You’ve just set up your new Discord account, and you’re eager to start chatting with friends, colleagues, or a client. After plugging in your mic and headphones, you try to speak, but your mic isn’t picking up any sound. What do you do now?
It’s frustrating when your mic isn’t working on Discord. Without it, you can’t speak, stream with commentary, or use speech-to-text features effectively. This can severely affect your experience with Discord. But don’t worry — we’re here to help you troubleshoot and fix the issue quickly.
Several factors could be causing this issue, but no matter what the cause is, we’ll guide you through the steps to resolve it. Keep reading, and you’ll have your Discord mic working in no time!
What Causes the Mic to Stop Working in Discord?
If your Discord mic isn’t working on Windows 10, there are several potential causes for the issue. Here are some common reasons why your mic may stop working randomly:
- Mic Volume is Turned Down: Check if your mic volume is set too low. You can adjust the volume using the volume wheel within Discord to raise it.
- Mic is Muted: Sometimes, your microphone might be muted by you or a server moderator. Check the voice channel for a muted microphone icon next to your display name.
- Wrong Input Selected: Ensure that the correct microphone is selected in both your system settings and Discord’s configuration.
- Discord Installation Issue: If your Discord installation is corrupted, it may prevent your mic from working. This is especially common if you’re using secondary versions of Discord, like Discord PTB or Canary.
- Hardware Issue with the Mic: There could be a hardware problem with your microphone itself, such as a damaged cable, USB port malfunction, or other physical issues.
- Missing Drivers: If your microphone requires specific drivers, you might not have installed them, which would cause it to malfunction in Discord.
Now that you know what might be causing the issue, it’s time to dive into the solutions to fix the problem and get your mic working again!
Solved: Mic isn’t working on Discord
The following solutions work on both Windows 10 and 11. If you need assistance with another platform, don’t hesitate to reach out! The contact information is at the bottom of this page.
First, Watch Microphone Not Working Windows 11 – Best 10 Methods
Method 1: Unmute Your Mic in Discord
If you find that your mic isn’t working in Discord, it might be because it’s accidentally muted. Don’t worry — this is an easy fix!
- Unmute in a Voice Chat:
Open Discord and join any voice chat. Right-click on your nickname under the voice channel and click on the Mute option if it’s enabled. This will remove the checkmark and unmute your microphone.
- Unmute on the Server:
If you’re muted on the server, right-click on your username and uncheck the Server mute option. Keep in mind that this may require the appropriate permissions. If you don’t have permissions, ask a moderator to unmute you.
- Unmute in a Voice Call:
In a voice call, simply click on the microphone icon in the call controls to unmute yourself and start talking.
- Unmute via Discord Client:
You can also unmute by clicking the Unmute button in the bottom left corner of the Discord client. It looks like a gray microphone with a red line going through it.
These steps should quickly fix the issue if your mic was muted in Discord!
Method 2: Restart Discord and Run it as Administrator
Sometimes, Discord may not have the necessary permissions to access your microphone. Running Discord as an administrator can help solve this problem and ensure the app has the permissions it needs.
- Exit Discord Completely:
Close Discord entirely by opening the tray menu in the taskbar. Right-click on the Discord icon and select “Quit Discord” to stop the program from running in the background.
- Run Discord as Administrator:
Find your Discord launcher and right-click on it. Select Run as administrator from the context menu.
- Confirm UAC Prompt:
If prompted by the User Account Control (UAC) screen, click Yes to allow Discord to run with elevated permissions, enabling it to access your microphone.
- Enter Administrator Password (if required):
If prompted, enter the administrator password. If you don’t know it, contact the person who owns the PC or follow steps to convert your user account into an administrator account. - Test Your Mic:
Once Discord is running with administrator privileges, test if your mic works properly.
This should resolve issues caused by permission restrictions!
Method 3: Select the Correct Microphone in Discord
If you’ve used multiple microphones or virtual inputs, Discord may be picking up the wrong one. Here’s how you can ensure the correct mic is selected:
- Open Discord and go to User Settings by clicking the gear icon next to your username.
- Navigate to Voice & Video under the App Settings section.
- Select the Correct Microphone:
In the Input Device drop-down menu, choose the microphone you want to use.
- Adjust the Input Volume:
Make sure the Input Volume slider is all the way up to avoid issues with low volume or muted mic. - Close the Settings:
Close the settings interface by clicking the X button or pressing Esc on your keyboard.
After selecting the correct microphone, join a voice call or channel and test if your microphone works!
Method 4: Reset the Voice Settings in Discord
If you’re having trouble with your microphone on Discord or no one can hear you, resetting your voice settings can help resolve the issue. Here’s how to do it:
- Open Discord and click on the Settings icon (the gear symbol) next to your username.
- Go to User Settings and select Voice & Video under the App Settings section.
- Click on Reset Voice Settings.
You’ll see a warning pop-up to confirm this action.
- Confirm the Reset:
Click Okay to proceed with resetting. Be sure to note down any important configurations as they will be lost.
- Reconnect Your Microphone:
After resetting, reconnect your mic and test if it works by sending an audio message or joining a voice channel.
After resetting your voice settings, check if your microphone works as expected.
Method 5: Allow Discord to Use Your Microphone
Windows 10 has strict privacy settings that may block microphone access for specific applications. If Discord was denied access to your microphone, you can easily fix this by following these steps:
- Open Windows Settings:
Click on the Windows icon in the bottom left of your screen and choose Settings (or press Windows + I).
- Navigate to Privacy Settings:
In the settings window, click on the Privacy tab.
- Find Microphone Settings:
Scroll down in the left sidebar and go to App Permissions > Microphone. - Enable Microphone Access:
On the right side, make sure that the Allow apps to access your microphone toggle is turned On.
- Allow Discord Access:
Scroll through the list of apps and ensure Discord is allowed to access the microphone.
This should enable Discord to use your microphone, fixing any issues with it not working.
Method 6: Change Your Input Mode
Sometimes, the microphone input mode can interfere with Discord’s ability to recognize and use the mic. You can easily switch between input modes to resolve this issue.
- Open Discord:
Launch Discord and click on the User Settings icon (gear icon) in the bottom-left corner.
- Navigate to Voice & Video Settings:
Scroll down in the left menu under App Settings and click on Voice & Video. - Change Input Mode:
Scroll down to find the Input Mode section. You’ll have two options:- Voice Activity: Automatically activates the mic when sound is detected.
- Push to Talk: Requires you to press a key to activate the mic.
- Test Both Modes:
Try both modes to see which works best for you and resolves the issue of your microphone not working in Discord.
This simple change can help ensure your microphone works correctly on Discord.
Method 7: Update Your Audio Driver
Updating your audio drivers can fix common microphone issues on Discord, as outdated or corrupted drivers can prevent your mic from working properly. Here’s how to ensure you have the latest drivers:
- Open Device Manager:
Press Windows + X on your keyboard, then click on Device Manager.
- Expand the Sound Section:
In Device Manager, expand the Sound, video and game controllers section by clicking the arrow icon next to it. - Update Audio Driver:
Right-click on your sound device (e.g., Realtek, Intel, etc.), and select Update Driver.
- Search for Updates:
Choose Search automatically for updated driver software to let Windows search for and install the latest drivers for your device. Ensure your computer is connected to the internet.
- Restart Your Computer:
Once the update is complete, restart your computer.
After the new drivers are installed, check if your microphone now works in Discord. This should resolve any issues related to outdated or missing drivers.
Method 8: Turn Off Exclusive Mode in Windows
Exclusive Mode can sometimes cause issues with Discord’s ability to access your microphone. Disabling this feature might resolve the problem.
- Open Sound Settings:
Click on the Windows icon in the bottom left of your screen to open the Start menu. Use the Windows + I shortcut, or type Sound in the search bar, and click on Sound settings.
- Open Device Properties:
In the Input device section, click on the Device properties link.
- Access Additional Device Properties:
Under Related Settings, click on the Additional device properties link.
- Disable Exclusive Mode:
In the Microphone Properties window, navigate to the Advanced tab. Uncheck the option Allow applications to take exclusive control of this device in the Exclusive Mode section.
- Apply Changes:
Click Apply to confirm the changes.
Once this is done, test whether Discord can now properly access your microphone without errors.
Method 9: Reinstall Discord
If none of the previous methods have fixed your issue, reinstalling Discord might be the solution. You can either reinstall the same version or try a different client.
- Uninstall Discord:
Press the Windows + X keys simultaneously, then choose Apps and Features from the menu. Find Discord in the list of programs, click on it, and then select Uninstall. Confirm the uninstallation process.
- Delete Residual Files:
Press the Windows + R keys to open the Run utility. Type %appdata% and hit Enter. This will open the AppData folder in File Explorer. Find the Discord folder, right-click it, and select Delete to remove any leftover files from the previous installation.
- Download and Install Discord:
Visit discord.com, download the latest version of Discord, and run the installer to complete the installation.
Once the installation is complete, launch Discord and check if the microphone issue is resolved.
Bonus: Try installing a different version of Discord
Discord is available in three different versions, two of which are meant for people looking to test early or experimental features. While these versions aren’t as stable as the release version, they can be used as a replacement if you can’t install Discord the traditional way.
Here’s how to get one of the beta versions of Discord:
- Choose which version of Discord you want to download, and install the latest release to get the most enjoyable experience:
- Discord
- Discord Public Test Build (Discord PTB)
- Discord Canary
- After downloading the installer for Windows, try to launch the installer to see if it works. If you don’t have any luck, try the other versions.
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