How to Adjust Microphone Gain in Ready or Not

Before you start

Microphone gain in Ready or Not is controlled through the Windows input device selected for voice chat. The game does not expose a separate microphone gain slider in its audio menu, so the effective input level comes from the microphone properties in Windows Sound settings. The process runs locally on your PC and does not require a separate service. Before changing anything, confirm which input device Ready or Not is using in the game audio settings, then match that device with the same name in Windows.

Step-by-step instructions

Find the input device in Ready or Not

• Open Settings from the main menu.
• Go to the Audio section.
• Find the voice or microphone input option.
• Select the microphone you want to use.
• If available, lower the in-game microphone volume first before changing Windows gain.

The exact menu wording can differ by game version. If there is no dedicated microphone volume option, leave the in-game setting unchanged and adjust the input level in Windows instead.

Adjust microphone gain in Windows

• Right-click the speaker icon in the taskbar and open Sound settings.
• Under Input, select the same microphone used by Ready or Not.
• Open the device properties for that microphone.
• Use the Input volume or Microphone boost controls to change the level.
• Set the sample rate only if a specific sample rate is required by your audio setup.

Start with the input level around 70 to 80 percent as a reversible baseline. If the microphone is still too quiet, increase the level in small steps. If your device offers Microphone Boost, add it only after the basic input level is already high, because boost can also raise background noise.

Check the output

Use the Windows microphone test meter to check the input level without joining a match. Speak at the same distance and volume you use in Ready or Not, and watch whether the meter reaches a clear level without staying constantly at maximum. Then test with another player in a voice channel or during a short mission briefing. Ask them whether your voice is understandable and whether room noise, keyboard sounds, or other background noise is too loud.

In-game voice quality can also be affected by the selected input device and its sample rate. If your voice sounds clipped or distorted, the gain is likely too high. If teammates report that you sound very quiet, the gain or microphone boost is likely too low.

Common problems and next steps

If Ready or Not keeps using the wrong microphone, check whether Windows has the intended device set as the default input device. Some versions of the game follow the Windows default communication device, so changing that default can be more reliable than changing the in-game selection alone.

If teammates hear a constant hiss or room echo, reduce microphone boost and move the microphone closer to your mouth instead. Lowering the input level while keeping the microphone close usually gives a clearer result than adding gain. Disable unused input devices in Windows Sound settings if the game keeps selecting the wrong one after a restart.

If voice is still too quiet after the input level is at maximum, stop increasing gain and check the physical microphone position, the mute switch, and whether the correct input device is active. Reverting the Windows input level to the original value is straightforward and can be done at any time from the same device properties window.