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Test a microphone on Ubuntu and other Linux desktops, in the browser or from the terminal with arecord and pactl.
On Ubuntu, test the mic in Firefox or Chrome first. If the browser hears you but an app does not, the problem is PipeWire or PulseAudio routing, not the hardware.
Test Mic Ubuntu: the full method
- Use the browser test
Firefox and Chrome both work. Press Start test, allow access, and watch the meter. This is the fastest check and needs no terminal.
- Check Settings, Sound
The Input tab lists your devices with a live input level bar. Confirm the right device is selected and the volume is not at zero.
- List capture devices in the terminal
Run arecord -l to see every capture device ALSA can find. If your microphone is absent here, the problem is at the kernel or hardware level.
- Check the active source
Run pactl list sources short to see what PulseAudio or PipeWire currently exposes, and pactl list sources to see the volume and mute state in detail.
- Record a test file
Run arecord -f cd -d 5 test.wav to record five seconds, then aplay test.wav to hear it. This bypasses the browser entirely.
- Unmute in alsamixer
Run alsamixer, press F4 for capture controls, and use the arrow keys. A capture channel marked MM is muted — press M to unmute.
Linux microphone fixes
- Browser cannot see the micSnap-packaged browsers need the audio-record interface. Check with snap connections firefox and connect it if it is missing.
- Level drops automaticallyDisable automatic gain in your browser, and check module-role-ducking is not active in the PulseAudio configuration.
- Device visible but silentCheck alsamixer capture levels. ALSA can mute a source independently of the desktop volume control, and the desktop will not show it.
- Wrong profile selectedRun pactl list cards to see profiles. Headsets often need the headset-head-unit profile before their microphone appears at all.
- PipeWire versus PulseAudioUbuntu 22.10 and later use PipeWire. Restart the user services with systemctl --user restart pipewire pipewire-pulse wireplumber if devices behave strangely.
PipeWire replaced PulseAudio, and what changed
Ubuntu 22.10 and later ship PipeWire in place of PulseAudio. Most PulseAudio commands still work because pipewire-pulse provides a compatibility layer, so pactl and pavucontrol behave as before, but the service names, the configuration files and the Bluetooth codec support are all different underneath.
When devices behave strangely, restarting the user services with systemctl --user restart pipewire pipewire-pulse wireplumber resolves more cases than any configuration edit. For Bluetooth headset microphones specifically, the libspa-0.2-bluetooth package must be installed or only the stereo output profile will ever appear.
Frequently asked
Which Ubuntu versions does this test support?
Any version with a current Firefox or Chrome, including 20.04, 22.04 and 24.04, on PulseAudio or PipeWire.
How do I set a default input?
pactl set-default-source followed by the source name from pactl list sources short.
How do I test a microphone on Ubuntu from the terminal?
arecord -f cd -d 5 test.wav records five seconds, aplay test.wav plays it back. Use arecord -l first to confirm the device exists.
What is the difference between ALSA and PulseAudio?
ALSA is the kernel-level driver layer. PulseAudio and PipeWire are sound servers on top that handle routing, mixing and per-app volume.
Related tests
Where to go next: measuring round-trip latency, setting up a budget USB mic, or setting up monitoring.
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