How to Test Your Microphone in Microsoft Teams

Microsoft Teams has several ways to check your microphone before or during a meeting: a live level indicator in device settings, a test call that records and plays back your voice, and audio options on the screen you see before joining. This guide covers each method, how to read the results and what to do when the microphone test in Teams shows a problem.

Before you start

The level indicator in Teams settings displays the signal your computer receives from the selected input device, so it reflects what happens on your machine. The test call is different: it connects you to a Teams service that records a short message and plays it back, so it needs a working internet connection and a signed-in account. Microsoft describes the test call recording as temporary, but if your organization has specific rules about voice recordings, check the current Microsoft documentation or ask your IT administrator rather than assuming how the recording is handled.

Check these points first:

• The microphone or headset is connected, powered on and not muted by a physical switch or button.
• Your operating system allows apps to use the microphone. On Windows this is in the Privacy and security area of Settings; on macOS it is under Privacy and Security in System Settings, where Microsoft Teams must be allowed.
• If you use Teams in a browser, the browser has permission to use the microphone for Teams.
• Other apps that might hold the microphone, such as another calling or recording program, are closed.
• You know which version you are using: the current desktop app, the older classic app, Teams in a browser or the mobile app. Menu names and available features differ between them.

Step-by-step instructions

Check the level indicator in device settings

• 1. Open Teams and select the Settings and more menu (the three dots) near your profile picture.
• 2. Choose Settings, then open the Devices section. In some versions it may be labelled Device settings.
• 3. Under the audio settings, open the Microphone list and select the input device you want to use. Check the Speaker list as well so you can hear playback on the correct output device.
• 4. Speak at your normal volume and watch the microphone level indicator. It should move while you talk and stay low or still when you are silent.
• 5. If the indicator does not move, select a different microphone from the list and try again.

Changing the selected device here is reversible: you can switch back to the previous microphone at any time from the same list.

Make a test call

• 1. In the same Devices section of Settings, select Make a test call.
• 2. Follow the voice prompts and record a short message when asked.
• 3. Listen to the playback. Your recorded voice should be clear, at a comfortable volume and free of distortion or heavy background noise.
• 4. Review the summary shown at the end of the call, which lists the state of your microphone, speaker and camera.

The test call option is available in the Teams desktop app. If you do not see it, you may be using Teams in a browser, a mobile device or a version or account configuration where it is not offered. In that case, use the level indicator or the pre-join check instead.

Check from the pre-join screen

When you join a meeting, Teams usually shows a preview screen before you enter. Open the audio or device options there, confirm the selected microphone and watch its level indicator while you speak. This is useful when you switch between a headset and a laptop microphone, because the device chosen here applies to the meeting you are about to join.

Change the microphone during a meeting

If others report that they cannot hear you, open the More menu in the meeting controls and choose the device or audio settings option. Select a different microphone, speak, and ask a participant to confirm. Make sure the mute button in the meeting toolbar is turned off as well.

Check the output

A microphone is working correctly in Teams when the level indicator responds to your voice, the test call playback is clear and recognisable, and other participants can hear you at a normal volume. The level indicator only confirms that a signal is arriving; it does not tell you whether the sound is clean. The test call playback is the better check for clarity, echo and noise.

Keep in mind that Teams processes your audio, for example with noise suppression, so the playback you hear is the processed result rather than the raw microphone signal. Settings such as the sample rate are controlled by the device and the operating system, not by Teams itself. If you need to change them, look in the sound settings of your operating system or the software supplied with your microphone.

Common problems and next steps

The level indicator does not move

Confirm that the correct microphone is selected in Teams, then check the operating system permission and, for the web version, the browser permission. Look for a hardware mute switch on headsets and USB microphones. If the microphone does not respond in the operating system sound settings either, the issue is with the device, cable or driver rather than with Teams.

Teams picks the wrong microphone

Teams may switch devices when you connect or disconnect a headset, dock or webcam with a built-in microphone. Select the device you want in the Devices section of Settings and check the pre-join screen before each important meeting.

The meter moves but others cannot hear you

Check that you are not muted in the meeting and that a meeting organizer has not disabled the microphone for attendees. Also confirm that the microphone selected inside the meeting matches the one you tested in Settings.

Background noise, echo or poor quality

Move the microphone closer to your mouth, reduce nearby noise sources and use headphones so your speaker output is not picked up again by the microphone. Teams includes noise suppression options in its audio settings; try a different level and repeat the test call to compare. Bluetooth headsets often switch to a lower-quality mode when their microphone is active, so a wired or USB headset may sound clearer.

Still not working

Update Teams to the latest version, restart the app and, if needed, restart the computer so other programs release the microphone. If your device is managed by an organization, permissions or Teams features may be controlled by policy, so contact your IT administrator with the results of your checks.