Samsung Microphone Test Code: Check Your Phone Microphone

Samsung Galaxy phones include a hidden hardware test menu that you open by typing a code in the Phone app keypad. It can help you find out whether a quiet or silent microphone is a hardware fault or a settings problem. This guide explains how to use the code, which built-in alternatives exist when the code is unavailable, and how to read the result.

Before you start

The diagnostic code runs locally on the phone. It does not need an internet connection, an account or a separate app, and it does not place a call. Whether it works depends on your model, region, carrier firmware and software version, so treat it as one option rather than a guaranteed feature.

• Use the Samsung Phone app. Third-party dialers often ignore service codes.
• Disconnect Bluetooth headsets, earbuds and car kits so the phone uses its built-in microphone as the input device.
• Remove a thick case or screen protector edge that might cover a microphone opening.
• Find a quiet room. Background noise makes it harder to judge the result.
• If your phone is managed by an employer or school, diagnostic menus may be restricted by policy.

Most Galaxy phones have more than one microphone. Typically one sits on the bottom edge for calls and recordings, and another sits near the top for noise reduction and video. A problem can affect one microphone and not the others, which is why it helps to test more than one way.

Step-by-step instructions

Method 1: The #0# test menu

• 1. Open the Samsung Phone app and switch to the keypad.
• 2. Type #0# exactly. You do not need to press the call button; on supported phones the test menu opens as soon as the last character is entered.
• 3. Look for a microphone, loopback or audio-related entry. Labels differ between models, and some phones have no dedicated microphone entry in this menu.
• 4. If a microphone or loopback test is available, start it and speak at a normal distance. A loopback test plays your voice back through the speaker or earpiece so you can hear what the microphone picks up.
• 5. Press the Back button to leave each test, then Back again to exit the menu. Nothing in the menu changes your settings, so exiting returns the phone to normal use.

Avoid other service codes you find online unless you know exactly what they do. Some open engineering menus that can change network or radio settings, which is not reversible as simply as closing a test screen.

Method 2: Samsung Members diagnostics

If the code does nothing or the menu has no microphone test, use the Samsung Members app, which is preinstalled on many Galaxy phones and includes a phone diagnostics feature with a microphone check. Open the app, find the diagnostics section, and select the microphone test. The exact location in the app has moved between versions, and on some recent One UI versions diagnostics can also be reached from the device care area in Settings. Follow the on-screen prompts, which usually ask you to record and play back a short sample.

Method 3: A recording and a call

• 1. Open the Voice Recorder app or the camera in video mode and record ten to fifteen seconds of speech.
• 2. Play it back through the speaker and then through wired headphones if you have them.
• 3. Make a short call to someone you trust or to your voicemail and ask how you sound.
• 4. Compare the results: recordings and calls can use different microphones and different processing.

Check the output

A healthy microphone produces clear speech at a steady volume with no long gaps. When listening back, pay attention to these signs:

• Silence or a flat line: the microphone is not being used, is blocked, or access is turned off.
• Very low volume that improves when you speak right next to the bottom edge: the opening may be clogged with dust or lint.
• Crackling, popping or cutting out: possible hardware damage or a loose internal connection.
• Harsh distortion on loud speech: the input level is too high for the sound source, which is normal if you speak very close to the phone.
• Muffled sound only in video: the top microphone may be covered or faulty while the bottom one is fine.

If you test with a browser-based microphone tool, the input level meter shows whether sound reaches the browser, and the reported sample rate reflects what the browser and phone negotiated rather than the microphone's full capability. Check how any online tool handles audio before you use it; some process sound only on the device, others may upload it, and you should confirm this in the tool's own documentation rather than assume it. Recordings you make in Voice Recorder are saved as files on the phone, so delete test clips you do not need.

Common problems and next steps

The code does nothing

Confirm you are using the Samsung Phone app and typed the code without spaces. Some carrier versions block the test menu entirely. In that case, use Samsung Members diagnostics or the recording method instead; there is no reliable way to force the code to work.

The test passes but apps hear nothing

On Android 12 and later, Galaxy phones have a microphone access toggle in Quick Settings. When it is off, apps receive silence even though the hardware works. Also check the app's own permission in Settings under Apps, then the app, then Permissions, and allow the microphone. Messaging and video call apps may also have their own input device choice in their settings.

Calls sound bad but recordings are fine

Make sure a Bluetooth device is not still selected as the input or output device during the call. Your hand or case may cover the bottom microphone while you hold the phone. Weak signal can also make voice sound broken, which a microphone test will not reveal.

The microphone is quiet or muffled everywhere

Power the phone off and gently clear the microphone holes with a soft dry brush. Do not push pins or needles into the openings, as this can damage the water-resistance seal or the microphone itself. Restart the phone and test again. If the problem began after a software update, installing the latest available update may help.

Nothing helps

If every test method gives silence or distortion with permissions on and no accessories connected, the microphone likely needs service. Back up your data and contact Samsung support or an authorised service centre, and mention which tests you ran and what you heard.