Windows 10: Why wont my internal and external microphones detect any audio despite having no issues?

So, a few weeks ago in April I tried streaming and recording from my laptop, but nothing was registering my voice. at first i thought it was an app issue because streamlabs didnt even recognise that my computer had a microphone in the first place. but then i went to audio settings and saw that the bar for testing my microphone was completely gray, like it couldnt hear me.i use a lenevo thinkpad, with a microphone array synaptics audio as my default device, and its running on windows 10. I tested the microphone again and again, but nothing registered. at first i thought there was an issue wit

:)

 

Microphone not detected

I've run it, it says the problem was 'Generic audio driver'. But I don't actually feel any problems on playing audios. My problem was about external microphones not detected, this laptop wont detect any external microphones
plugged in, it will always use the internal microphone. I've done the troubleshoot (recording audio) and the troubleshoot said they can't detect the problem.

 

External Microphone not recognised

Hi

Welcome to Microsoft community.

If your external microphone is not being recognized by your laptop, there are several troubleshooting steps you can follow to resolve the issue. Here's a step-by-step guide to help you get your external microphone working on your MSI Katana GF66 laptop running Windows 11:

1. Check Connections:
   
   • Ensure that the microphone is properly connected to your laptop using both the USB power cable and the 3.5mm audio cable.
     
   • Try different USB and audio ports to rule out any issues with specific ports.
     
2. Driver Installation:
   
   • Make sure you have the necessary drivers installed for the external microphone. Sometimes, devices require specific drivers to function properly. You can typically find these drivers on the manufacturer's website.
     
3. Device Manager:
   
   • Open Device Manager by right-clicking on the Start button and selecting "Device Manager."
     
   • Look for any entries related to your external microphone. It should appear under "Audio inputs and outputs."
     
   • If you see the microphone listed, make sure it's enabled and up to date. You can right-click on it and choose "Enable" or "Update driver."
     
4. Sound Settings:
   
   • Right-click on the speaker icon in the taskbar and select "Open Sound settings."
     
   • Under the "Input" section, make sure the external microphone is selected as the default recording device.
     
5. Privacy Settings:
   
   • In Windows 11, privacy settings can sometimes affect microphone access. Go to Settings > Privacy > Microphone and ensure that apps have permission to use the microphone.
     
6. Troubleshoot Sound Problems:
   
   • Windows has a built-in troubleshooter that can help diagnose and fix audio-related issues. Go to Settings > System > Troubleshoot, and select "Playing Audio" and "Recording Audio" troubleshooters.
     
7. Test on Another PC:
   
   • Since the microphone works on another laptop, try it on a different computer again to confirm that it's not a hardware issue with the microphone.
     
8. Reinstall Drivers:
   
   • If none of the above steps work, you may want to uninstall the drivers for your external microphone in Device Manager and then plug it back in to let Windows reinstall the drivers.
     

Please let me know if you need any further assistance. Thank you.

Best regards

Derrick Qian | Microsoft Community Support Specialist

 

External microphones detected but not working

Hi,

I realize the inconvenience you are facing with External microphone. I will surely help you.

I suggest you to run a Hardware and Devices troubleshooter.

Please follow the below mentioned steps to run
Hardware and Devices troubleshooter:

• Search for Troubleshooting in the
  Search box, and run it.
• Select view all in the left pane of troubleshooting Window.
• Click on the Hardware and Devices, and follow the
  on-screen instructions.

Please reach back to us if you still face difficulty with external microphone. We will be happy to help.

Thank you.