Hearing your own voice through a microphone, often referred to as “Mic Monitoring” or “Sidetone,” is a common practice for users interested in voice recording, broadcasting, gaming, online communication, or simply to test the mic. This feature allows you to hear what you sound like, and adjust your mic’s input volume accordingly, ensuring the quality of your audio output. This article provides an in-depth, step-by-step guide on how to hear yourself on a microphone in Windows 11.
Also see: How to Test Microphone on Windows 11 to See If It’s Working
Page Contents
What you’ll need
Before starting, ensure you have the following:
- A computer running on Windows 11
- A working microphone
- A headset or speakers
Note: Your microphone can be a standalone device, or it can be part of another device such as a webcam or a headset.
Useful tip: How to Increase or Boost Microphone Volume in Windows 11
Method 1: Using the “Listen to this Device” feature
Step 1: Accessing the sound settings
In Windows 11, you can control your audio devices, including your microphone, through the Sound Settings. Here is how you get to the Sound Settings:
- Click on the Start button located on the taskbar.
- Click on the Settings option in the Start menu to open the Settings app.
- In the Settings window, select System from the options on the left.
- Then click on Sound.
Alternatively, you can simply type “Sound Settings” into the taskbar search box and click on the best match.
Step 2: Selecting your microphone
In the Sound settings, you can manage your input devices (like microphones) and output devices (like speakers or headphones).
- Scroll down and select “More sound settings“.
- In the “Sound” window, select the “Recording” tab.
- Right-click your microphone and select “Properties“.
Step 3: Enabling the hear yourself feature
In the microphone’s properties window, you can configure various settings for your mic, including the ability to enable microphone monitoring or the “Listen to this device” feature.
- In the microphone’s properties window, go to the Listen tab.
- Tick the checkbox next to Listen to this device. This will enable microphone monitoring.
- Under the Playback through this device dropdown, select your output device (the speakers or headphones through which you want to hear your voice).
Related resource: How to Record Voice With Microphone on Windows 11/10
Step 4: Applying and testing the changes
After enabling the “listen to this device” feature, the final steps are to apply the changes and then test whether you can hear yourself.
- Click on Apply, then on OK to close the Microphone Properties dialog box.
- Test your settings by speaking into your microphone. You should be able to hear your own voice through your chosen output device.
Remember that this feature might cause a slight delay (latency) between your speaking and hearing your voice. The extent of this latency varies depending on your hardware and software settings. If this delay is too distracting, you might need to explore other options, like using dedicated audio software for real-time monitoring with lower latency.
Recommended guide: How to Use Both Speakers and Headphones in Windows 11
Method 2: Using the “Test your microphone” feature
Windows 11 also provides a built-in testing feature for your microphone that allows you to test your microphone. Here’s how to access it:
Step 1: Accessing the sound settings
- Click on the Start button in the taskbar.
- Click on Settings in the Start menu to open the Settings app.
- In the Settings window, select System from the options on the left.
- Then click on Sound.
Step 2: Selecting your microphone
- Under the Input section, click on the drop-down menu under Choose your input device.
- Select the microphone you want to test from the list of available devices.
Step 3: Testing your microphone
Windows 11 provides a built-in testing feature for your microphone under the “Test your microphone” section.
- Below the input device selection, you will see the Test your microphone section. Click on the Start test button.
- Start speaking into your microphone. The bars next to the microphone icon will start moving in response to your voice, indicating that the microphone is picking up sound.
- Once you’ve finished testing, click Stop test. It will display the result of the test as a percentage of the total volume captured during the test.
This method doesn’t provide real-time monitoring as the first one does. It’s a feature mainly designed for testing microphone settings, volume levels, and sound quality. It can be extremely helpful when setting up a new microphone or making adjustments to your existing one.
Linked issue: Microphone Not Working After Windows 11/10 Update
Summing up
Windows 11 has made it fairly simple to hear your own voice through a microphone. Whether you’re using the “Listen to this device” feature for real-time monitoring or the “Test your microphone” function for testing purposes, you can easily adjust and understand your microphone settings. These features can be beneficial for various purposes, including audio recording, live streaming, and troubleshooting microphone issues. Remember to adjust the volume to a comfortable level to avoid feedback or echo issues.
