If your video recorded successfully but there's no audio, or the audio quality is poor, this guide will help you diagnose and fix the problem.
đ Quick Check
Before troubleshooting, verify the issue:
- Play back your recording - is there really no audio, or is your volume turned down?
- Check your device's volume and make sure it's not muted
- Try headphones to rule out speaker issues
1. Microphone Permission Issues
Just like the camera, your browser needs permission to access your microphone. This is separate from camera permission.
In Chrome:
- Click the lock/info icon in the address bar
- Find "Microphone" in the permissions list
- Change it from "Block" to "Allow"
- Refresh the page and try recording again
2. Wrong Microphone Selected
If you have multiple audio input devices (built-in mic, USB mic, headset), the wrong one might be selected.
- Before recording, look for a microphone/settings icon near the record button
- Click it to see available microphones
- Select the microphone you want to use
- Do a test recording to confirm it works
How to identify your microphone
- "Built-in" or "Internal" - Your computer's built-in microphone
- "USB Audio" or brand name - External USB microphone
- "Headset" or headphone brand - Microphone on your headphones
3. Operating System Audio Settings
Your operating system controls which microphone is the default input device.
- Open System Preferences > Sound > Input
- Select the microphone you want to use
- Speak and watch the input level meter to confirm it's working
- Also check Security & Privacy > Privacy > Microphone for browser permission
- Right-click the speaker icon in the taskbar > Sound settings
- Scroll to "Input" and select your microphone
- Speak and watch the input volume meter
- Also check Settings > Privacy > Microphone for app permissions
4. Microphone Being Used Elsewhere
Some microphones can only be used by one application at a time.
Close any apps that might be using your microphone:
- Video calling apps (Zoom, Teams, Meet, Skype)
- Voice recording apps
- Music production software
- Other browser tabs with audio recording
5. Low Microphone Volume
Sometimes audio is recording, but it's too quiet to hear.
- In your system sound settings, increase the input volume/gain for your microphone
- Move closer to your microphone when recording
- Speak louder or more directly into the microphone
- If using a headset, make sure the mic boom is positioned correctly
6. Hardware Issues
For built-in microphones
- Make sure nothing is covering the microphone (check where it's located on your device)
- Try testing the mic in another application
For external microphones
- Check that cables are properly connected
- For USB mics, try a different USB port
- Check if the microphone has a mute button or switch
- Make sure batteries aren't dead (for wireless mics)
Always do a short test recording before recording your actual message. This lets you catch any audio issues before you've invested time in a long recording.