Free Microphone Test: Check Your Mic Online

Press Start microphone to begin.

Your browser will ask for permission. Audio is analysed on this page only: it is not recorded or uploaded.

Silent

Hear yourself (play the microphone through your speakers)

Microphone details (processing options, sample rate, peak level)

Browsers can apply echo cancellation, noise suppression and automatic gain control to a microphone. They are off here so you hear the raw signal, which is closer to what streaming software receives. Changing one restarts the test.

Echo cancellation Noise suppression Automatic gain control

Microphone: -
Sample rate: -
Channels: -
Processing in use: -
Loudest recent peak: -

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What this microphone test is

This free microphone test shows a live level meter for the microphone you pick, so you can confirm it is picking up your voice before a stream, call or recording. It uses the browser's getUserMedia API (MDN: MediaDevices.getUserMedia()) to open the microphone and the Web Audio AnalyserNode (MDN: AnalyserNode (Web Audio API)) to measure the signal. Runs entirely in your browser. Nothing is uploaded or sent to us. Audio is measured to draw the meter and is not recorded.

How to test your microphone

Press Start microphone and choose Allow when your browser asks.
Speak at your normal streaming volume. The bar should move clearly. The thin line marks your recent loudest moment.
Choose another input from the Microphone list if the bar stays still. Headsets, USB microphones, audio interfaces and built-in microphones appear as separate inputs.
Optionally switch on Hear yourself to listen through your headphones. It is off by default.

Reading the level meter

The meter shows level in decibels relative to full scale (dB). 0 dB is the loudest level that can be represented digitally, so everything is negative. If your peaks reach the far right, the signal can clip, which sounds like harsh distortion that cannot be repaired later; lower the microphone gain in your operating system or audio interface. If the bar barely moves when you speak, the signal may be too quiet: raise the input gain, move closer to the microphone or check that the right device is selected. The meter is a quick check, not a calibrated measurement, and different microphones and interfaces report different levels.

Echo cancellation, noise suppression and auto gain

Browsers can process microphone audio with echo cancellation, noise suppression and automatic gain control (see MDN: MediaTrackSettings (echoCancellation, noiseSuppression, autoGainControl)). These are useful in video calls, but a streaming setup often does its own processing in the encoder, so this tool starts with them off and lets you switch them on under Microphone details to hear the difference.

Why the hear-yourself option needs headphones

If a microphone picks up the sound from your own speakers, that sound is sent back out again and can build into a loud squeal called feedback. Wearing headphones keeps the monitor sound out of the microphone. Turn your volume down before enabling Hear yourself.

Test your mic before you go live

Check the microphone here, then select the same input in your streaming software (for example OBS Studio) and watch its audio mixer. Audio is sent along with video in the same RTMP or SRT stream, and platforms document audio settings alongside video; the bitrate recommender lists the documented audio bitrate for each platform. With Multistream Platform you send one stream and the relay delivers it to every destination, so a single microphone check covers them all. See how to multistream with OBS Studio, RTMP vs SRT and features.

Common errors and how to fix them

Microphone access was blocked. Click the microphone or lock icon in the address bar and set Microphone to Allow for this site. If no prompt appeared, check your operating system's microphone privacy settings and that your browser is allowed to use the microphone.
No microphone was found. Check the connection and whether the input is disabled in your system sound settings.
The microphone is busy. Another app, such as a call or your encoder, may have exclusive use. Close it and try again.
The microphone is muted. A mute switch on a headset or in the operating system can silence the input.
Bar moves but sound is bad. A moving bar proves the signal arrives, not that it sounds good. Check for hum, room echo and distance from the microphone.

Privacy

This tool measures the microphone signal in your browser to draw the meter. It does not record, save or upload audio, and the microphone is released when you press Stop microphone or leave the page. Your browser shows its own indicator while a microphone is in use.

Sources

Microphone test FAQ

Is this microphone test safe and private?

Yes. Audio is analysed in your browser to draw the level meter and is not recorded, saved or uploaded by this tool. Your browser asks for permission first and shows an indicator while the microphone is on.

Why is the level meter not moving?

The wrong input may be selected, the microphone may be muted, or the input gain may be very low. Pick another microphone, check the mute switch and system input volume, and make sure no other app has exclusive use of the device.

What does 0 dB mean on the meter?

It is the loudest level that can be represented digitally. Peaks that reach it can clip and distort, so keep your loudest moments below the far right of the meter.

Why do I need headphones for Hear yourself?

Without headphones the speakers' sound can re-enter the microphone and cause loud feedback. Headphones keep the monitor sound out of the microphone.

Why are echo cancellation and noise suppression off?

So you hear the raw signal, which is closer to what streaming software receives. You can switch each one on under Microphone details to compare.

Can I test a USB microphone or audio interface?

Yes. Any input your browser can see appears in the Microphone list once you allow access.

Does this change my settings in OBS Studio or my operating system?

No. It only reads the microphone while the page is open. Set up your streaming software separately and select the same input there.

Have questions that aren't listed here? Talk to the team