How to Stop Your Microphone Level from Changing Automatically

If your microphone level keeps changing in Windows 10, something is adjusting it for you. The level might creep up to 100, drop during a call or snap to 0. The usual causes are an app with automatic gain control, an app allowed to take exclusive control of the input device, or a feature in your audio driver. The fixes below use Windows and app settings on your own PC, and each one can be switched back.

Before you start

Everything here runs locally. You will use Windows sound settings, your audio driver and the settings inside your call or recording apps. You do not need an online service or account. Changing a driver in Device Manager may require an administrator account.

• Identify which input device you actually use: a built-in mic, USB mic, headset or webcam mic. Each one has its own input level.
• Write down the current level and each setting you change so you can restore it later.
• Close call, streaming and recording apps you are not using. This makes it easier to find the app that changes the level.
• Check the hardware for inline volume wheels, gain knobs or mute buttons on the headset, cable or microphone.

Step-by-step instructions

1. Select the right input device and set a level

Open Settings, then go to System and Sound. Under Input, choose your microphone from the list, then open Device properties to set its volume. The layout can differ slightly between Windows 10 versions, but the Input section is on the same Sound page.

2. Stop apps from taking exclusive control

This is the most common fix. Open the classic Sound control panel. You can use the Sound Control Panel link on the Settings Sound page, or press Win+R and run mmsys.cpl. On the Recording tab, select your microphone, choose Properties and open the Advanced tab. Under Exclusive Mode, clear "Allow applications to take exclusive control of this device", then select Apply. If a recording program you rely on needs exclusive mode, you can tick the box again later.

The same tab shows the Default Format, which is the sample rate and bit depth. You do not need to change it to stop level changes. Leave it as it is unless an app asks for a specific sample rate.

3. Turn off automatic gain control in your apps

Many call and chat apps adjust the microphone level automatically. They raise it when you speak quietly and lower it when you are loud or when background noise picks up. Some apps can still change the Windows level even with exclusive mode off. Look in each app's audio or voice settings for an option to adjust microphone volume automatically or for automatic gain control. Labels vary by app version. Common examples:

• Zoom: in Settings, under Audio, clear Automatically adjust microphone volume.
• Discord: in User Settings, under Voice & Video, turn off Automatic Gain Control.
• Skype: in Settings, under Audio & Video, turn off Automatically adjust microphone settings.

Browser-based meetings can apply their own audio processing too. If the service has no setting for it, check whether the level changes only while that browser call is running.

4. Check driver enhancements and vendor software

Some audio drivers add their own processing. In the microphone's Properties window, look for an Enhancements tab or an Enable audio enhancements checkbox. If you find one, turn the enhancements off and select Apply. Audio apps that came with your sound card, headset or USB mic can have their own gain or noise features, so check those as well. Which options appear depends on your driver.

Open the Levels tab and set the Microphone slider to the level you want. Some drivers also show a Microphone Boost slider here. Select Apply when you are done.

5. Update or roll back the audio driver

Did the level start jumping after a Windows or driver update? Open Device Manager, expand Audio inputs and outputs, right-click your microphone and choose Properties. On the Driver tab, use Roll Back Driver if it is available, or Update Driver to install a newer version. You can also install the driver from your device manufacturer. A driver change may reset device settings, so check the exclusive mode setting again afterwards.

Check the output

The Input section of the Settings Sound page has a meter that moves when you speak. The Recording tab of the Sound control panel also shows a green bar next to the device. Speak at your normal volume. The meter should respond, but the slider on the Levels tab should stay where you set it.

Next, repeat the situation that used to trigger the change. Join a call in the app you normally use, talk for a few minutes, then open the Levels tab again. If the slider has not moved, the fix worked. To hear how you sound, record a short clip with the Voice Recorder app and play it back through headphones. Avoid listening to your microphone live through speakers, because it can cause feedback.

A stable Windows level does not guarantee that others hear you at a constant volume. Call apps can still apply noise suppression or other processing to the audio they send. Use the app's own microphone test to hear its result.

Common problems and next steps

Microphone level keeps changing to 100

This usually means an app's automatic gain control is raising the level. Turn it off as described in step 3 and disable exclusive mode. If the jump happens at sign-in or after a restart, open the Startup tab in Task Manager. Disable call apps or audio utilities one at a time to find the one responsible.

Microphone level keeps dropping or going to 0

A gradual drop during calls is typically gain control reacting to a loud voice or background noise. A sudden drop to 0 has a few likely causes: a mute button or inline volume control on the headset, an app holding exclusive control, or Windows switching to a different input device. Make sure the device selected under Input is the one you are adjusting. A headset can appear as a separate device when you reconnect it.

The level still adjusts itself

Isolate the cause. Close all apps, set the level, restart and check it again. Then open your apps one at a time and note when the level changes. If it changes with nothing running, suspect the driver or vendor software and try reinstalling the driver. Testing with another USB port or another microphone helps you tell a hardware fault from a software one.

Other sounds get quieter when you talk

This affects your output device, not the microphone. In the Sound control panel, open the Communications tab and choose Do nothing to stop Windows lowering other sounds during calls.