In the past two years, Zoom has become a necessity for most people. People learn to meet through Zoom. Windows users reported that Zoom is failed to detect the microphone in Windows 11. You may have encountered the Zoom microphone not working because it was muted. In addition to this, there may be several other issues that may prevent the Zoom microphone from working properly. Don’t worry, this article will discuss the root causes and the most effective solutions for Zoom not detecting the microphone in Windows 11.
Why Zoom Failed to Detect the Microphone in Windows 11?
The most common reasons for a Zoom microphone not working properly are the following:
Misconfigured settings
Improper connection
Incorrect microphone selection
Running an outdated version of Zoom or microphone driver
Some of these issues can be checked and fixed with Windows 11’s built-in checker. But if Zoom still cannot detect the microphone in Windows 11, here are a few things to try.
How to Fix Zoom Failed to Detect the Microphone in Windows 11?
1. Check the connection
If you are using an external microphone, whether wired or wireless, you must first check the connection. In most cases, an incorrect connection behind Zoom fails to detect the microphone in Windows 11.
2. Make sure to use audio to join in
When you click the Zoom call link to join, you will be asked if you want to join the audio. Make sure the Join computer audio option is selected.
To enable audio, click the Join Audio button in the lower left corner, then click the Join using computer audio option when prompted.
3. Verify that Zoom can use the microphone
Launch the Settings app by pressing Windows+I keys and select Privacy & Security from the tabs listed in the left navigation pane.
Click Microphone under App Permissions.
Scroll down to find the Zoom app, and make sure the section listed below it has access to the microphone, in addition to the app itself.
If you don’t have the required permissions, you’re bound to run into issues with any app, and the same goes for Zoom. After providing the relevant permissions, check if the error is fixed.
4. Check if the correct microphone is selected
Click the little carat icon near the top right corner of the Mute button.
Now select the desired microphone from the microphones listed here.
5. Increase volume and Zoom settings in Windows 11
Press Windows+I to launch the Settings app, then select Sound from the list of options to the right of the System tab.
Now drag the volume slider to the right under the input section until you get the level you want.
Next, click the carat icon near the top right corner of the Mute button to see the various audio options in a Zoom call.
Select Audio Settings from the menu’s list of options.
Now, drag the slider for the input level volume to the right until you get the desired output, and uncheck the Automatically adjust microphone volume checkbox.
If you previously set the volume too low or maybe misconfigured it, increasing the microphone input should do the trick. If you notice any improvement moving the slider, drag it all the way to the right for maximum input.
Although Zoom doesn’t actually detect the microphone in Windows 11 in this case, it appears to be because other people can’t hear you. However, if so, these steps should help.
6. Update Zoom
Click the profile icon in the upper right corner of the Zoom home screen.
Next, select Check for Updates from the list of options that appears.
7. Update the microphone driver
Launch the search menu by pressing Windows+S keys, search for Device Manager in the text field, and click on the relevant search result.
Find and double-click the Audio Input and Output entry.
Right-click on the problematic microphone and select Update Driver.
Select Search for drivers automatically from the two options listed in the Update Drivers window.
Your operating system will now scan for the best driver available on your system and install it for the microphone.
Drivers are critical software that help relay commands between the device and the operating system. If for some reason these are outdated or broken, you may have issues with your device, in this case the microphone.
So, if Zoom fails to detect the microphone in Windows 11, updating its drivers may help. The Device Manager methods listed above only scan for versions that have already been downloaded, so if you didn’t get one before, the chances of an update are dim.
8. Reinstall Zoom
Press Windows+I to launch Settings, then select the Applications tab from the left navigation pane.
Click Apps & Features on the right.
Next, find the Zoom app, click the ellipsis next to it, and select Uninstall from the menu.
Again, click Uninstall in the confirmation prompt window.
Once removed, follow the steps outlined in this guide to reinstall Zoom.
If none of the above fixes the problem with Zoom not detecting the microphone in Windows 11, it is most likely a problem with the application itself. In this case, uninstalling the app and then reinstalling it will get it up and running.
How to Fix Zoom Failed to Detect the Camera or Webcam in Windows 11?
Now that you know how to fix microphone issues in Zoom, another common problem users encounter is camera issues. Many people have reported that Zoom is not detecting the camera in Windows 11.
These are the most effective ways to fix Zoom not detecting microphone in Windows 11. Zoom is such a necessary application in these work-from-home days, so it’s important for users to fix this issue effectively and quickly.
