Have you noticed that the microphone level on your Windows 10 keeps going up to 100 without your authorization? Have you tried to fix this issue but it keeps coming back? While this is not a serious issue, it can get you frustrated if it keeps happening but you have no means of fixing the issue.
The microphone level on your Windows 10 may be adjusting itself without your authorization for so many reasons. It may be due to malware on your PC or because of a faulty audio driver, it could even be because an application has access to the microphone settings and the app keeps adjusting the level itself. Regardless of the reason, this is one pesky situation that you can fix easily. Read this article to the end to find out ways to do so.
Why Does the Microphone Level Keeps Going to 100?
Your microphone level keeps going to 100 issues may be due to any of these reasons:
- Incorrect audio or microphone settings
- A faulty (corrupted or outdated) audio driver
- The computer has a malware (virus) infection
- Missing or bad system files
- Hardware failures
- A background app is controlling the microphone settings
How to Stop Your Microphone Level from Adjusting Itself?
At a glance, it is impossible to know the reason why the microphone level keeps adjusting itself. But you can fix the issue by trying to fix the least complex reason for the issue and then working your way up.
Below, some solutions that can help you fix the issue of your microphone level going to 100 will be discussed.
1. Run Audio/Speech Troubleshooter
First of all, you need to try and diagnose and fix the issue by running your speech/audio troubleshooter. Doing this will allow the system to scan for the cause of the issue itself and then fix it. You can run the troubleshooter with the following steps:
- Open your system’s “Settings”; you can do this by searching for “Settings” in the search box or by simultaneously pressing your Windows and I keys.
- Click on “Update and Security” then click on “Troubleshoot”
- Select “Additional troubleshooters”
- Click on “Recording Audio” and then click on “Run the Troubleshooter”
The troubleshooter will run and find the issue. If there is an issue and it finds it, follow the prompts to fix the issue found.
2. Do the Correct Audio/Microphone Settings
You may be experiencing this issue if your microphone isn’t the default recording device for your system. This may prevent you from recording audio with the mic and may also cause the mic level to fluctuate.
Do these steps to make your mic your system’s default recording device:
- Check the bottom corner of your screen for the “speaker” icon and click on it.
- Select “Sounds” from the options that come up
- Click on “Manage Sound Devices”
- Under “Input device” check if any device other than the microphone is enabled. If any is, disable it by selecting it and then clicking “Disable”
- Do this for all the devices enabled here; only leave the microphone enabled
Leaving the microphone as the only enabled device will make it the default device. Now, check to see if the issue is resolved. If it hasn’t, move to the next solution.
3. Disallow Apps from Adjusting the Microphone Level
As earlier said, some apps can control your microphone level and take up to 100. This is one of the commonest reasons for this issue, so it should be among the first things you tackle. Usually, these applications ask for permission to control the microphone settings during installation. In this case, it is a system configuration and you need to rectify the problem from Windows settings.
Do these steps to fix the issue from Windows settings:
- Check the bottom corner of your screen for the “speaker” icon and click on it.
- Select “Sounds” from the options that come up
- Next, click on the “Recording” tab and then click on “Microphone”. This action will open the mic properties.
- Click the “Advanced” tab next then check for the option “Allow applications to take exclusive control of this device”. Uncheck this option
- Save your changes and then restart the PC
When your PC comes back on, check to see if the issue is resolved. If it is, good. But if it isn’t, undo the setting which you just did i.e go back to the “Allow applications to take exclusive control of this device” box and check it back. The reason you have to reserve this setting is that leaving it that way can affect some voice features functions.
Some apps may specifically change your mic level because of their configurations. If doing the above doesn’t resolve the issue, then it’s likely that these apps may be responsible for the issue. In this case, you have to specifically stop these apps from controlling your mic.
The following are some of the common apps that do this and how you can disallow this feature on them:
1. Skye
- Go to the app’s home screen then click on the menu icon (the three dots on the screen’s top corner)
- Click on settings
- Check for the tab “Audio and Video”. Then, move the toggle button beside the “Automatically Adjust Microphone Settings” option. This will disallow this setting.
2. Media Players
If a media player or audio app is controlling your app, you would have to uninstall the app to fix the issue. You can do this by opening your Control Panel and then clicking on Programs and Features. This action will bring out a list of all the applications on the system. Look for the media player or audio app that you think is responsible for controlling the mic and then uninstall it.
3. Windows Speech Recognition
- Search for “Speech Recognition” in your system’s search box
- Select “Set up a microphone”
- You will be asked to read out a sentence. This is the action that will be used to set up the desired microphone volume. You will have to read out the sentence loudly for the system to reduce the volume
The good thing about doing this configuration is that even though this program isn’t responsible for the problem, this configuration might override the cause of the issue.
4. Steam
- Open the app’s home screen and then select “Friends and Chat”
- Look for “Settings Cog” and then select it
- Click on “Voice” and then “Show Advanced Settings”
- Finally, move the button beside the “Automatic Volume/Gain Control” option to disable it
4. Update Audio Driver
You may be experiencing this issue due to a corrupt or outdated audio driver. So, if you are yet to resolve the issue at this point, you need to update the audio driver. You can do this by going to your manufacturer’s website and then downloading the driver that matches your system. All you need is the driver specifications for your system. You can get this information by doing the following:
- From the search box, type in dxdiag. Open the DirectX Diagnostic Tool when it comes up
- Click on “Sound”. Here, you will see the version and name of your Driver.
- Note this information and then use it to download the right driver for your system
5. Run an SFC Scan to Repair the System Files
If you are still experiencing the issue at this point, then it may be due to a corrupted or missing system file. You can solve the issue by running an SCF scan. You can run this scan by doing these steps:
- Press the Windows button and then type in cmd
- Open Command Prompt; choose to Run as Administrator
- Now, type in SFC/scannow then press enter
The system will automatically run the scan and fix the issue itself. Restart your system after the scanning is done, and check if the issue is resolved.
Conclusion
The solutions discussed in this article should help you fix your microphone volume adjustment issues. However, if you still can’t fix the issue with any of these solutions, then it may be a hardware issue. In this case, you can contact a technician to fix the issue for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Why is My Mic Picking Up Everything All of a Sudden?
The following are some of the reasons why your mic is suddenly picking up too much noise:
- The microphone is too close to the computer’s fan
- You may be experiencing issues with your noise-canceling mic if it isn’t positioned well. When using a noise-canceling mic, ensure you place it close to your mouth; the distance between your mic and mouth should be lesser than an inch
- Your mic may be physically damaged
2. How Do I Know If my Mic is Blown?
- Check the bottom corner of your screen for the “speaker” icon and click on it.
- Select “Sounds” from the options that come up
- Click on “Test your Microphone”
- Click on “Troubleshoot”
This will run a test on the mic and if anything is wrong with the mic, you will be alerted once the test is done.