Microphone not Showing up in Device Manager: 3 Fixes to use

Re-enabling your microphone is a quick way to rectify this

Reading time icon 3 min. read


Readers help support Windows Report. When you make a purchase using links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Tooltip Icon

Read the affiliate disclosure page to find out how can you help Windows Report effortlessly and without spending any money. Read more

Key notes

  • There is a probability that this issue occurs because of missing or broken drivers, so be sure to check that. 
  • Another scenario of this error is that your microphone driver has been disabled and hidden.
  • If you want to reinstall your drivers, but they don't show up in the list, use third-party tools. 
mic-device microphone not showing up in device manager

Every user that faces an internal microphone has disappeared from the device list issue knows how annoying it can be. This is because it makes your PC microphone practically useless.

However, you don’t need to worry, as this guide contains practical solutions to help you fix the issue.

Why is my mic not showing up in Device Manager?

There are a series of potential causes for the microphone not showing up in the Device Manager issue. Listed below are some of them:

  • Faulty or outdated driver: Sometimes, your microphone might be missing from the Device Manager because the driver is broken or outdated. The easy way out of this is to reinstall or update your driver.
  • Disabled microphone: In some cases, you might notice that your built-in microphone disappeared from Windows 11 because an app or process has disabled it. You need to show the hidden audio devices on your PC and re-enable the microphone to solve this.

What can I do if the microphone is not showing up in Device Manager?

1. Re-enable your microphone from Control Panel

  1. Go to Control Panel by typing its name in the Windows Search function.
    control-panel-search microphone not showing up in device manager
  2. Click on Sound and then go to the Recording tab.
    recording microphone not showing up in device manager
  3. Right-click on the window and click on Show Disabled Devices.
    show microphone not showing up in device manager

If your microphone is not showing up in Device Manager, it might be because it was mistakenly disabled. You should be able to fix it by applying the steps above.

Additionally, you can find more exhaustive information about your microphone not working for Windows 10 and resolve this issue accordingly.

If your built-in microphone is not working, it might be due to driver malfunctions in your PC. Hence, it would be best if you focused more on repairing them.

2. Reinstall microphone drivers

  1. Right-click on the Windows Search bar and select Device Manager.
    device manager
  2. Double-click the Audio inputs and outputs option to expand it. Right-click on the Microphone driver option and press Uninstall device.
    uninstall device
  3. Restart your computer to reinstall the driver automatically.

Another effective solution if your microphone is not showing up in Device Manager is reinstalling the drivers for your built-in microphone.

But the method above is a traditional one you can use if the microphone shows up but is not working. If it is not showing up, you need to download it from the manufacturer’s website and install it.

In addition, you can ease your work by finding your audio drivers with specialized software that can do it rapidly for you. 

Using software like Outbyte Driver Updater, you can resolve any driver issues automatically and without affecting the system. In this case, you will find the missing driver and reinstall it correctly to fix the problem in a few simple steps.

⇒ Get Outbyte Driver Updater

3. Run the Recording Audio troubleshooter

  1. Press the Windows key + I and select Troubleshoot in the right pane.
    troubleshoot
  2. Select the Other troubleshooters option.
    other troubleshooters
  3. Finally, click the Run button before Recording Audio and follow the onscreen instructions.
    recording audio

Sometimes, your microphone might not show up in Device Manager because of minor component issues. Running the built-in troubleshooter should help diagnose and proffer solutions to this problem.

That’s about it for this issue. With the solutions in this guide, the microphone not showing up in the Device Manager problem should now be history.

If no microphone works on your Windows 11 PC, check our detailed guide to rectify the issue quickly.

Feel free to let us know the solution that helped you fix this issue in the comments below.

More about the topics: Microphone issues, Windows 11 Fix