Mic Test | Check Your Microphone Quality and Volume Free
A guided ten second sequence checks your microphone's volume, clipping, background noise, and frequency coverage. Works as a mic test, mic checker, or full microphone test for streaming, Discord, and recording setups.
The full sequence takes ten seconds and walks you through silence, speech, and silence again.
Grant access
Allow microphone access when your browser asks, then pick your input device if you have more than one.
Stay quiet, 2 seconds
The test measures your noise floor, the residual signal present with no one talking.
Count out loud, 6 seconds
Count from one to ten at your normal speaking volume for the speech measurement.
Stay quiet again, 2 seconds
Confirms the noise floor stayed consistent and did not spike mid test.
Read your results
Four signals are scored independently, the worst one sets your overall verdict.
dBFS means decibels relative to full scale, zero is the digital ceiling and negative numbers are headroom below it.
| Signal | Healthy | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Speech RMS | Negative 20 to negative 10 dBFS | Average speaking volume, too quiet means low gain, too loud risks clipping. |
| Peak level | Negative 6 dBFS or lower | The loudest single moment, anything above 0 dBFS is audible digital clipping. |
| Noise floor | Negative 50 dBFS or lower | Background hiss with nobody talking, high values point to a noisy preamp or environment. |
| Frequency bands | All 3 of 3 present | Low, mid, and high bands should all carry signal, a missing band points to a muffled or filtered mic. |
When you grant microphone permission, your browser exposes the input as a stream, which this tool feeds into the Web Audio API's AnalyserNode. That node performs a Fast Fourier Transform, giving both time domain samples for volume and peak measurements, and frequency domain samples for the low, mid, and high band coverage check.
Every calculation happens locally in your browser tab. There is no MediaRecorder, no upload, and no server involved at any point, the analyser only produces statistical measurements, not a recording. The microphone track is explicitly stopped the moment the test ends, which is what turns off your browser's microphone indicator.
The three phase structure exists because a single snapshot is not reliable. Measuring silence before and after speech confirms your noise floor is genuinely stable rather than a lucky quiet moment, and measuring six full seconds of speech smooths out the natural rise and fall of a normal speaking voice.
Any audio input your operating system recognizes works with this mic checker, including these common categories.
Mic is too quiet
Speech RMS reads well below the healthy range even at normal speaking volume.
Browse the Fix guidesMic is clipping
Peak level exceeds 0 dBFS, causing harsh digital distortion in recordings.
Browse the Fix guidesMic not detected at all
No device appears in the selector, or permission is blocked by the browser.
Read a similar fixRun the full controller benchmark
Testing your mic is one piece of a healthy streaming or gaming setup. Run every controller diagnostic in sequence for one overall hardware score.
Run the benchmarkWhat is a mic test
A mic test, sometimes called a mic checker or microphone test, verifies that your microphone captures audio at a healthy volume, without clipping, with a clean noise floor, and across the full frequency range a voice actually needs.
How does this microphone test work
It uses the Web Audio API on a ten second guided sequence, two seconds silent to measure your noise floor, six seconds of speech while you count from one to ten, then two seconds silent again to confirm the noise floor stayed consistent.
Is my audio actually private during this mic checker test
Yes. The test uses an AnalyserNode, which produces statistical measurements rather than recording raw audio anywhere. Nothing is uploaded, nothing is saved, and your microphone stream is released the moment the test ends.
What does dBFS mean
dBFS stands for decibels relative to full scale, the standard unit for digital audio level. Zero dBFS is the digital ceiling where clipping begins, and negative numbers represent how much headroom you have below that ceiling.
What is a healthy speech volume for streaming
Healthy speech volume sits between negative 20 and negative 10 dBFS. That range leaves enough headroom for sudden loud moments without clipping, while still being loud enough for viewers or listeners to hear clearly.
What causes a noisy noise floor
The most common causes are a cheap preamp, a USB ground loop, a computer fan or HVAC system near the microphone, or general room noise. Moving the mic further from your computer or switching to a mic with a cleaner preamp often helps.
Why did my mic fail the frequency band coverage check
Missing the high band usually means a muffled mic, a covered grille, or a pop filter pressed against the capsule. Missing the low band usually points to an active high pass filter, which some USB mics enable by default.
Can this mic test help with a Discord or Zoom microphone problem
Yes. If the meter here responds to your voice but you still cannot be heard in Discord or Zoom, the problem is application specific, usually the wrong input device selected or the app's input volume set to zero. If this test shows no response at all, the problem is your microphone or browser permission instead.
Does this test work with a controller's built in microphone
Yes, if your operating system exposes the controller's microphone, such as the PS5 DualSense, as a standard audio input device, it will appear in the device selector like any other microphone.
Does this test work with a USB or XLR microphone
Yes. Any microphone your operating system recognizes as an audio input, including USB streaming mics and XLR mics through an audio interface, appears in the device dropdown.
Will this microphone checker damage my mic or speakers
No. This test only listens, it never plays audio through your speakers or headphones, and it does not generate any signal. There is nothing here that could damage a microphone.
Why do streamers run a mic test before going live
Gain settings can drift after a software update, and switching input devices can silently reset levels. A quick mic test before streaming catches clipping, low volume, and background noise before an audience ever hears it.
Do I need to install anything for this mic test
No. This tool runs entirely in your browser using the Web Audio API. There is nothing to download and no account to create.
Does this work on mobile phones
Yes, on mobile browsers that support microphone access through the Web Audio API. You will be prompted for microphone permission the same way as on desktop.
What should I do if my microphone fails this test
Check the specific metric that failed first, low volume usually means raising input gain, clipping means lowering it, and a noisy floor often means moving the mic away from fans or other electronics. Retest after each change to confirm it worked.