If you are an amateur in the world of digital video, you may wonder how do I turn on my webcam’s microphone. Many of the best webcams, after all, include high-grade microphones to stream and capture live audio. So what steps should you take to troubleshoot this issue and make that mic work again? Keep reading to find out.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- If you are having issues getting your webcam’s built-in microphone to pick up a signal, your first step should be in your microphone settings tab.
- Next, look for any software driver updates to the default microphone or external webcam, downloading and installing as necessary.
- In some cases, it could be the fault of whatever capture software or webcam application you are using. Check the settings to ensure the microphone is not muted.
How to Enable a Webcam Microphone
There are hundreds upon hundreds of webcams out there and they all boast different designs if you are learning how to access a webcam on your network. In other words, there are no universal steps here that are guaranteed to solve the issue, even if you are looking for the leading Logitech webcam.
Insider Tip
Make sure your audio is being routed to the correct location within your computer, as that is the root cause of many of these issues.
There are, however, many troubleshooting steps to consider that will get the job done in most cases, even if you are reviewing the Akyta HD Pro 1080p webcam.
Check the System Settings
Your first step here is to check out the system settings on your desktop or laptop computer. There should be a settings option for microphones, webcams, and related accessories. If you have a setting dedicated to your camera, look for anywhere that includes microphone volume. It is all too common for these sliders to become accidentally disengaged, thus lowering or muting the volume.
Download and Install a New Driver
In many cases, your webcam’s software drivers are out of date, causing the microphone to lose its efficacy. This is an easy fix. Just head to the web portal of your webcam’s manufacturer and look for software driver updates. Find the appropriate update, download it, and install it on your computer. This process can be simplified by checking the settings of the webcam itself. Often, there is a dedicated “look for updates” option. It is a good practice to regularly update any system driver software to ensure efficacy.
Check the Software
The problem might not lie with your camera settings or your driver software. It could simply be an issue with whatever software you are using to stream the video and audio. For instance, if you are using Zoom or another conference call app, you may have simply accidentally disabled the microphone, as these icons are easy to miss. Sometimes the software itself needs an update, which resolves any issues with video and audio.
STAT: Your webcam/microphone might not be available for your browser to use due to privacy settings within your operating system (Windows, MacOS). (source)
