while remembering the original settings.

I connected multiple audio devices to the computer, so I have multiple options, and configuration does mess up from time-to-time. A few minutes ago, this has happened to me, and I got confused and ended up spending time on solving it.

  • Click on the volume bar, and then click on the arrow up that I have highlighted in the snapshot.
  • Select the appropriate audio device available.

In my case, I connected one monitor, which has a high-end audio device, and Windows switches the main audio device to another by mistake. I will also provide advanced options, so you can fix the problem manually and avoid problems in the future.

Turn on Microphone Manually

Windows 10 improved the privacy settings on the operating system, and I must say that they offered in-depth options for the PC administrators. Check the microphone privacy settings and then make changes, if required and I will guide you through it.

  • Open the “Settings” and select “Privacy” to continue.
  • Click on “Microphone” and then click to turn on the button.
Enable Microphone Manually
  • Scroll down to the bottom and then click on “allow desktop apps to access the microphone” button to enable it.

I always check the applications or installed programs that have accessed my microphone, and Microsoft provides in-depth information.

You can find out about the time, date and name that used the voice services. The in-depth information also provides real-time usage, where I was using Discord voice channel to communicate with my teammates. Even I learned something new here, where I found that Windows Host Process & Radeon Settings accessed my microphone.

Configure Microphone in Realtek Audio Manager

Realtek Audio Chipset is a popular choice for manufacturers because they come at an affordable price with advanced technology. I have been using HD Audio Manager for almost 10 years and there have been major developments in the software. I would love to show you the configuration, so you won’t make any mistake and configure it incorrectly.

  • Go to the control panel and open “Hardware and Sound” and then select “HD Audio Manager.”
  • Click on the gear icon to open more settings. Now, select “mute the rear output device, when a front headphone plugged in” and then select “tie up the same type of input device, i.e, line-in, microphone, as an input device” to continue.
  • Click on “OK” to complete the changes, and follow the next step to complete the configuration.
  • Click on the Settings icon located at the right-bottom and then select “Enable auto pop-up dialogue, when the device has been plugged in” and then hit “OK” to complete the changes.

Shut down the computer, and remove all devices including headphones and microphones. Turn on the computer, and then connect the headphone or microphone to the computer once you are on the desktop. A pop-up dialogue will show up on the screen and then select the audio device according to the instrument.

Select Microphone Device as Default

I won’t talk much about this part because the selection of the default microphone device fixes the core problem.

  • Now, type “mmsys.cpl” in the search bar.
  • Choose the recording devices, and then select the main microphone device, and then select it as default.

I could not show much this part because Windows + Realtek drivers selected the default devices automatically, and grayed out the options.

Uninstall Audio Device & Re-install Updated Drivers

Uninstalling the previously released audio drivers and installing the latest drivers always proven to solve the problem. Before uninstalling the drivers, I want the PC administrators to search for the latest drivers available on the motherboard manufacturer website or laptop manufacturer portal.

Open Device Manager and select “Sound, Video and Gamer controllers” and then select “Realtek HD Audio.” Select the device and right-mouse click to view more options, and then select “Properties.”

  • Open “Device Manager” and select the Realtek Audio Device as directed in the snapshot.
  • A window will pop-up and then click on “Search automatically for updated drivers software” to continue. Make sure to keep the PC connected to the active internet because this process requires a good connection.
  • Let the Windows Update search for the updated drivers on their database.
  • Fortunately, Microsoft recognized by Audio Device and installed updated drivers on the platform.

Microsoft provides global stable releases, so you may not receive the latest updates that your motherboard manufacturer is providing on the site. Of course, Windows Update is a reliable source for newbie’s, and I recommend the users to keep it turned on.

Conclusion

Start fixing the Microphone not working problem in Windows 10 by following our guide. I suggested the solutions that will apply for modern audio chipsets and Windows 10 build version. Let us know what do you think about the non-functioning microphone problem in the comment section below.

Rajesh Patil
Tech Enthusiast and Author at iTechCliq.com

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