How to Grant Microphone Permissions for TextNow Calls

TextNow needs access to your microphone before it can place or receive voice calls. If the app or browser tab asks you to grant microphone permissions to make calls, the microphone access is turned off, was never granted, or was granted only temporarily. The fix is usually a single permission switch, but where that switch lives depends on whether you use TextNow on Android, on an iPhone or iPad, or in a web browser on a computer.

Before you start

• Know which version of TextNow you are using: the Android app, the iOS app, or TextNow in a web browser. Each one gets microphone permission from a different place.
• Update the TextNow app or your browser if an update is waiting, so the permission prompts match your current system.
• Make sure your device actually has a working microphone. On a computer this may be a built-in microphone, a USB microphone or a headset.
• Have an internet or mobile data connection. Granting the permission happens on your device, but the calls themselves go through the TextNow service and will not connect without it.
• If you share the device or it is managed by an employer or school, check whether privacy restrictions prevent you from changing permissions.

Microphone permission only controls whether TextNow can hear your device's microphone. It does not tell you how TextNow processes or stores call audio. If that matters to you, read the TextNow privacy policy and settings rather than assuming how audio is handled.

Step-by-step instructions

Menu names below are the standard system locations, but wording varies between Android manufacturers, iOS releases and browser versions. If a label looks slightly different on your device, look for the closest match.

Android

• Open the Settings app.
• Go to Apps (on some phones it is called Apps & notifications or Applications) and select TextNow. You can also long-press the TextNow icon and tap App info.
• Tap Permissions, then Microphone.
• Choose Allow only while using the app. This lets TextNow use the microphone during calls without giving it access in the background.
• Return to TextNow, close the app fully and open it again before placing a call.

On recent Android versions there is also a device-wide Microphone access switch, often found in Quick Settings or under Settings, Security and privacy. If it is off, no app can use the microphone even if its own permission is allowed, so check that switch as well.

iPhone and iPad

• Open the Settings app.
• Scroll down and tap TextNow.
• Turn on the Microphone switch.
• Alternatively, go to Settings, Privacy & Security, Microphone and turn on TextNow in that list.
• Reopen TextNow and try the call again.

iOS only lists an app under Microphone after the app has asked for access at least once. If TextNow does not appear, open the app and start a call so it can show the system prompt, then tap Allow.

TextNow in a web browser

• Open TextNow in your browser and sign in.
• Click the icon at the left side of the address bar (a lock, a tune or a site-information icon, depending on the browser).
• Find Microphone in the site permissions and set it to Allow.
• If several microphones are connected, choose the correct input device in the browser's microphone setting.
• Reload the page so the new permission takes effect.

The browser itself also needs permission from the operating system. On Windows, open Settings, Privacy & security, Microphone and make sure microphone access is on and that desktop apps, including your browser, are allowed. On a Mac, open System Settings, Privacy & Security, Microphone and turn on the browser you use. macOS may ask you to quit and reopen the browser after the change.

Check the output

• Place a short call to a phone you can answer yourself, or to someone who can tell you whether they hear you clearly.
• On Android 12 and later, a green indicator appears near the top of the screen while an app is using the microphone. On iPhone, an orange dot appears in the status area. Seeing it during a TextNow call shows the app is receiving microphone input.
• In a browser, a microphone icon usually appears in the address bar or tab while the page is using it. Reopen the site permissions to confirm the setting still says Allow.
• On a computer, check that the right input device and output device are selected, so you are not speaking into one headset while listening on another.

Permission being granted does not guarantee good call quality. TextNow calls travel over your data or Wi-Fi connection, so a weak connection can cause dropouts or delay. Background noise, a low input level or a microphone held far from your mouth can make you hard to hear even when everything is allowed. Settings such as sample rate are handled by the device and app, and are rarely something you need to change for an ordinary call.

Common problems and next steps

• The prompt keeps coming back: the permission may be set to Ask every time or was granted only once. Change it to Allow only while using the app on Android, or turn the switch on permanently in iOS or the browser.
• The permission switched itself off: Android can remove permissions from apps you have not used for a while. In TextNow's app info, turn off the option that pauses activity or removes permissions when the app is unused.
• The switch is greyed out on iPhone: Screen Time content and privacy restrictions or a device management profile may be blocking changes. Adjust the restriction or ask whoever manages the device.
• The browser says the microphone is blocked: the site was denied earlier. Change the site permission to Allow and reload the page, and check that the operating system allows the browser to use the microphone.
• The other person cannot hear you even though access is allowed: another app, such as a voice recorder or a different calling app, may be using the microphone. Close it and retry. On a computer, confirm the input device is not muted and its input level is not set to zero.
• Sound is coming from the wrong place: a connected Bluetooth headset or earbuds may have taken over as the active microphone. Disconnect them or pick the correct device during the call.
• Nothing changes after all of the above: restart the device, update or reinstall TextNow, and then grant the permission again when prompted. If calls still fail, contact TextNow support with your device model and system version.