Why isn't my PC microphone working?

Question

I bought a mic for my PC and I plugged it in the red socket that has a microphone drawn above it but it's still not functioning. Please help me, I really need this microphone to work.

Answer 1

Check in your windows volume control panel to see if the mic is muted. Some programs will not un-mute the mic.

If you have the little speaker in the system tray, double click on it to bring up the panel.

If not, go to your control panel (Start/Control panel/sounds and audio devices, then in the device volume box, click on advanced and it will bring it up.

uncheck the box under the mic slider, then click on Options, Properties, then select the "Recording) button, check to see if the mic box is checked, then click OK, and it will bring up the recording controls, uncheck the mic there, too.

There is an advanced button under the mic slider. Click it. If your mic isn't loud enough, click the +20db boost, Click OK then lower the slider until you you have it at a suitable level.
If it's checked and you have too much feed back (Squealing or you hear your self way too loud) uncheck the box. But it probably works best checked. That may be your problem, too.

Hope this helps,
Keith

Answer 2

Double-click the Volume Control icon in the system tray, near the clock. Select Options \ Properties from the menu, and select Recording. Ensure that the microphone is selected as the recording source. Open Sound Recorder (Start \ Programs \ Accessories \ Entertainment,) and click the red circle to begin recording. If you're still not happening, find another computer and/or a different mic, and mix things up a bit.

Maybe find someone that can look-over-your-shoulder to make sure you're not missing something, is also a good idea...

Answer 3

could be several reasons that needs troubleshooting.
step 1. bottom right of screen down next to your clock open the volume control icon. make sure mic isnt muted or put low. top left of volume control window click Options properties. go down list make sure mic is checked. playback bubble is filled in below that click the recording bubble go down list make sure mic is checked there also.

step 2. click start, control panel, system icon, on top click hardware tab, then click device manager button and see if any of the devices have a !, ?, or x on any of the devices. ! means devices are conflicting with eachother, ? means missing files to run that device properly and x means that device has been disabled.

Answer 4

Right-click on the speaker in your task bar (by the clock) and select "open volume control". From there, you might find a volume control for a microphone.

I know this is a dumb question, but is it switched on? Sometimes it's something silly like that too.

See if it's picking up anything through the MS Sound Recorder, or maybe download Audacity (free audio software) at http://audacity.sourceforge.net/

Answer 5

You need to open a program that can use it first! Look in accessories, enterntainment and fire up the sound recorder. You will also find a mic setup in the program, dont remember where but its there

Answer 6

I pressume that the hardware and connections are okay and power is on.

double click on the speaker icon on the task bar and the control will open adjust the one for mic.

go to start-->control panel--->sounds and audio devices and check.

Answer 7

1)mic is broken.
2)no proper drivers installed.
3)PC connections are loose.
4)U need to power on the PC.

Answer 8

you may have to turn it on in the adjust audio properties. xp

Answer 9

RAFE