Windows 10 · Discord desktop on Windows
Fix a microphone that is not working in Discord on Windows
Source-checked About 10 minutes
Answer
In Windows 11, allow desktop apps to use the microphone, then open Discord User Settings > Voice & Video. Select the correct Input Device, run Mic Test, check mute and channel permissions, and reset voice and video settings only if the earlier checks fail.
Test the microphone outside Discord
Check the headset's physical mute switch, reconnect it, and record a short test in another trusted Windows app. If Windows receives no sound either, fix the device connection or Windows input before changing Discord.
Allow desktop microphone access
Open Start > Settings > Privacy & security > Microphone. Turn on Microphone access and Let desktop apps access your microphone so the Discord desktop app can receive audio.
Select the microphone in Discord
Open User Settings > Voice & Video > Voice. Choose the connected microphone under Input Device and the intended speakers or headset under Output Device. Confirm Input Mode is Voice Activity or that Push to Talk has a usable key binding.
Use Mic Test
Under Mic Test, select Let's Check and speak. Discord should play your voice back through the selected output device. Finish the test before returning to a voice channel because the test temporarily mutes and deafens you there.
Check mute and permissions
Confirm the headset, Discord client and server channel are not muted and that Speak permission is allowed.
Reset voice and video settings
If Mic Test still fails, open the Debugging section in Voice & Video and select Reset Voice and Video Settings. Then select the input device and test it again.
Verify the result
Join a private voice channel with a trusted person and confirm they hear the intended microphone. If Mic Test works but one server does not, check that server's Speak permission or mute state instead of changing Windows again.
Video walkthrough
If it does not work
- If Discord selects a Bluetooth hands-free profile or the wrong device after reconnecting, select the input and output devices explicitly again.
- If no trusted app receives microphone audio, use Windows device or driver troubleshooting; reinstall Discord only after the Windows test succeeds.
Sources and verification
Checked against official documentation on . Scope: Discord desktop on Windows.
Follow the linked first-party guidance if labels differ after a platform or app update.