Incorrectly adjusted microphone sensitivity settings may result in unwanted background noise or buzzing when using the microphone. This can often cause annoying or painful situations when trying to record high quality audio.
Microphone sensitivity is not uncommon in Windows 10. Typically, the default settings provided by the Windows 10 operating system are not yet optimized to reduce background noise. Definitely not what you need to bother with a recently uploaded YouTube video or podcast session.
This challenge will require you to understand how and why adjusting microphone sensitivity settings is the only good solution for crystal clear sound. You can choose a noise canceling microphone, and you should, but knowing the steps to take to change the microphone sensitivity is still important to get the best sound setting.
How to fix microphone sensitivity in Windows 10
Before we get started, here are a few tips to follow that will increase your chances of getting crystal clear sound.
If you have a budget, never buy a low-quality microphone. You should always choose a high quality microphone or a headset with a noise canceling microphone, as either will provide the best sound quality.
Continuing to select a high quality microphone over a low quality microphone. When connected via USB, the sound is usually poorer than the 3.5mm jack. USB microphones are good enough for newbies, but 3.5mm is the best choice for achieving your goal of “perfect sound qualityâ€.
To further reduce background noise, we recommend using an air filter and a pop filter to tune your microphone.
When talking, make sure the microphone is within 30 cm of your face. The optimal distance varies from person to person. To find yours, do a preliminary check before starting a project.
Additional preliminary checks to be made: make sure the microphone is fully charged (if running on battery power), the volume is set to at least half (if it has its own volume control), connect the microphone to your computer is safe, and your sound and microphone drivers are up to date (you can find a quick guide on this at the end of the article).
You have some tips, so now let us provide you with the necessary steps to fix microphone sensitivity in Windows 10.
Reduce microphone background and loud noises in Windows 10
Many people search the Internet for a solution to this particular problem. In fact, this is one of the most common queries nowadays. There are many different methods that you can use to achieve this fix, however they do not always work for everyone.
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For one search, fix all solutions to this problem in Windows 10, see the following guide.
Start by typing control panel in the search box on the taskbar. Select “Control Panel” when it appears in the search results.
In the Control Panel window, find and click Hardware and Sound.
For those with View: set to Large Icons or Small Icons, you will instead need to scroll to find and click Sound.
If you selected “Hardware and Sound”, in the next window, select “Sound”.
In the Sound dialog box, click the Recording tab. All your recording devices that have been detected by the Windows 10 operating system appear here.
Right-click the microphone with sensitivity issue and select Properties.
Click the Level tab and make sure your microphone is set to 100. This is the maximum level that your microphone can set.
If the sound level is low, it should remain at 100 and you may need to adjust the voice distance from the microphone itself. For those who naturally have a loud booming voice, you can lower the level until you feel satisfied with the sound.
If possible, the microphone gain slider should be set to +10.0 dB or more.
After making changes, go to the Improvements tab. Some microphones may not have this tab. This is specially for those microphones and headsets with noise canceling features.
Select immediate action mode and check the boxes labeled Echo cancellation and Noise cancellation.
After these selections are made, click OK to save your changes.
This should help reduce any background noise or buzzing issues you may encounter due to microphone sensitivity in Windows 10. At this point, you should try to record audio to see if the issue is resolved.
Play Audio troubleshooter
You can try to install Windows 10 to fix your microphone sensitivity issue by running the audio playback troubleshooter.
Return to Control Panel, replace “View By:” with large icons, scroll down and select Troubleshoot.
On the left, click View All.
Find and click Play Audio.
Click Next and follow the instructions on the screen.
Windows 10 will likely not detect any issues, but it’s always helpful to cover all aspects.
Check Drivers in Windows 10
It is important that all hardware drivers are updated with each new update released. Windows 10 usually does this job well. However, it is also possible that a manual update may be required. This is more true for third-party devices that Windows does not recognize.
To make sure your microphone drivers are up to date, type Device Manager in the search box on the taskbar and select it from the results.
Expand Sound, Video and Game Controllers.
Right-click on the microphone device and select Update Driver.
Make sure you are currently connected to the Internet. and then select Search automatically for updated driver software.
Let your computer scan the Internet looking for the most recent driver for your microphone device. You will also be prompted if you already have the most recent driver installed.
You may need to restart your computer to install the detected driver.
It is also possible that you may need to go to the microphone manufacturer’s website to download and install the driver manually. For more information, see the user guide for your device.
Application Issues
Sometimes you find that the Windows 10 microphone sensitivity that you are experiencing is not related to your microphone at all. Instead, the error lies in the application for which you are trying to use the device.
In this case, you will have to look into the application itself by visiting its official website. Most popular applications usually have FAQs, a community forum, or a library of online resources to help you find a solution.
