You need a reliable microphone if you use your computer to podcast, video conference, or record audio. The built-in microphone of the computer is unable to capture high-quality audio and as a result, you will not be able to capture the standard voice of yourself. So, you should use an external high-quality microphone on your Windows 10 PC or laptop.

However, some computers face problems detecting external microphones on Windows 10. Hence, you will see an error message that the microphone is not plugged in. 

If you are facing the same problem, then don’t think you are alone here. Many users are facing the same problem around the world. The good news is that maximum users can fix it by applying some simple methods to fix this problem and those methods are given here in this article so that you can fix this problem on your computer easily.

Quick Tips to Fix Mic Not Plugged in Issue

Tip 1: Sometimes the dust contained inside the microphone port or the USB port prevents the jack from connecting to the PC. So, clean inside the port before connecting the microphone to your computer.

Tip 2: Ensure that the contact point of the microphone port on your PC is not damaged. If you use a damaged port to connect a microphone to your PC, then you will face the error that keeps saying the microphone is not plugged In.

Tip 3: Check for any physical damage to the microphone jack or cable. If you find any trace of a damaged jack or cable, it can be a reason for facing this error. So, replace the microphone to avoid this error.

These are a very common cause for many users who faced the same problem connecting their mic to their PC. So, it is wise to apply these tips before going further troubleshooting.

How to Fix the Microphone Not Plugged in Windows 10 Issue?

There are several methods to fix this problem. But you don’t need to apply them all because you can fix the problem by applying a particular method. For this, you have to try these methods one by one until you find the actual solution to your problem.

Method 1: Disconnect External Devices

You will receive this message that the microphone is not plugged in if you are using multiple external devices like a USB drive or other peripherals. USB devices often interfere with the microphone and the system gets confused to recognizes it.  Again, it will show the same error if any other microphone or headphone is connected to your PC. So, disconnect them and restart your computer. Then, check if you have solved the error or not.

Method 2: Enable Microphone from the Settings

Your computer will not be able to detect any microphone if it is disabled from the settings of the system. Here are the steps to enable a microphone:

• Go to the Control panel and choose View by: ‘small icon’
• Then, click on Sound and click on the Recording tab
• There, right-click on a blank space and select Show disabled devices
• Now, enable your microphone if you find it disabled

Method 3: Allow Apps to Use Microphone

After completing the steps above, if you still face the problem then check if other apps are allowed to use your microphone.

• Navigate to Settings > Privacy > Microphone
• Find Allow access to the microphone on this device
• If it is not enabled, enable it.
• Finally, toggle the ‘Allow apps to access the microphone as well’ option ON

Now check if you are facing the microphone plugged-in problem or not. If this method doesn’t help you fix this issue, try next.

Method 4: Run Speech Troubleshooter

The built-in troubleshooter of Windows 10 is a very helpful tool to troubleshoot any issue related to the system. If you are facing the microphone not plugged in issue due to a system flaw, then you can easily fix it by running the troubleshooter.

Here is how you can do that:

• Navigate to Settings > Update & Security > Troubleshoot
• Click on Speech 
• Now click on the button – Run the troubleshooter

You can also try running the troubleshooter of Recording Audio also.

Try the next method if this is unable to fix the error.

Method 5: Reinstall the Audio Drivers

Your computer may unable to detect the microphone because of an outdated audio driver. So, check if any update is needed to your audio drivers. It is the best choice to uninstall the audio drivers and reinstall them to ensure the latest version of the driver you are using right now. The direction to reinstall the audio drivers is given below:

• Go to the Device Manager application and find the Audio inputs and outputs
• Expand the Audio inputs and outputs and right-click on your microphone driver
• Now, select Update driver

Now restart your computer and check for the issue. If you still face the issue that your computer showing the same error, then follow the steps below:

• From the same navigation, select Uninstall device this time instead of Update driver
• After a restart, install the latest audio or microphone driver on your computer.

I hope your problem will have solved this time and you will be able to connect your microphone to your computer successfully.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Do I Fix My Headset Mic?

The first thing that you should do is check the sound settings of your device and increase the media volume from there. If it doesn’t fix the problem, then try increasing the call volume. However, dust can cause issues connecting the Headset mic to the computer. Clean the port and jack of your headset as described previously in this article.

Why Is My Headset Mic Not Working Properly?

If the microphone of your headset is not working, then you can check the followings:

• Check the Mute button on your device is enabled or not. If it is enabled, then disable it.
• Connect the headphone jack to the port of your computer correctly.
• Check the microphone settings and ensure that your microphone or headset is set to the default recording device on the system.
• Check if you have put the jack into the right port. Put the headset jack into the output (green) port and the microphone jack into the input (red) port

Why Is My Mic Not Working, But I Can Hear?

Do you mean you can hear others on through your headset but others can’t hear you? It’s probably your headset is fine and working correctly but your microphone is not. Or, the media or call volume of your mic is set too low which prevents others from hearing you. Check your microphone volume on your device. If you are using a computer, then check the Recording or input device on your computer and drag it to the appropriate level.

Why Is My Computer Not Supporting Any Microphone?

There can be a few reasons why your computer may not support a microphone or is unable to detect the device. You can try the methods mentioned in this article to fix this problem. Here is a brief list of methods that you should try:

1. Clean dust from the input port or the USB port.
2. Eject other peripherals from your computer.
3. Enable microphone from the Settings.
4. Allow all the other apps to use the microphone from settings.
5. Run troubleshooter.
6. Update audio drivers.
7. Make sure your system is up to date.

Conclusion

Many users who are using the computer to record voice or voice chat using a microphone have faced the problem of connecting the microphone to their computer. But in most cases, the problem is straightforward and it can be fixed with some simple tricks. The most recommended methods to fix this problem are mentioned here in this article.

I hope you will be able to fix the microphone not plugged in error on your pc using the mentioned methods. You can also try updating your Operating system to fix this problem.

Feel free to tell your opinion about fixing this issue and further queries in the comment section below. Don’t forget to mention by which method you will have fixed the problem.