How to Check the Mic on a Mac (Built-In or External)

The fastest way to check the mic on a Mac is to open System Settings > Sound > Input, select the microphone you want to use, and speak normally. If the Input level meter moves, macOS is receiving sound from that microphone. For a more complete test, make a short recording in QuickTime Player and play it back.

How to check the microphone in System Settings

Current macOS versions use System Settings rather than the older System Preferences layout. Apple’s Sound input settings show every input device the Mac can currently use, including the built-in microphone, compatible external microphones, and other available audio inputs.

1. Open Sound settings and choose Input

Choose the Apple menu > System Settings, click Sound in the sidebar, then open the Input section. If more than one microphone is available, select the one you actually want to test.

2. Speak and watch the Input level meter

Speak at a normal distance and volume. The Input level bars should move with your voice. That confirms the Mac is detecting an audio signal. If the meter barely moves, raise Input volume gradually. If the meter stays completely still, make sure the correct microphone is selected before changing anything else.

For an external USB microphone or audio interface, connect and power the device first, then return to Sound > Input. If macOS recognizes it, it should appear in the input-device list.

Confirm the mic by recording your voice

3. Make a short recording in QuickTime Player

The system meter proves that macOS sees an input signal, but a short recording is better for checking how the microphone actually sounds. Open QuickTime Player, choose File > New Audio Recording, open the microphone selection control if necessary, and choose the mic you want to test. Record a few seconds, stop, and play the clip back.

Listen for a clear voice, reasonable volume, and obvious problems such as distortion, heavy background noise, or intermittent dropouts. Apple documents the same workflow in its QuickTime Player audio-recording guide.

If the mic works in Sound settings but not in an app

4. Check microphone permission for that app

macOS controls microphone access per app. Open System Settings > Privacy & Security > Microphone and make sure access is enabled for the app that needs the mic. Apple notes that apps and websites may request microphone permission the first time they need it, and you can change that permission later in Privacy & Security. See Apple’s microphone privacy settings.

What the test result means

Quick troubleshooting when a Mac microphone is not working

If the microphone still fails, focus on the signal path instead of installing random audio utilities. Built-in Mac microphones normally require no separate driver installation.

• Confirm the selected input: macOS can switch inputs when you connect a display, headset, USB mic, or other audio device.
• Reconnect external hardware: unplug and reconnect a USB mic or audio interface, and verify that any required power or hardware mute switch is set correctly.
• Check app permissions: an app can be blocked even when the Input level meter works normally.
• Quit and reopen the affected app: this can help after changing microphone permissions or switching audio devices.
• Restart the Mac: if the device should be available but does not appear at all, a restart is a simple way to reinitialize the audio device stack before deeper troubleshooting.

In most cases, the combination of the Input level meter, a short QuickTime recording, and the Microphone privacy settings is enough to identify whether the problem is the microphone itself, the selected input, or an app permission.