Microphone not working after Windows Update | Windows 11

Check this first

The short answer

Select the intended microphone under Settings → System → Sound → Input and play a recorded test. If Windows records your voice but the calling app cannot, inspect microphone permissions and the app’s input selection. If the device is missing, check its connection and Device Manager before reinstalling apps.

Use the same named microphone for a short Windows recording test.
If the recording works, inspect app access and the app’s selected input.
If the device is missing, inspect the connection and its Device Manager status.

Choose your next check

Start with the row that matches your situation. Change one setting at a time so you can tell what helped.

What you see	What to compare	Go to
The microphone is absent from Input	Check its hardware switch, USB connection, another port and Device Manager warnings.	Step 3
It appears in Input but the test is silent	Check the selected name, hardware mute and input level.	Step 1
Windows records correctly; only the calling app is silent	Compare app permissions and the app’s named input.	Step 2
Every app stopped recording after the update	Record when the update happened and inspect device status and driver changes.	Step 3

Check in this order

Continue this issue

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Step 1: Test the microphone in Windows

Release the microphone’s hardware mute. Open Start → Settings → System → Sound → Input and select the microphone by name.
Open its properties using the arrow beside the device. Choose Start test, speak a short phrase, then Stop test and Play. Keep the same distance and phrase for comparisons.
If the sample is merely quiet, record the current Input volume and raise it a little before repeating the recording.

Expected result or what you learned: A clear recorded sample shows that Windows input is working for this test. Continue to the app in Step 2.
If something is wrong or unclear: If the sample is silent or the microphone is absent, use Step 3 before reinstalling another calling app.
How to undo changes: Restore the recorded input level and the previous microphone selection if you changed it only for this comparison.

Step 2: Check access and input selection for the calling app

Open Start → Settings → Privacy & security → Microphone. Inspect Microphone access and Let apps access your microphone. Record the current settings before changing them.
For a desktop app, inspect Let desktop apps access your microphone. This is a shared permission, not an individual desktop-app switch; desktop apps do not appear in the per-app list. For listed Microsoft Store apps, allow only the app you intend to use. Do not bypass an administrator-controlled setting.
In the calling app’s audio settings, select the same microphone that passed Step 1. Compare its test first, then a real call with the other person’s agreement.

Expected result or what you learned: Both Windows playback and the app test contain your voice. Ask the caller to confirm a short phrase in the call.
If something is wrong or unclear: If only the app test fails, inspect its own mute and input choice. If Windows now fails too, continue to Step 3.
How to undo changes: Restore permissions changed only for testing; doing so can stop those apps using the microphone again. Keep needed access only with awareness of the desktop-app switch’s shared scope.

Step 3: Inspect missing devices and error messages

For USB, compare a direct PC connection without the hub and another port. For Bluetooth, inspect connection status under Settings → Bluetooth & devices.
Search Start for Device Manager. Look under Audio inputs and outputs and Sound, video and game controllers. For a warning, open that device’s Properties → General and record Device status, including any code.
For a warning or a change immediately after an update, check the PC or microphone maker’s supported driver. Driver → Roll Back Driver is available only when a previous driver is retained; do not force another model’s driver. Ask your administrator on a managed PC.

Expected result or what you learned: If another port or microphone records successfully, focus the investigation on the original device, cable or port.
If something is wrong or unclear: If another microphone also fails or a status code appears, record it and consult Microsoft’s code guide or the PC manufacturer.
How to undo changes: Return test cables and ports to their previous connections. After a driver rollback, restart and retest; if it causes problems, ask the manufacturer about reinstalling a compatible supported version.

When to ask for help

Record the update time, the name shown in Windows Input, recorded playback result, app test result and Device status code. Do not grant unrelated permissions or install drivers from an unknown source. An update occurring before the problem does not by itself prove which component failed.

FAQ

Will changing Discord settings fix it?

If Windows records correctly and only Discord fails, inspect Discord’s input and mute. If the Windows recording is silent too, investigate Windows input and the device first.

Why is Roll Back Driver unavailable?

Windows needs a retained previous driver for that device. If it is unavailable, do not substitute an unrelated driver. Check the PC or microphone maker’s supported version.

Report an error in this guide

Sources

English adaptation of the Japanese guide, preserving its diagnostic branches, steps, results, undo instructions and official sources. Source instructions were reviewed; these comparisons are not claims of successful testing on every device. Menu availability depends on Windows, drivers and hardware. On a managed PC, ask the administrator before changing restricted settings.

Microsoft: setting up and testing microphones Microsoft: microphone app permissions Microsoft: microphone troubleshooting Microsoft: Device Manager error codes