Microphone test
Make sure your voice is coming through. Start a private, local input check when you are ready.
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Speak to see the input level.
Browser input level
Allow microphone access when prompted, then speak at your normal volume.
Use headphones to avoid feedback. Monitoring can have a delay.
Your audio stays in this browser. Nothing is recorded or uploaded.
Relative digital signal level, not calibrated sound pressure (dB SPL).
What this guide helps you check
Check whether this browser receives a microphone signal and compare approximate digital levels during normal speech and quiet. Optional monitoring helps compare the audio path, not certify call quality.
Before you start
Use HTTPS and a browser supporting microphone capture. Connect and select the intended input, check physical mute and be prepared to grant site and system permission. Use headphones for monitoring.
Testing & Diagnostic Procedure
Free to use.
- Connect the microphone, check its physical mute switch and select the intended input in browser or system settings.
- Start the microphone test and respond to the browser permission request. Leave monitoring off for the initial level check.
- Speak normally at a consistent distance and compare the meter while speaking and while quiet. Adjust input gain or distance if necessary.
- For optional monitoring, use headphones at low output volume to reduce feedback. Stop the test when finished.
Good to know
What should I check after denying microphone permission?
Review microphone access for this site and for the browser in your operating system, then retry or reload. Controls vary by browser. An organization policy may require administrator help.
Can I use the microphone test without hearing myself?
Yes. Leave monitoring off and watch the input meter. Permission and an active test are needed for the meter, but audio playback is optional.
Does -60 dBFS mean my microphone is broken?
No. -60 dBFS is the meter's lower display limit. Check permission, mute, the selected input, gain and speaking distance before comparing another microphone or app.
Is the meter a sound-level meter for my room?
No. It shows an approximate digital RMS level in dBFS, not calibrated acoustic dB SPL, and it can miss brief peaks. It cannot establish safe listening levels.
Is my voice recorded or uploaded by the test?
The microphone test processes samples locally for the meter and optional monitoring; it does not record or upload them. Stop ends this test's capture. Separate site services such as advertising may still use the network.
Permission denied or the microphone will not start
Microphone capture requires a supported browser, a secure page such as HTTPS, and your permission. Check both the site's microphone permission and operating-system access for the browser. Menu names differ between browsers and devices; look for site permissions and microphone privacy controls rather than a fixed menu path.
After changing permission, retry the test or reload the page. If access is managed by an organization, ask its administrator rather than disabling protections. If no input is found, reconnect the microphone and confirm it appears in system settings. Closing another app using the input may help with device-access errors.
The meter stays low or follows the wrong microphone
This tool requests the input provided by the browser; it has no microphone selector or gain control. Check the selected browser/system input, physical mute switch, connection and input volume. Stop and restart the test after changing inputs.
Speak at your normal distance, then compare speaking with silence. Move closer or adjust input gain gradually if the reading barely changes. A flat reading can reflect permissions, routing, mute or a quiet source; it is not a diagnosis of microphone failure.
Read dBFS as a digital level, not dB SPL
The meter estimates RMS level from browser audio samples and displays a rounded value between -60 and 0 dBFS. Values nearer 0 represent a stronger digital signal; -60 is the display floor, not proof of complete silence. It is not a peak meter, so short peaks can be missed.
dB SPL describes acoustic sound pressure. This uncalibrated browser meter cannot convert its dBFS reading into room loudness or a hearing-safety measurement. Input gain, microphone distance and browser processing affect the reading. If speech sounds distorted or the meter stays near the top, reduce input gain or move farther away; there is no universal target level for every microphone.
Monitoring, echo and delay
Monitoring is optional and initially off. It routes microphone sound to the current output so you can listen. Use headphones at low volume: loudspeaker sound can re-enter the microphone and produce feedback. Turn monitoring off immediately if you hear ringing or an uncomfortable echo.
Hearing yourself late can come from browser processing, operating-system buffers, the audio device or a wireless connection. The test does not measure end-to-end latency or promise an immediate return. Compare wired headphones if available, and leave monitoring off when you only need the level meter.
Bluetooth and voice-call differences
Using a Bluetooth headset microphone can change the headset's playback mode and quality on some systems. Compare with the built-in or a wired microphone, and close other call apps before retesting.
A successful browser level check does not guarantee the same result in a meeting or game. That app may use another input, gain setting or noise processing. Check its own device settings and compare with the same microphone and speaking distance.
What this test can and cannot tell you
- A moving meter confirms that this browser session receives a signal, not certified microphone health or call quality.
- The reading is approximate and uncalibrated; it is not a peak detector, a physical latency measurement or a dB SPL measurement.
- Stop ends this test's microphone capture and monitoring. It does not revoke the site's saved permission or stop other apps using the microphone.
Interpretation example (illustrative)
Illustrative example: a meter changing from the -60 display floor while quiet to -20 during speech means this browser receives a stronger digital signal. It does not measure room dB SPL or establish a universal gain target.