How Do I Allow Discord Access To My Microphone?

Whether you are streaming, having a meeting, or just hanging out with friends, Discord is a popular choice for online communication. However, it can be overwhelming at first. But let’s talk about how to connect your mic properly so you can speak through Discord. 

You can allow Discord access to your microphone through the in-app settings. Find your settings option near the bottom of the screen and choose “Voice and Video.” From there, select “input device” and choose the microphone you want to use. 

Let’s get into more detail about how to allow Discord access to your mic. I’ll also go over some tips on what you can do differently if granting Discord access through the app and desktop app doesn’t work.

 

How To Grant Discord Access to Your Microphone

If you are using the Discord app, then you should easily be able to allow it to access your microphone. 

When you enter a voice channel, the app will often request access to your mic, so this is the easiest way to connect your mic to the app. 

However, it doesn’t always work, so here’s how to do it manually through the app. 

Allowing Discord Access Through the App

This is how you can allow Discord access to your mic through the app:

1. Pull up the Discord app. The settings will be a little different depending on whether you use the mobile app or the desktop app. 
2. Open your settings menu. On both versions, this will be at the bottom right. Click your profile picture. 
3. Click “voice and video” or “voice.” It depends on which version of the app you have available. 
4. Choose “input device.” Once you’re in your voice settings, choose “input device” to access your microphone and voice details. 
5. Select your microphone. In this menu, you will be able to choose your microphone. You can also see your other settings to help you get the right input volume. 

These steps are especially handy if you have more than one mic connected to your device. Choose the one that you want to use with Discord, and it will default to that mic in the future as well. 

Allowing Discord Access Through a Google Chrome Browser

If you use Discord through a Chrome browser, your steps to connect your microphone will be a bit different. You can still do it with the above method. However, it will require further steps if you disallowed the mic at any time, as it’s easy to accidentally click “no” or “don’t” when rushing. 

If you disallowed your mic in Discord through Chrome, here is how to reallow it: 

1. Open your Chrome browser. You do not need to have Discord open yet. Just a new, blank browser will do. 
2. Click the three stacked dots on the top right of the browser by the address bar. This will bring up a fairly large menu that may take you some time to sort through. 
3. Once that menu is up, find “privacy and security.” This is where you can edit your security preferences and make changes to your individual website settings. 
4. In the “privacy and security” menu, select “site settings.” This is where you can find information about specific sites and what you allow them access to. 
5. Under the “permissions” category, find and click on “microphone.” This allows you to adjust your mic settings within the browser and/or websites you visit inside Chrome. 
6. Click the trash can icon. If you have previously blocked Discord from accessing your mic, even by accident, you will see “Discord” listed under the “not allowed to use your microphone” category. Click the trash can icon to remove it from the not allowed list. 
7. Set up the mic. Now that you’ve removed Discord from the not allowed list, you will need to access Discord through your Chrome browser and set up the mic there. When you go into Discord, it should ask you again if you want to connect your mic. If it doesn’t, follow the steps above to set up your mic. 

If you use Discord within Chrome and have trouble connecting your mic, it is a good idea to check back on this list to make sure you did not accidentally remove permissions. 

What To Do if Discord Won’t Recognize Your Mic

If you’ve tried connecting your mic to Discord, but it isn’t working, we have some other methods for you to try, as a lot can go wrong within the app or even on your device. 

So, let’s talk about how you can troubleshoot some common issues with connecting a mic to Discord. 

Restart App and Check for Updates

If your Discord app is not recognizing your mic, you may just need to restart the app. Consider restarting your entire device if you want the best possible chance of success, though we know this can take some time. 

Restarting the app or device can allow you to get the message prompting you to connect your mic automatically. If not, follow the steps above for connecting your mic again after restarting and see if you can use it now. 

If it doesn’t work, consider checking to see if your Discord app needs an update. You may run into some bugs if you are not on the most current version of the app. This can happen with any app that is not up-to-date, but especially one like Discord which has so many detailed and intricate features. 

The easiest way to check if there is a Discord update is to open the app and hit Control R on Windows or Command R on Mac. This will prompt the app to check for any available updates and let you know to begin the update if there is one. Discord updates generally do not take long and can fix your mic issues if that is the cause. 

If it doesn’t fix your mic issue, you can also delete and reinstall your Discord app. This will automatically update it to the newest version, and it can clear any bugs that may prevent you from connecting your mic. While this takes time, it is worth trying to see if it resolves your connection issue. 

Check Your Voice Settings

Discord has two different voice options when you are in a channel. In your Discord voice settings, you will have an “input mode” option, which allows you to choose between “voice activity” and “push to talk.” If you are unable to talk in a voice channel, you may have “push to talk” active instead of voice activity. 

It is a good idea to check this setting if your mic seems to be working everywhere outside of Discord. When you have “push to talk” activated, it doesn’t let you speak or let anyone hear your mic until you push the button. Then, your voice will come through the mic and stop once you release the button again. 

Some Discord users have experienced this setting being chosen automatically. If this happens to you, check this setting to make sure that nothing prevents others from hearing you when you’re active in a Discord voice channel. 

If you have “push to talk” selected, try checking “voice activity” instead. This will allow the other people in your channel to hear you constantly rather than just when you hit the button. 

If you need help finding your voice settings, follow the steps above on how to Discord to access your mic. This will take you right to the screen, where you can change the input mode. 

Make Sure Your Computer Detects Your Mic

Another major concern when failing to connect your mic to Discord is whether your computer recognizes your mic, which may seem obvious but is easily overlooked. 

Go into your device settings and make sure you connect your mic. Sometimes, we may disconnect our mic from our device, or our device may not automatically connect even when it has before. So, check and make sure your mic is active on your computer. 

If you are struggling to connect your mic to your computer, you are not alone. Generally, Blue Yeti mics can be difficult to connect and keep connected over time. So, if your Blue Yeti microphone won’t connect to your computer, check out our article “Computer Not Detecting Blue Yeti? How to Fix It” for more assistance. 

Test Your Mic 

If you’ve successfully connected your mic to your device, you may want to test it. Sometimes, the issue may not be with Discord but something different. A good way to figure out where the issue lies is to test your mic and make sure it works outside of Discord. This will help narrow down the list of possible problems. 

You can test your mic on your device in a few different ways. First, you can go into your settings. Most devices allow you to test your mic in your sound settings right on your device, but if you’re unable to do this or can’t find that option, consider checking through another app. 

If you can, most devices have a free recording app, so record a short clip of yourself talking or humming and play it back. This can also help you figure out if you need to raise the volume of your mic or any other adjustments that you may need to make. 

You can also make a call on your device. If you use another communication app like Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, or other popular communication apps, try placing a call from your device. This is a fast and easy way of determining if the mic is the problem or if it is an issue with Discord. 

If your mic is not working on other apps and your test did not work, you may need to update your microphone drivers on your computer. Thankfully, you can do this for free, and it only takes a few minutes. 

If you want a step-by-step guide on how to update your drivers, check out this video on YouTube by Tropical Tech: 

Remove Other Audio Devices

If you have trouble with Discord using the correct mic, going into your settings every time can be a hassle. So instead, consider removing the other audio devices from your computer altogether. This will allow Discord and other communication apps to default to the only mic connected to your computer. 

If you use multiple mics, this may not be realistic. However, you may want to consider it if you don’t plan to use other mics with your computer anytime soon. You may also want to remove any headphones that have microphones in them as well. When you’re using a headset, your computer will default to that audio source. 

So, you may want to use headphones with no mic attached to them. Then you won’t have to adjust your settings when you open Discord as it will default to the only audio input source that you have available. 

Use a Different Mic

If all else fails, you may need to use another mic with your Discord app. If you don’t have time to troubleshoot, you can use another mic that you know works for now and try some of our solutions later. 

When you have time to fix the issue, consider trying to use your mic with a different headset or changing some other minor details to get it to work. Also, disable all other audio input sources that you don’t plan to use with Discord to help your device default to the correct mic rather than a different one. 

Final Thoughts

Allowing Discord to access your mic sometimes happens easily, but it can become difficult when you need to change your settings. Remember that having multiple audio input sources on your device can make it more challenging to use the right mic. 

So, make sure you only connect the mics you plan to use and test your mic regularly to make sure it works. 

Sources

• https://support.discord.com/hc/en-us/articles/205093487-How-do-I-enable-my-mic-in-Chrome-
• https://www.adweek.com/media/discord-how-to-change-your-voice-input-mode-on-desktop/
• https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/how-to-set-up-and-test-microphones-in-windows-ba9a4aab-35d1-12ee-5835-cccac7ee87a4