How can I test my Android microphone?

Testing your microphone is important for ensuring clear audio quality when using features like phone calls, video calls, voice assistants, and recording videos or audio on your Android device. A faulty microphone can lead to muffled, distorted, or completely silent audio being transmitted to the other party. Regularly testing your Android microphone allows you to identify any issues early and take steps to fix them.

There are several easy methods to test your Android microphone. You can use a recording app to make a test recording and listen back to the playback. Making a phone call and asking the recipient if your audio sounds clear is another simple test. Speaking to your phone’s voice assistant like Google Assistant and listening to its response is an effective way to quickly test the microphone. You can also record a video, visually inspect the microphone port, use microphone testing apps, adjust microphone access settings, and check for hardware issues. This article will explore all the main options for comprehensively testing your Android microphone.

Use a Recording App

One of the easiest ways to test your Android microphone is by using a recording app. There are many free recording apps on the Google Play Store that allow you to record audio and play it back to check the microphone levels and quality.

Some popular recording app options include:

Google Voice Recorder – Comes pre-installed on many Android phones and allows basic audio recording and playback.
Easy Voice Recorder – Provides various audio settings and effects for testing microphone quality.

Mic Test – Dedicated microphone testing app with level meter and playback.

To test your microphone with a recording app:

Download and open the recording app.

Allow the app to access the phone’s microphone when prompted.
Make a short recording while speaking into the microphone.
Stop the recording and play it back.

Check that your voice is clearly audible on the recording without too much background noise.
Observe the microphone levels shown in the app to see how sensitive the mic is.

This simple test will confirm if your Android microphone is working properly for voice calls and recordings. Try speaking at different distances from the microphone to test the recording quality and sensitivity.

Make a Test Call

One simple way to test your Android microphone is to make a phone call to your own voicemail or someone else. This allows you to speak into the microphone and listen to the audio quality on the other end. According to the Mic Test app page, “You will know how others hear you.”

To test the microphone this way:

Make a phone call to your voicemail or someone willing to help test your microphone.

Speak into the phone’s microphone and have the other person listen.
Ask them to describe the audio quality and if your voice sounds clear.
You can also listen on speakerphone yourself to hear the microphone input.

Adjust the phone’s position and your closeness to the microphone to check the mic levels.

This quick test call allows you to get live feedback on how well your Android’s microphone is functioning for phone calls. If the audio quality sounds muffled or your voice is too quiet, you may need to get your microphone repaired.

Use Voice Assistant

One easy way to test your Android microphone is by using a voice assistant like Google Assistant or Samsung Bixby. Open the voice assistant app on your phone and say a few commands out loud, like “What’s the weather today?” or “Set a timer for 5 minutes.” Make sure to speak clearly and at a normal volume into your phone’s microphone.¹

Pay attention to whether the voice assistant understands your commands and responds properly. If it has trouble picking up what you said, the microphone may be faulty. Try holding the phone at different distances from your mouth – a properly working microphone should be able to pick up speech from at least arm’s length away.

You can also go into the voice assistant settings and do a sound check or mic test. This will play back a short recording so you can hear if the microphone is working well. Adjust the microphone sensitivity if needed to improve voice pickup.

Record a Video

Recording a short video clip is another easy way to test your Android microphone. Simply open the camera app and record a 10-20 second video of yourself speaking. Make sure to move around to different distances from the microphone as you speak. Once recorded, play the video back while listening with headphones. This will allow you to clearly hear the audio recording and listen for any issues with clarity, static, or changes in volume at different distances.

Pay attention to the audio quality when you are close to the microphone versus farther away. A properly functioning microphone should capture clear audio even when you move around. If the audio is muffled or cuts in and out as you change positions, then there could be an issue with the microphone hardware.

Inspect Visually

One way to check your Android microphone is to visually inspect the hardware. Carefully look at the tiny microphone hole, which is usually located near the headphone jack or charging port. Make sure there is no debris, dust, or lint blocking the microphone hole, as this can muffle sounds. Use a flashlight to peer into the hole and look for any damage or obstruction of the mesh screen inside.

Also verify that the microphone is not physically covered by a phone case or skin. Some cases have flaps or covers that can inadvertently block the microphone hole. Remove any accessories to expose the microphone opening. You can also try blowing gently on the microphone to dislodge any dust or debris.

A visual inspection will reveal any physical damage or blockage that could be affecting microphone performance. Just be very gentle when examining the microphone hole to avoid causing any issues.

Test with App

There are various microphone testing apps available on the Google Play Store that can analyze your microphone input and provide visual feedback. Apps like Mic Test, Microphone Test, and others allow you to do a quick test to evaluate the quality of your smartphone’s microphone.

These apps can detect background noise levels, test mic input volume, and analyze the frequency response. They provide visual representations like volume meters, spectral analysis, and waveform graphs to show exactly how your microphone is performing.

Using these apps is an easy way to diagnose issues like low volume, static, echo, or distorted sound when using your Android microphone. The visual feedback makes it quick to test different microphones and pinpoint any problems.

Adjust Access Settings

One of the most common reasons for microphone issues is having the wrong app permissions or access settings. To ensure microphone access is allowed for your apps:

Check the app permissions in your Android settings and make sure the app has permission to use the microphone. You can go to Settings > Apps & notifications > App permissions > Microphone and check which apps have permission.

Also go to Settings > Apps & notifications > Special app access > Microphone and make sure “Allow access to microphone” is enabled. Here you can also check if any apps are denied microphone access.

Some Android devices have battery optimization that can interfere with microphone access in certain apps. Go to Settings > Battery > Battery optimization and make sure the app you want to use the microphone in is not being battery optimized, which restricts background activity.

If you’ve checked app permissions, microphone access, and battery optimization but are still having issues, you may need to uninstall and reinstall the problematic app or reboot your Android device to refresh all settings.

Check for Hardware Issue

If the microphone is still not working properly after trying the previous troubleshooting steps, it’s possible there is a hardware issue with the microphone itself. Here are some additional things to try to further isolate the problem:

Test different headphones and external microphones to see if the issue persists. This can help determine if the problem is specifically with the built-in microphone hardware.
Try using the phone’s microphone in different apps and for phone calls. If the mic fails across multiple apps, it points to a hardware problem.

Inspect the phone’s microphone port and grille for any debris, damage, or obstructions. Carefully clean out any dust or dirt with compressed air.

If after all this the Android microphone still fails to work properly, then it likely indicates a hardware fault. Typical causes include: microphone damage from drops or liquid, a malfunctioning microphone component, or a loose internal connection. In that case, the phone will need professional repair service to replace the faulty microphone module.

Some signs of a hardware issue are microphone working intermittently, muffled or distorted sound quality, or complete lack of input signal when testing. But software glitches can sometimes mimic hardware faults. Trying different apps and external mics helps eliminate any software factors.

When to Get Repaired

If your Android phone’s microphone is still not working properly after trying all of the troubleshooting steps, it may require repair or replacement. There are a few options for fixing an Android microphone:

Take it to a phone repair shop. Repair costs will vary depending on the make and model of your phone. According to Yelp, the average cost to repair an Android microphone is around $50. Shops like uBreakiFix charge $280-$500 to repair a Samsung Galaxy microphone.

Send it to the manufacturer. You can often mail your phone to companies like Samsung or Motorola to have them repair it directly. This will likely be more expensive than a third-party repair shop.

Replace the phone. In some cases, it may be more cost-effective to simply replace your phone rather than repair an older model. Be sure to back up your data before getting a replacement.

Reputable repair shops like uBreakiFix, CPR Cell Phone Repair, and Geek Squad have technicians that can accurately diagnose and fix microphone issues. Look for shops that have highly rated reviews and warranties on their work. Avoid shops that seem shady or don’t fully explain the problem.