[SOLVED] Microphone suddenly stopped working ?

[J-Po]

Hi folks,

I have a new-ish Yoga Thinkpad L13 running Windows 10.

All of a sudden, no one can hear me on Zoom or in my Kaiser video appointment. This issue started 2 days ago on the same day that I did a Windows update (2022-01 Cumulative Update for Windows 10 Version 21H1 for x6-based Systems (KB5009543).

I am not on mute, the volume is at the highest level, the microphone is enabled and set as the default for my laptop and I've checked all of the things you're supposed to check in microphone privacy settings (microphone access is allowed, apps are allowed to access the mic). When I test the mic in Device Properties, it seems to be working (the blue bar moves when I speak), although I do get a message in red saying "the highest value we saw was 6 percent." Not sure if that's good or bad?

When I test the mic in Zoom, no input registers when I try my default microphone or the "same as system" option. I've uninstalled and reinstalled Zoom.

When I use headphones, people CAN hear me (and weirdly, even though I have headphones plugged in, when other people speak, the sound comes back through the laptop speakers and not through my headphones.

Can anyone please help?

Thank you!

 

[J-Po]

Hi folks,

At first I thought this might be a Zoom problem, so I originally posted this in the Apps & Software forum, but I got no responses, and have since discovered that it's not just Zoom, so I hope it's ok that I'm reposting here (I also couldn't figure out how to edit my previous post in order to delete or move it).

I have a year old Yoga Thinkpad L13 running Windows 10.

All of a sudden, my microphone seems to have stopped working - no one can hear me on Zoom or in my recent Kaiser video appointment. This issue started a couple of weeks ago on the same day that I did a Windows update (2022-01 Cumulative Update for Windows 10 Version 21H1 for x6-based Systems (KB5009543).

I am not on mute, the volume is at the highest level, the microphone is enabled and set as the default for my laptop and I've checked all of the things you're supposed to check in microphone privacy settings (microphone access is allowed, apps are allowed to access the mic).

When I test the mic in Device Properties, it seems to be working (the blue bar moves when I speak), although I do get a message in red saying "the highest value we saw was 6 percent." Not sure if that's good or bad?

When I test the mic in Zoom, no input registers when I try my default microphone or the "same as system" option. I've uninstalled and reinstalled Zoom and that didn't help.

People CAN hear me when I use headphones (and weirdly, even though I have headphones plugged in, when other people speak, the sound comes back through the laptop speakers and not through my headphones).

Can anyone please help?

Thank you!
Jenny

 

[gardenman]

I merged your old and new posts and unfortunately they ended up backwards with the old post first. You can always edit either post and copy/paste between them.

6 percent is quite low.

Have you tried the things listed on this page?
https://www.howtogeek.com/395296/fix-my-microphone-doesnt-work-on-windows-10/

 

[J-Po]

Hi,

Thanks for merging my posts.

I've tried all the things listed in the page you posted and nothing has changed.

 

[gardenman]

When I use headphones, people CAN hear me (and weirdly, even though I have headphones plugged in, when other people speak, the sound comes back through the laptop speakers and not through my headphones.

Make sure both the speakers and microphone are correctly checked AFTER a Zoom call is connected by clicking on the up arrow by the microphone on the taskbar. See this page for an example.
https://oregonstate.teamdynamix.com/TDClient/1935/Portal/KB/ArticleDet?ID=80764

In addition, what type of microphone are you using? What type of headphones?

 

[J-Po]

Make sure both the speakers and microphone are correctly checked AFTER a Zoom call is connected by clicking on the up arrow by the microphone on the taskbar. See this page for an example.
https://oregonstate.teamdynamix.com/TDClient/1935/Portal/KB/ArticleDet?ID=80764

In addition, what type of microphone are you using? What type of headphones?

Oh thank you for the tip about changing the speaker in Zoom. That worked. One issue solved, one to go!

My microphone is just the embedded one that came preinstalled in my laptop. Below are the details.

And I don't normally use headphones when in Zoom or other virtual meetings. Up until recently, I just spoke and the computer heard me. Now that it seems that I have to use headphones, I've been using the Samsung earbuds that I use with my cell phone.

 

[J-Po]

Writing to share that I've solved both of my issues with my microphone!

For the microphone not working in Zoom:
Zoom > settings > Audio > advanced > changed "Signal processing by Windows audio device drivers" from ‘auto’ to ‘Off (Windows – raw”).

For the microphone not working in my Dr. video appointment:
Windows Start > Settings > System > sound > Input > device properties > additional device properties > Enhancements tab > CHECK ‘disable all sound effects” (or 'disable all enhancements' depending on which option one sees, and it could be under either the Enhancements tab or the Advanced tab).