Worried that your discord microphone is not working? Discord is a famous chatting and voice messaging platform used by gamers and non-gamers. It offers instant messaging and VoIP service for users, along with an option to share digital files (pictures, gifs, videos, etc.) with other users. The interaction can be private or public (as a part of the community you’ve joined). The communities/groups are called servers, and each has a defined purpose. You can use Discord via its downloadable app, or simply use the browser version!
While Discord offers great features to users, one problem seems to annoy many (us included). The mic doesn’t work at times. The desktop app has issues with the microphone, especially on Windows 10. The app doesn’t detect the computer’s mic, thus preventing you from using VoIP for chatting or live streaming.
Is the Discord microphone not working? Luckily, there are different ways to fix the problem. You can reset voice settings, log out and log in again, or try any of the quick-fix solutions we share in this post.
Even though Discord’s development team is working on the bugs and errors, things can still go wrong and cause trouble. After experimenting with the Discord app and an array of system and app settings, we thought to share our findings with others who face the same issue.
Why Is My Mic Not Working on Discord?
A simple search on the internet saying, ‘discord microphone not working’ will lead to pages of results. And why not? It is the most common problem faced by Discord users. The microphone issue is usually caused due to improper or wrong voice settings on the app/computer.
The input device you are using may not have been marked as the default input device for audio. Or maybe the app hasn’t been updated. There could be a bug that’s messing things up with the audio. Check app updates before tinkering with the user settings.
Something like a simple reset can fix the issue. Discord mic not working again? We restart the app and the computer to try again. It’s surprising how the mic starts to work.
Restarting clears minor issues so that when you open the app again, everything is as good as new (or without glitches). The temporary files are removed when you restart the computer. If the mic isn’t working due to a glitch in these files, the problem is solved. Simple, right?
Reset Discord and Computer
- To restart the Discord app, right-click on the Discord icon from the System Tray -> Quit Discord.
- Then close the open windows on the computer and restart the system.
Why Is My Razer Mic Not Working on Discord?
Razer microphones are designed to offer great voice clarity for live streaming. Gamers and podcasters use Razer headsets and mics to live stream on Discord. Now, what should you do if the Discord mic stops working?
There are two major reasons for the Discord mic not working.
- The audio drivers are not up to date
- The microphone settings are incorrect
Update and Reinstall Audio Device Driver
The Razer mic doesn’t work if the audio drivers on the computer don’t match that of the headset/mic. Updating the drivers automatically is the best option. Updating the audio driver manually is tricky and time-consuming. We don’t recommend it unless you are a tech expert (trust us when we say it is complicated).
Install and run Driver Easy on the computer to find if any new updates are missing. Look for the Update button beside the headset/device. The correct driver will be downloaded and updated while you wait. Restart the computer after the update is complete. That’s it. Your Razer mic should work on Discord.
Check the System Microphone Settings
Well, the problem could be with incorrect voice settings. If the input device you connected to the system is not marked as default, the app won’t read input from it.
- Click on Start Menu -> Control Panel -> Sound
- Go to Recording (tab) and right-click on anywhere on the empty space in the device list box.
- Tick Show Disabled Devices
- Right-click headset microphone (if you are using Razer headset mic) and click Enable
- Right-click and set it as Default Device
While you are here, check the volume settings for input audio if the Discord mic not working. Sometimes, the system’s volume is muted or so low that you can’t hear the sound (this happened to us a couple of times).
- Right-click again on the Headset Microphone -> Properties -> Levels
- Drag the input volume slider to the highest value to increase the volume to maximum. Click Ok.
- Go to the Discord app and try the VoIP feature again.
How to Enable Mic on Discord?
We aren’t going to lie. Sometimes, we just don’t know what goes wrong. We can’t figure out why the mic refuses to work. The audio driver is updated. The system’s audio input device settings are correct. The input volume is also high. The app performance as such is great except that the Discord microphone still doesn’t work.
So what is the problem?
Grant Microphone Access
Maybe the Discord mic isn’t enabled on the app. We have set the default device on the computer. But what about the app?
Aha! Now, you see the problem.
- Open the Discord app and go to User Settings (this is located at the bottom of the app’s window)
- Go to App Settings -> Click on the Voice Video button
- Look for the Input Device box with a drop-down menu
- Select your input device from the list
- Increase the input volume slider to maximum
How to Fix Your Mic on Discord?
You’ve tried a few tips but the status is still the same – ‘Discord microphone not working.’
Wondering how to fix the Discord mic? We’ve got more quick fixes for you to try. As we mentioned earlier, you’ve got to try them all until the microphone issue is fixed and it starts working.
Many users adjust to Discord’s user settings without checking the Windows settings first. Always go to the Start Menu first and ensure that the default audio device for audio input is the correct device and not the wrong mic which is not connected to the system.
Disable Exclusive Mode
Exclusive mode is where some devices are given special access to control the audio diver. You need to turn off this mode to allow the system to accept input from the microphone.
- Go to Task Bar -> right-click the volume/sound icon -> Sounds -> Recordings
- Select the correct microphone from the drop-down menu
- Go to Properties -> A new window will open -> Advanced tab
- Deselect allow applications exclusive control -> click Apply
- Restart the computer to apply the new settings
Run Discord as Admin
This solution has worked wonders not only for us but also for many users. This is pretty much the go-to quick fix for several people.
Right-click on the desktop icon of Discord -> click run as administrator
This opens the Discord app with administrator privileges and allows the app to use the microphone for audio input. When you run an app with admin privileges, you give it the necessary permissions to use input audio and video devices. You don’t need to check for permissions again. That fixes the mic issues and lets you use to share audio and video files as before.
Automatic Input Sensitivity Settings
Did you change the Discord audio input settings previously? If yes, that could also be the reason for the mic to not work now.
Open User Settings -> App Settings -> Voice and video -> input sensitivity
Enable the toggle for automatic input sensitivity and test the microphone. A green light should appear when you speak into the mic. Leave it in automatic so that it’ll do its job without needing your interference every time.
Quality of Service High Pocket Priority
QoS or Quality of Service prioritizes apps, etc., to optimize the app performance. However, when too many other programs are running simultaneously, it can lead to technical issues and glitches in the audio input.
- Discord User Settings -> Select voice video from the left pane
- Find Quality of Service and search for ‘Enable Quality of Service High Pocket Priority’
- Disable this feature by clicking on the tiny slider beside it.
The green color indicator should turn grey. By disabling this feature, you can get rid of the lags in streaming games.
Enable Push to Talk
Beginners might find it a wee bit difficult to try this tip. Push to Talk or PTT is a feature that creates a barrier between you and your friends on Discord. What does Push to Talk mean?
It means that you need to click a specific button each time you want to talk. Otherwise, the app will not hear everything you speak in the microphone. Gamers enable this to prevent all their mutterings and curses to be filtered out when live streaming their game. They control what other users can hear.
- Open User Settings -> Voice & video -> tick the box beside Push to Talk
- You need to set a shortcut to key access this feature.
- Click on Record Keybind that shows up with the shortcut key option
- Choose a key from the keyboard to activate your voice and control the audio input
Your selection will be saved by the app. You can edit the selection and add another if your first choice didn’t work. Choose keys that are not frequently used during gaming to activate voice input. The Caps Lock key is a great example. It is also easy to use on the keyboard.
How to Reset Discord Settings?
What if the issue persists? Check if the correct microphone is connected and it is not defective. If the microphone issue is because of the headset/microphone not working properly, no amount of fixing the app and computer will solve the problem.
Once you determine that the mic is indeed working, it’s time to reset voice settings in the Discord app.
Advanced Voice Activity
This is a built-in feature of the Discord app that tends to cause mic issues for older models. Disabling this should solve the problem.
Go to User Settings -> App Settings -> Voice and Video -> Advanced Voice Activity
Disable this by turning the green slider to grey. Restart the app and try again.
Reboot Voice Settings
You might have noticed that there are various settings in the Voice and Video section of the app. Instead of checking each of the sound settings separately, you can reset them all at once and hope that the glitches are cleared.
- Reset Voice Settings on Discord
- Go to User Settings on the Discord app
- Click on App Settings -> voice and video
- Scroll to the bottom of the page
- Click on reset voice settings
- A pop up will appear asking you to confirm the settings
- Click okay
- Reconnect the mic to the computer and try again
Reset Discord Server
Reset the server’s settings individually to grant mic access and run Discord without glitches. A complete server reset is not possible with a single click. You need to make changes one by one.
- Go to the Discord app and open the server you want to reset
- Click on the channel you created -> click on Overview to change the name and topic of the channel
- Click on permissions to determine how many members can change the settings
Reinstall the App
As the last attempt, you can uninstall the app, delete all its related files from the computer memory and reinstall it. Connect to the recording devices and audio subsystem, set the microphone settings again, and test the voice activity. You can also contact the Discord support team to help you. They are friendly and knowledgeable.
Final Words – Discord Microphone Not Working
Is your Discord microphone not working, still? Not a chance! A little patience and some effort go a long way in identifying the problem and solving it. Drop a comment if you know any other method to fix the Discord microphone. Ask your questions below, and we’ll help you find the answers.
