How To Test a Chromebook Microphone: (5 Easy Steps)

A Chromebook’s built-in microphone makes it easy to record audio notes, voice messages, and more. You can even use a Chromebook’s microphone for video conferencing with Google Hangouts.

Testing the microphone on your Chromebook is an easy process that can be completed in just a few minutes.

This article will show you how to test a Chromebook’s microphone and troubleshoot issues if something isn’t working correctly.

Step 1: Update Your Microphone Drivers.

If you’re using an external mic on your Chromebook, it’s likely that the correct microphone drivers aren’t included with the device. You need to download them from the manufacturer and install them on your Chromebook.

On your keyboard, press Win+X (or click or tap the Start button) and select Device Manager.

In Device Manager, expand Sound, video and game controllers. Locate your microphone driver in this list, right-click or tap on it and choose Update driver.

Step 2: Check Your Privacy Settings.

To make sure your settings are correct, follow these steps:

• In the bottom-left corner of your screen, click the Launcher > Settings > Privacy and security.
• Click Site settings.
• Scroll down this page to find Microphone and Camera. Make sure each thing listed has access to your microphone. If you see a little red slash through an icon that means it doesn’t have access to your microphone.

You can change this by clicking on it and changing the toggle from Block to Ask or Allow depending on what you want (I suggest keeping it set to Ask).

For example, if you don’t have Google Hangouts set up but do have Gmail, you might see a red slash through the Hangouts icon even though Hangouts is not being used anywhere in Gmail (I know this because I just checked my own privacy settings I didn’t even know about).

This is more of a heads up for later when you do end up using Google Hangouts but can’t figure out why your mic isn’t working, so feel free to ignore it for now if you don’t plan on using Google Hangout anytime soon.

Step 3: Adjust Your Audio Settings.

Now that the audio test has been completed, you may need to adjust your audio settings:

• Click on the Volume icon in the taskbar and select “Sound settings” from the drop-down menu.
• Under “Input,” you can adjust your microphone volume.
• You can also disable or enable the internal microphone by using the toggle switch located underneath its name. If you have an external microphone attached to your Chromebook, simply select it as your input device by clicking on its name under “Input devices.”

Step 4: Test Your Microphone Using Another Recording App.

The Microphone can be tested using the voice recorder. The icon is a blue microphone with a red light in it. It is located in Chrome’s ‘Tools’ menu (under More tools).

The first time that you open Voice Recorder, it may ask you to allow access to files on your Chromebook.

• Allow this access; otherwise, recording will not be possible.
• To record an audio file in Voice Recorder, simply follow these simple steps:
• Click the ‘Record’ button by default.
• A new window should pop up with options on what kind of sound recording you would like to use; choose ‘Recording.’

You can also press F1 for help if there are any issues with having the necessary permissions or needed permissions.

What if there is no sound?

If there is no sound coming out of your Chromebook’s microphone when trying to record something, please ensure that all permission details are given correctly and try again (if not already done before).

What if the sound is muffled or distorted?

If after following all instructions above, still have difficulty hearing or recordings won’t play back properly, then try restarting both the app and your computer. This usually fixes any issue with either of them while performing other tasks as well.

Step 5: Reset Your Chromebook.

Hold down the power button for 10 seconds to initiate a hard reset. This will turn off your Chromebook and clear all running applications and processes, fixing many minor issues that may be causing your microphone not to work.

Any unsaved work you have will be lost when your Chromebook resets itself, so be sure to save or transfer all important files before proceeding. Alternately, if you have a Google account, you can save your files to cloud storage and access them later through the Chrome browser on another computer.

If none of these solutions worked and you still cannot use your microphone on your Chromebook, then it may be time to restore Chrome OS. This is an extreme step that will erase everything on your computer and return it to its factory settings, so you should only do this if nothing else has worked.

You Can Test The Microphone On Your Chromebook With A Recording App Like Voice Recorder.

To test the microphone on your Chromebook, you’ll first need to launch a recording app such as Voice Recorder.

Once the app is open, you will see the main screen with “Record” and “Stop” buttons. When ready to record, click “record”, and once finished recording, click “stop”. You can now review your recording to ensure that it is audible.

Five Reasons Your Chromebook Microphone Isn’t Working

There are many reasons why your Chromebook microphone is not working correctly, including:

• Corrupted microphone drivers
• Incorrect privacy settings
• Incorrect audio settings
• Hardware issues
• Software issues

To fix your microphone, you must:

• Update your microphone drivers
• Check and change your privacy permissions
• Adjust the audio settings on your Chromebook

Can you use external microphones with a Chromebook?

You can use external microphones with a Chromebook. You do this by connecting them to a USB port or 3.5mm audio jack, depending on the type of microphone you have. If it’s a USB mic, then plugging it into the USB port should automatically start using that as your input device.

The same applies for mics with 3.5mm audio jacks; just connect to the corresponding audio jack and you’re all set. If you have an old-school microphone that has separate headphone and mic connections (like the ones seen here), you can also use a USB adapter to connect one to your Chromebook as well.

Conclusion

If the microphone doesn’t work on your Chromebook, don’t despair. With these steps and a couple of simple downloads, you should be able to get the mic working in no time.

This is the end of our guide on how to test a Chromebook microphone.

If you’re having trouble with your Chromebook, drop us a line and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible. Enjoy your Chromebook.

Sources

• Trekky Records: How Do I Test My Headset On Chromebook?
• Platypus Platypus: How To Fix Your Chromebook’s Microphone
• Samsung: Microphone On Samsung Chromebook Is Not Working