How to Get My Microphone to Pick Up Sound on My Webcam

Fix problems with your webcam's microphone not responding so that your conversations can continue.

Your computer's webcam has an internal microphone so your viewers can hear your voice as they communicate with you. A number of configuration settings determine the functionality of the webcam microphone, and setting them all to work correctly with each other is essential for all the components of the webcam to work. When a configuration setting has been accidentally changed, or the device's driver software has stop working correctly, the party on the other line of your call may not be able to hear your voice. Correct the issue with a non-responsive webcam microphone in less than 20 minutes.

Things You'll Need

• Webcam driver installation disc

Instructions

1. Restart your computer. Save any documents and close out of all applications. Click "Start," "Shut Down," and select "Restart" from the pop-up screen. Restarting your machine may correct any software issues causing the microphone not to pick up any audio.

2. Open your video chat software, such as "Skype," "Google Voice and Video Chat," or the version that came with your webcam. Double-click the desktop icon to launch the application, or go to "Start," "All Programs," and pick it from the list displayed on your screen.

3. Set the webcam microphone to work with the program's "Audio Preferences" screen. Click the "Tools" tab at the top of your chat software's user interface screen, select "Options," and then select your webcam microphone from the "Microphone" box on the "Audio Settings" screen.

4. Set the webcam microphone as the default device within Control Panel. Go to "Start," "Control Panel," "Sound," and then select the "Recording" tab. Click on the webcam microphone's name, and select the option to "Set as Default" from the box at the bottom of the screen.

5. Un-install the webcam's drivers if the microphone problem persists. Go to "Start," "Control Panel," and then select "Add/Remove Programs." Scroll down and select the webcam software's name, and click "Un-install." A dialog box will appear notifying you of the application removal's completion.

6. Re-install the webcam's driver software. Insert the driver installation disc into your computer's CD-ROM drive and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the setup process.

7. Verify that the webcam microphone and the chat software levels are at optimal levels. Click the speaker icon at the lower-right corner of your desktop, select "Mixer," and move the webcam microphone and chat software application's levels up to the desired levels.

References

• Hue HD: Trouble-Shooting Guide
• Qualvu: Webcam Microphone Not Working
• Microsoft: Connect a Microphone, Music Player, or Other Audio Device to Your Computer