How to Fix the Microphone on an HP Laptop

If the microphone on your HP laptop isn't working, it's hard to communicate with others during meetings and make recordings for videos and such. But there's no need to panic. These troubleshooting steps should help you get your microphone going again.

Causes for the HP Laptop Microphone Not to Work

There are several reasons a laptop microphone might stop working, and to get your microphone going again, you'll need to address some of these causes:

• Settings and configuration: Settings and configuration are the most likely cause of a problem with your microphone. Whether it's selecting the wrong device in the hardware manager or drivers needing an update, there are several reasons a microphone might not work.
• Software problems: Everything from your operating system to specific programs or applications could cause issues with your microphone.
• Hardware problems: The hardware problems are the scariest because your microphone may be built into your laptop, but don't get stressed out because there are easy ways to find out if this is the issue and work around a physical microphone not working.

How to Fix a Microphone That Doesn't Work on an HP Laptop

Work through these suggestions until you find the one that gets your microphone working again.

1. Make sure your microphone isn't on mute. There are various reasons you may have muted your microphone, or you may have accidentally muted it. Here's how to make sure you're not on mute:

   1. Go to Control Panel > Hardware and Sound
   2. Click Sound > Recording.
   3. Right-click the microphone and select Properties.
   4. Click Levels. If you see a red circle with a line through it on or around the microphone, click it to enable the mic.

   The software you are using might also have a mute button. Make sure the mute feature isn't enabled.

2. Restart your Windows computer. It's incredible how much a simple restart can fix on your computer. If you're having trouble connecting a microphone, try restarting the computer and then start again with the microphone.

3. Disable other Bluetooth devices if you're using a wireless microphone. Like you have to turn Bluetooth on for wireless devices, if you're using multiple Bluetooth devices with your HP laptop, you may have to disable those devices before connecting a different wireless microphone to your computer. Try making sure no other Bluetooth devices are connected, then reconnect the wireless microphone.

4. Check your Windows sound settings. Sometimes, Windows selects the wrong microphone as default. It's especially true if you sometimes use an external mic instead of the laptop's built-in mic. Make sure the mic you are currently using is the default.

5. Use the HP Support Assistant to check your audio. HP provides a Support Assistant to help you determine if there is a problem with the microphone on your computer (or with an external microphone). To use it:

   1. Download and install the HP Support Assistant if it isn't already on your device.
   2. Once installed, open the Assistant and click your computer on the My devices tab.
   3. Then click Troubleshooting and fixes > Audio Check > Next.
   4. When the test is complete, review the results to see if the Assistant can detect your microphone.

6. Check the device manager. Make sure your PC can detect your microphone by opening the Windows Device Manager. Then expand the Audio inputs and outputs section and select your mic. There should be no yellow or red checkmarks in the Device Status section or other indications that the microphone isn't connected. If there is, unplug the microphone and plug it back in again to see if it fixes the problem.

7. Update your device drivers. An out-of-date device driver could cause your microphone not to connect. Update the drivers and then try again.

8. Update Windows. If Windows is out of date, it's possible Windows doesn't have the appropriate protocols to operate the microphone. Update your Windows installation to see if this fixes the problem.

Know When to Call In Some Help

If none of these suggestions worked for you, there's probably a more extensive problem a computer repair specialist can address. Once you start digging around inside a laptop, many things can go wrong. So, if you're still under warranty, give HP a call; otherwise, check with your local computer repair shop to find the solution you need to get your microphone back online.