Mic not working on new windows 10 laptop
March 30, 2020 10:51 AM Subscribe
I got a new windows 10 laptop over the weekend and the mic works but no apps can hear it, including Cortana.
In sound settings the little blue bar is bibbling along and responding to sound. I click troubleshoot and it the troubleshooter can't find anything.
I try to talk to Cortana and she can't hear me, so I select "cortana can't hear me" and a troubleshooter pops up and says my Mic might not be set up. So I proceed and it gives me a sentence about peter and his love of speech recognition - and the bar moves and responds to me speaking so it declares the problem fixed but still Cortana can't hear me.
In the sound control panel the green bar next to "microphone" goes up and down when I talk but if I press "configure" and then "set up mic", the same popup about peter comes up but this time the bar doesn't move at all.
I've also tried it in chrome (actually tried that first, I never wanted speech recognition or Cortana in the first place but turning that on seemed to be the only way to access Microphone controls)
I've checked the privacy options and turned on access for every app for both the mic and camera but still nothing.
I've emailed support for the place I bought it but they're super swamped right now so I wouldn't be surprised if I don't hear from them for days
In sound settings the little blue bar is bibbling along and responding to sound. I click troubleshoot and it the troubleshooter can't find anything.
I try to talk to Cortana and she can't hear me, so I select "cortana can't hear me" and a troubleshooter pops up and says my Mic might not be set up. So I proceed and it gives me a sentence about peter and his love of speech recognition - and the bar moves and responds to me speaking so it declares the problem fixed but still Cortana can't hear me.
In the sound control panel the green bar next to "microphone" goes up and down when I talk but if I press "configure" and then "set up mic", the same popup about peter comes up but this time the bar doesn't move at all.
I've also tried it in chrome (actually tried that first, I never wanted speech recognition or Cortana in the first place but turning that on seemed to be the only way to access Microphone controls)
I've checked the privacy options and turned on access for every app for both the mic and camera but still nothing.
I've emailed support for the place I bought it but they're super swamped right now so I wouldn't be surprised if I don't hear from them for days
Response by poster: Its brand new - custom built - and yes, I checked for a driver update (sorry, forgot to mention that)
posted by missmagenta at 11:03 AM on March 30, 2020
posted by missmagenta at 11:03 AM on March 30, 2020
Could be permissions settings. I had difficulty with my mic before allowing the app access to it.
posted by Jessica Savitch's Coke Spoon at 11:11 AM on March 30, 2020
posted by Jessica Savitch's Coke Spoon at 11:11 AM on March 30, 2020
Did you run the Recording Audio troubleshooter from Settings app > Update & security > Troubleshoot ?
posted by belladonna at 11:16 AM on March 30, 2020
posted by belladonna at 11:16 AM on March 30, 2020
If you right-click the sound icon in your system tray and "Open Sound Settings", then in the "Related Settings" to the right, choose "Sound Control Panel".
This is the old (Windows 7) sound control panel that MS is trying real hard to hide in Windows 10. I don't know what your problem is but you might find this more familiar to look at and double-check that you have the right device selected.
posted by neckro23 at 11:54 AM on March 30, 2020 [1 favorite]
This is the old (Windows 7) sound control panel that MS is trying real hard to hide in Windows 10. I don't know what your problem is but you might find this more familiar to look at and double-check that you have the right device selected.
posted by neckro23 at 11:54 AM on March 30, 2020 [1 favorite]
I'm with Jessica Savitch's Coke Spoon. It may be a permissions or security setting. Same with the camera.
posted by terrapin at 11:55 AM on March 30, 2020
posted by terrapin at 11:55 AM on March 30, 2020
This article says there's a setting for webcam, which disables app access to the mic globally if you disable the webcam. Worth checking, it's not in the mic settings.
posted by under_petticoat_rule at 11:57 AM on March 30, 2020
posted by under_petticoat_rule at 11:57 AM on March 30, 2020
Response by poster: I have enabled all permissions for all apps, store and desktop for both mic and webcam.
The sound control panel shows the mic working fine - the green bar goes up and down in response to sound
The troubleshooter finds no problems
The device is also enabled in the device manager. I have only 1 microphone device enabled so the option to set it as default doesn't exist
posted by missmagenta at 12:03 PM on March 30, 2020
The sound control panel shows the mic working fine - the green bar goes up and down in response to sound
The troubleshooter finds no problems
The device is also enabled in the device manager. I have only 1 microphone device enabled so the option to set it as default doesn't exist
posted by missmagenta at 12:03 PM on March 30, 2020
Response by poster: Also, to add, I tried an external mic and it had the same issue
posted by missmagenta at 12:03 PM on March 30, 2020
posted by missmagenta at 12:03 PM on March 30, 2020
Look and see if one of your function keys has a microphone graphic on it. If so, click on it and see it that does anything. I went through similar bullshit recently with my camera on my laptop, including messing around with the settings, driver, etc. It was the damn function key that fixed it.
posted by Serene Empress Dork at 1:11 PM on March 30, 2020
posted by Serene Empress Dork at 1:11 PM on March 30, 2020
Look and see if there is a 3rd party sound app by the driver manufacuter haging around. It might be trying to manage it while windows and chrome are trying to access it. Uninstall it and just use the windows controls.
posted by nickggully at 4:19 PM on March 30, 2020
posted by nickggully at 4:19 PM on March 30, 2020
Hi! This happened on both my new Windows machine, and on my kids. I solved mine by going through control panel, not settings like Windows wants. I wish I remembered what I did, but I did a lot and I don’t remember which thing did it. I haven’t solved my kid’s issue yet, but they both cropped up in the same week, so I’m blaming an update.
posted by Valancy Rachel at 10:16 PM on March 30, 2020
posted by Valancy Rachel at 10:16 PM on March 30, 2020
Response by poster: Installing an optional windows update seems to have fixed it (either that or uninstalling Bullguard internet security - which came with it but I didn't even setup or start my free trial)
posted by missmagenta at 1:15 AM on March 31, 2020 [2 favorites]
posted by missmagenta at 1:15 AM on March 31, 2020 [2 favorites]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by phunniemee at 10:58 AM on March 30, 2020