Click 'Start Test' and speak into your microphone. You should see the waveform moving and the volume level changing.
Click "Start Test" and allow microphone access when prompted
Speak into your microphone - you should see the waveform move
Check the volume meter to ensure your voice is being detected
A microphone converts sound waves (acoustic energy) into electrical signals. When you speak, vibrations travel through the air and hit a diaphragm inside the microphone. This diaphragm moves back and forth, generating an electrical current that represents the analog audio signal. In modern digital devices, this analog signal is then converted to digital data using an Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC).
Condenser microphones are the most common in laptops and phones. They use a charged capacitor plate that vibrates when sound hits it, offering excellent sensitivity and clarity for voice calls. Dynamic microphones are more rugged and popular for live performances. MEMS microphones (Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems) are tiny silicon-based microphones found in smartphones and modern laptops.
The most frequent problems include: Low volume — check your system input level settings. Background noise — move to a quieter environment or use noise cancellation. Echo — use headphones to prevent speaker audio from feeding back into the mic. Not detected — check browser permissions and ensure no other app is using the microphone exclusively.
This test uses the Web Audio API and navigator.mediaDevices.getUserMedia() — standard browser APIs that request permission to access your microphone. The audio stream is processed entirely in your browser using an AnalyserNode that performs real-time frequency analysis, generating the waveform visualization and volume meter you see above. No audio data is ever sent to any server.
Your browser requires explicit permission to access the microphone. Click the lock/site-info icon in the address bar and ensure microphone access is set to "Allow". Also check that no other application (like Zoom or Discord) is exclusively using the microphone.
No. All audio processing happens entirely in your browser using the Web Audio API. No audio data is transmitted to any server. The test only visualizes real-time audio levels — nothing is stored or recorded.
Check your system microphone input level in your OS settings (System Preferences on Mac, Sound Settings on Windows). Also ensure you're speaking into the correct microphone if you have multiple input devices connected.
Yes! This test works on both desktop and mobile browsers. On iOS, use Safari for best compatibility. On Android, Chrome is recommended. Make sure to allow microphone permissions when prompted.