Other reasons include tools like Skype that have their own auto-adjustment features, like automatic gain control. Now that you know the causes, lets discuss the solutions.
1. Stop Skype from Automatically Adjusting the Microphone (if applicable)
When Skype controls your microphone, it often changes the volume automatically based on background noise or call quality, causing uneven audio levels. By turning off Skype’s automatic gain control, you stop it from changing your microphone settings. This keeps your audio levels steady, providing stable input for all apps.
2. Stop Steam from Automatically Adjusting the Microphone Level (if applicable)
If you notice your microphone volume changing on its own, stopping Steam from adjusting it might fix the problem. Steam’s voice chat has a feature that automatically changes microphone volume levels during conversations. By turning off this feature, Steam won’t mess with your computer’s audio settings, helping to keep the volume steady during games or voice chats. If this method wasn’t applicable to your current situation, move down to the next method below.
3. Stop Applications From Taking Exclusive Control of the Microphone
When Skype or Steam controls your microphone, it can change the volume automatically, leading to unpredictable audio levels during calls or recordings. By turning off these apps’ ability to change microphone settings, you can keep the volume stable.
4. Change the Microphone Value Manually
Manually setting your microphone’s volume gives you control over its sensitivity, stopping other apps from changing the settings. This avoids the software adjustments that often make the volume change automatically when apps like Skype or Zoom try to fix background noise. If this procedure wasn’t applicable to your current situation or you’re looking for a different approach, move down to the next method below.
5. Update your Microphone Driver
If your drivers are outdated, your microphone may not work properly with the system. Updating the driver ensures that your microphone functions smoothly with Windows, fixing any compatibility issues that can cause problems like auto-adjusting volume.
6. Perform a Clean Boot
By turning off unnecessary startup programs and services, a clean boot helps find out if a background process is changing your microphone’s settings. Since volume changes can be caused by third-party software, this step finds the problem by running only important services. Once the system is steady with a clean boot, it’s easier to find the app that’s adjusting the microphone settings.
7. Disable Microphone Enhancements
Audio enhancements, meant to improve sound, can sometimes cause problems with the microphone, like changing its volume on its own. Turning off these enhancements lets the microphone work naturally, without extra processing that might clash with app settings or how the system works.
8. Edit Registry
Sometimes, the issue lies with the registry configuration of the microphone level. Windows might have stored a value in the registry for your microphone level which might receive precedence over the manual value that you select from the Sound Control Panel. You can adjust this value by:
