Anytime you notice that your microphone is picking up output audio Windows 10, there could be a little setback on Windows and the audio troubleshooter can take care of it. Other actions you can try include restarting Windows, updating your audio drivers, disabling other mics, and separating input jacks. You will easily navigate through this error once you keenly read the solutions below.
Microphone Picking Up Output Audio: Insights
Setting
If you don’t know your way around Windows, you could mess up system settings by mistake and cause computer operations to go haywire. Hence, in the case that your microphone is picking up output audio Windows 10 all of a sudden, give settings some thought. Here is an example: while applying changes to settings, you have enabled two microphones (webcam’s mic and the headset’s mic) unknowingly. On the bright side, things would return to normal once you tweak the settings.
Driver
Overall, after you establish connection, a device only performs to expectations if the driver that it’s associated with is in working order. That means if the device driver becomes obsolete, damaged or corrupted, the performance of the device suffers. In the case of microphones, if the microphone drivers run into problems, they may pick up more audio than it’s supposed to be.
Service
In the course of operation, devices as well as programs on Windows computers require a number of services to run (dependencies). For instance, microphones only run on Windows if they receive support from the Windows Audio service. However, like its contemporary, Windows Audio could experience problems which prevent it from running. If you believe that your microphone is picking up output audio Windows 10, add Windows Audio to your list of suspects.
How To Take Care Of The Issue
Run Troubleshooter
For your information, Windows features a series of troubleshooters that let users tackle multiple troubles. If your microphone is acting up, you should run the Recording troubleshooter.
- Step 1: Go to Search bar, type troubleshoot and hit Enter.
- Step 2: Select Additional troubleshooters then choose Recording troubleshooter
- Step 3: Allow the troubleshooter to run its course. If the troubleshooter manages to identify the root cause of the issue, click Apply this fix and let the system handle the rest.
Restart Windows Audio
If your microphone is picking up audio against your wish, you have to consider restarting the Windows Audio service.
- Step 1: Press Windows + R to open Run.
- Step 2: Type services.msc to open Services.
- Step 3: Locate Windows Audio, right-click it and choose Properties.
- Step 4: Change Startup type to Automatic and if Service status says Stopped, click Start.
- Step 5: Go to the Dependencies tab then take note of the services that will appear.
- Step 6: Choose Apply, select Ok and close Windows Audio.
- Step 7: Return to Services, right-click each of the services that you have noted down, change their Startup type to Automatic and if their Service status says Stopped, click Start.
- Step 8: Restart your computer.
Update Driver
- Step 1: Press Windows + X to open Quick link menu then choose Device Manager
- Step 2: Expand Sound, Video, and Game Controllers, right-click your sound card and choose Update driver.
- Step 3: Hit Search automatically for updated driver software.
- Step 4: Select Update driver.
- Step 5: Wait until the update wraps up, restart your computer and see how things turn out.
Note: Your version of sound driver is the latest but the microphone still captures audio that you don’t need? Then it’s wise to roll back the driver.
- Step 1: Press Windows + X to open Quick link menu then choose Device Manager
- Step 2: Expand Sound, Video, and Game Controllers, right-click your sound card and choose Properties.
- Step 3: Navigate to Driver tab then click Roll Back Driver. As soon as the process concludes, restart your computer.
Disable Mics
If you use multiple microphones on your PC, there could be other microphones picking up the output audio. Thus, it’s widely advised that you disable all mics except the main one.
- Step 1: Go to the speaker icon on your taskbar, right-click it and choose Sounds.
- Step 2: Navigate to Recording tab, right-click your current microphone and select Properties.
- Step 3: In General tab, change Device Usage to Use this device (enable) then hit Ok.
- Step 4: Return to Recording tab, Right-click each of the other microphones and change Device Usage to Don’t use this device (disable)
- Step 5: Hit Apply, choose Ok and restart your computer.
Realtek HD Audio Manager
Your internal microphone could be picking up sounds even when an external device is plugged in. This should not be the case and you will need to separate all input jacks by making use of Realtek HD Audio Manager on your computer.
- Step 1: Open RealTek HD Audio Manager then go to the Advanced tab.
- Step 2: Check the boxes Separate all input jacks as independent input devices and Mute the internal output device when external headphone is plugged in.
- Step 3: Click Ok, exit the program then restart your computer.
Suggestions
- Test your microphone in the settings to ensure it is in good condition.
- For voiceovers, edit your pre-recorded voice using editing and recording software like Audacity
- Need the best sound quality? Use microphones in quiet places.
Where Is My Laptop’s Microphone Located?
For most laptops, the microphone is located beside the webcam, if you take a close look on top of your screen, you will see some small holes, they are microphone inlets. Some models have them below the screen near the hinges and are labeled with a mic icon.
Is There A Mute Mic Key On The Laptop Keyboard?
For most laptops, there is a mute mic button on the keyboard usually located with the function keys e.g F10 key. To use this key, you have to press the function (fn) key plus the key where mute mic is located, for this case, press FN + F10.
Michael Kan has been with Ginno Security Lab since October 2017, covering a wide range of topics, including consumer electronics, cybersecurity, social media, networking, and gaming. Prior to working at Ginno Security Lab he was a foreign correspondent in Beijing for over five years, covering the tech scene in Asia.
Areas of Expertise: Michael Kan has been working as a journalist for about 15 years— He start as a schools and cities reporter in Kansas City. Amazingly he is still here. Lately, he has been following SpaceX’s Starlink network, emerging online cyber threats, and the PC graphics card market (which led him to camp out in front of a Best Buy to get an RTX 3000). He is always eager to learn more, so please jump in the comments with feedback and send he tips.
The Best Tech he has Had:
- First video game console: a Nintendo Famicom
- Sega Saturn despite PlayStation’s popularity.
- The iPod Video received as a gift in college
- Xbox 360 FTW
- The Galaxy Nexus was the first smartphone he was proud to own.
- The PC desktop he built in 2013, which still works to this day.
