[Solved] Mic suddenly stopped working

[bigpat]

Dell Latitude laptop. I used it a couple of days ago to record a video using "screencastify" (a Chrome extension) and it was working fine then, but on a video call earlier today, my colleague could not hear me. To check it later, I recorded another 5 second screencastify but it's silent, so the problem is definitely at my end. I shut the laptop down, restarted it and tried again. Still not working.

 

I checked Control panel > Hardware and sounds > Manage audio devices > Recording and it says that the device is working properly. But it's not.

 

I have a cheap USB mic that I got for my previous laptop (when the mic on THAT failed!) I plugged it onto this laptop but it still won't work. I went to Control panel, set it as the Default and checked the properties. It says it's working properly.

 

So it doesn't seem to be a hardware issue, yet device manager says the mic is working properly. Any ideas what I can try next? This laptop belongs to my employer and there are certain settings I cannot change but I was planning to use it this weekend to talk to some family members overseas. Could screencastify have changed any settings that are less obvious?

[Rustys]

but on a video call earlier today, my colleague could not hear me.

Greeting @bigpat welcome to the forum

 

Does it still record in screencastify correctly?

What program are you using for Video Call and if different than to talk to family member?

You did check to see if those programs had the mic muted?

Have you checked to see if there is an on off switch on the mic?

[bigpat]

Hi,

 

I don't really understand this but, behind all my open windows, I found a box that says "You must restart your computer before these changes take effect". What changes? I had already restarted the laptop a few hours ago and I don't know what other changes could have been made. I don't even have admin rights on this laptop!! But I clicked Restart and now my mic is working again. I have just checked it via Test Your Microphone - Online Mic Test and where i was getting a static line before, it is now reacting to sounds. I just tested it with another short screencast recording and that's working too. Whew!

 

I have no idea what I did or did not do earlier and i don't understand why Device Manager was telling ,e it was working when it was not, but it seems to be fixed.

 

Thanks for taking the time to reply.

[Rustys]

There may have been and update that went through that required a reboot.

 

When you were checking some times when you click the OK it thinks that something was change and wants a restart.

 

Glad to hear that thing are working now thank you for letting us know.