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Microphone permission blocked? How to allow access

If the test says access is blocked, your browser or your device is saying no on your behalf. Here’s how to change that.

Microphone test

Your browser will ask for permission. Choose Allow to start.

Your audio never leaves your device.

Your mic is working

Listening…

–∞ dB

WaitingSay something at your normal speaking volume.

Something went wrong

See how to fix it

Record and play back

Hear exactly how you sound to others.

Your recording will show up here.

Hear yourself live

Plays your mic through your speakers or headphones.

Use headphones to avoid feedback. Speakers can cause a loud squeal.

Your microphone

Microphone
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Sample rate
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Channels
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Echo cancellation
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Noise suppression
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Auto gain control
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Estimated latency
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Level
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Results are approximate. They show what your browser reports, and can differ from what another app or the people on your call hear.

Two places a microphone can be blocked

Microphone permission works in two layers. Your browser decides which websites may use the mic, and your operating system decides whether the browser may use it at all. A block at either layer stops the test.

Browsers remember your answer. If you once clicked Block or dismissed the prompt a few times, the browser stops asking and quietly refuses. You have to change the setting yourself, then reload the page.

Allow microphone access

  1. Chrome and Edge

    Click the icon at the left end of the address bar, next to the site’s address. Find Microphone and switch it to Allow. Reload the page and press “Test my mic” again.

  2. Firefox

    Click the permissions icon at the left of the address bar and remove the “Blocked” entry next to the microphone. Reload, start the test, and choose Allow when Firefox asks.

  3. Safari on a Mac

    From the menu bar choose Safari, then Settings for This Website (or Settings, Websites, Microphone). Set Microphone to Allow and reload the page.

  4. iPhone and Android

    On iPhone, tap the page menu in Safari’s address bar, choose Website Settings, and set Microphone to Allow. On Android, tap the icon at the left of Chrome’s address bar, then Permissions, then allow Microphone.

  5. Check the system permission

    Windows 11: Settings, Privacy & security, Microphone, and turn on access for desktop apps. Mac: System Settings, Privacy & Security, Microphone, and enable your browser. Then quit and reopen the browser.

Questions and answers

Why didn’t my browser ask me for permission?

It only asks when it doesn’t already have an answer. If the site was blocked before, or the system has blocked the browser, the request is refused without a prompt. Reset the permission using the steps above and the prompt will come back.

I allowed the microphone and it’s still blocked. What now?

Reload the page, since permission changes don’t always apply to a page that’s already open. If that doesn’t work, the block is at the system level. Check your operating system’s microphone privacy settings, then fully quit and reopen the browser.

Is it safe to allow microphone access to a website?

Allow it for sites you trust and have a reason to use it on. The permission applies to one site only, your browser shows an indicator whenever the mic is on, and you can revoke it whenever you like. On this site, audio is processed in your browser and never uploaded.

How do I remove microphone access again?

Use the same menu you used to allow it. Click the icon at the left of the address bar and set Microphone to Block or Ask. In Chrome you can review every site under Settings, Privacy and security, Site settings, Microphone.

The permission setting is greyed out. Why?

Your device is probably managed by a school or employer that controls microphone access centrally. Only the administrator can change it. Antivirus or privacy software with a “microphone protection” feature can have the same effect.

Does private or incognito mode affect microphone access?

It can. Private windows don’t remember permissions, so you’ll be asked every time, and some browsers are stricter about it. If the test fails in a private window, try it in a normal one.

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