How to Manage Microphone Permissions on iPhone

Every iPhone app has to ask before it can use the built-in microphone or a connected input device. You can review those decisions at any time, revoke access from apps you no longer trust, or restore access to an app that suddenly can't hear you on a video call. This guide covers app permissions, website permissions in Safari, and how to confirm the change worked.

Before you start

Microphone permissions are managed on the iPhone itself in the Settings app. No account, internet connection or extra service is needed to change them. You need to be able to unlock the phone, and if Screen Time restrictions are enabled, you may also need the Screen Time passcode.

Menu names depend on your iOS version. On iOS 16 and later the privacy section is called Privacy & Security; earlier versions call it Privacy. On iOS 18 and later, settings for individual apps, including Safari, sit under Settings > Apps instead of the main Settings list. Check your version in Settings > General > About if the paths below don't match what you see.

A permission only controls whether an app can access the microphone. What the app does with recorded audio, such as uploading it, storing it or processing it on a server, is governed by that app's own privacy policy. Review that policy separately rather than assuming audio stays on the device.

Step-by-step instructions

Review all apps with microphone access

• Open Settings.
• Tap Privacy & Security (or Privacy on older iOS versions).
• Tap Microphone.
• Turn the switch on to allow an app, or off to block it.

Only apps that have already requested microphone access appear in this list. If an app is missing, open it and start a feature that needs audio, such as a voice message or a call, so it shows the permission prompt. Turning a switch off is fully reversible: you can turn it back on later from the same screen.

Change access for a single app

• Open Settings.
• On iOS 18 or later, tap Apps; on earlier versions, scroll down to the list of installed apps.
• Select the app.
• Turn the Microphone switch on or off.

If the Microphone option doesn't appear on the app's page, the app hasn't asked for access yet.

Manage microphone access for websites in Safari

Websites such as browser-based video call or mic test pages need their own permission. When a site asks, Safari shows a prompt where you can allow or deny access. To set a default for all websites, open Safari's settings (Settings > Safari, or Settings > Apps > Safari on iOS 18 and later), find Microphone in the website settings section, and choose Ask, Deny or Allow. Ask is the most cautious choice that still lets sites request access when you need it.

To change the setting for the site you're currently on, open the page settings menu from Safari's address bar, choose Website Settings, and adjust Microphone. Other browsers, such as Chrome or Firefox on iPhone, need system microphone access in their own app settings, and they also keep separate per-site permissions inside the browser.

Reset all privacy permissions

If you want every app to ask again, go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset Location & Privacy. This clears location and privacy permissions for all apps, not just the microphone, so you will need to approve each app again when it next asks. It does not delete apps or data.

Check the output

When an app is actively using the microphone, iOS shows an orange dot in the status bar at the top of the screen. Open Control Center while the dot is visible, or right after it disappears, to see which app was responsible. A dot appearing while you aren't using any audio feature is a reason to review that app's permission.

For a longer history, turn on App Privacy Report in Settings > Privacy & Security (available on iOS 15.2 and later). Once enabled, it lists which apps accessed the microphone and when. It only records activity from the moment you turn it on.

To confirm access works after granting it, make a short recording in the app you just changed, or in Voice Memos, and play it back. Many call and recording apps show a moving input level meter while you speak; no movement usually means the app isn't receiving audio. Permissions don't change audio quality, sample rate or background noise handling, so a quiet or noisy recording points to the microphone, its position or the app's audio settings rather than to privacy controls.

Common problems and next steps

The app isn't in the Microphone list. It hasn't requested access yet. Open the app and use a feature that records audio. If no prompt appears and the app still can't hear you, check its own in-app settings or update it.

The switches are greyed out. Screen Time restrictions may be preventing changes. Open Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions and check whether changes to the microphone are allowed. A device managed by a school or employer may also lock these settings through a management profile; contact whoever manages the device.

A website still can't use the microphone. Check the site's permission in Safari's Website Settings, confirm Safari's global Microphone setting isn't set to Deny, and reload the page. If you use another browser, make sure that browser app has microphone access in the iPhone's Settings.

Access is allowed but others can't hear you. Check which input device is in use: a connected Bluetooth headset or wired headset can replace the built-in microphone, and the call app may be listening to it instead. Disconnect accessories to test the built-in mic, make sure the app isn't muted, and remove any case or cover blocking the microphone openings. If the phone records nothing in Voice Memos either, the issue is likely hardware rather than permissions, and Apple Support or an authorised service provider can check it.

Dictation or Siri doesn't hear you. These features are controlled by their own settings rather than the Microphone privacy list. Check Siri settings and the Enable Dictation option under Settings > General > Keyboard.