Guide to Fixing the Automatic Microphone Volume Adjustment Issue on Windows

Introduction

Many Windows users face an issue where the microphone volume automatically adjusts during recording or calls, causing inconvenience and reducing audio quality. This article shares the steps I followed to resolve this problem.

Instructions

Adjusting Settings in Control Panel

To address this issue, we’ll first make necessary adjustments in the Sound dialog box in Control Panel.

How to Open the Sound Dialog Box in Control Panel

1. Open Control Panel from the Desktop or Start menu.
2. Press "S" repeatedly until you hear "Sound link Configure your audio devices or change the sound scheme for your computer" and press Enter.
3. Note: If this is your first time opening Control Panel, press Tab to reach the “Category” button, then choose Large icons or Small icons as needed.

Playback Tab

In this tab, we’ll adjust the audio output devices such as speakers or headphones.

1. Use the down arrow key to select the device to configure, then press Tab to the Properties button and press Enter.
2. In the new dialog box, press Control + Tab to switch to the Advanced tab.
3. Tab to the following options and uncheck them:
   • Give exclusive mode applications priority
   • Allow applications to take exclusive control of this device
4. Tab to OK and press Enter to save changes.

Repeat these steps for any other output devices as needed.

Recording Tab

In this tab, we’ll adjust input devices such as microphones.

1. Use the down arrow key to select the device to configure, then press Tab to the Properties button and press Enter.
2. In the new dialog box, press Control + Tab to switch to the Levels tab.
3. Tab once to the microphone volume slider and press End to set the volume to 100%.
4. Press Control + Tab to switch to the Advanced tab.
5. Tab to the following options and uncheck them:
   • Give exclusive mode applications priority
   • Allow applications to take exclusive control of this device
6. Tab to OK and press Enter to save changes.

Communications Tab

Windows automatically lowers the volume of other applications when it detects a call. You can disable this feature by selecting Do nothing.

1. Tab to the Communications option, then use the right arrow key to select Do nothing.
2. Tab to OK and press Enter to close the Sound dialog box.

Note: Some audio technologies have their own control software, such as Waves MaxxAudio or Realtek Audio Console. Open these programs if available and disable noise reduction features for better audio experience.

Settings in Conference Apps

Some apps, like Skype, Zoom, and Teams, have an auto-volume adjustment feature in their audio settings. Go to each app’s audio settings and turn off this feature if available.

Browser Settings

For Google Chrome

1. Open the address bar and type chrome://flags.
2. Type volume in the search box, then press Escape to exit the search field.
3. Press "H" to navigate to the heading Allow WebRTC to adjust the input volume, then arrow down to the dropdown menu.
4. Press space to open the dropdown, then select Disable.
5. Press Escape to exit the dropdown, find the Relaunch button, and press Enter to restart the browser.

For Microsoft Edge (Chromium-Based)

1. Install the extension called Disable Automatic Gain Control.
2. After installation, open a page with recording or call features, go to the address bar, and press Tab three times to reach the Extensions button, then select Disable Automatic Gain Control.
3. If prompted for permissions, choose Allow.
4. Once the page reloads, you can record or make calls without automatic volume adjustment.

Status Indicators:

• Permission required: Displays Wants to access this site.
• Extension off: Shows Enable [extension name] to access this site.
• Extension on: Shows Has access to this site.

Conclusion

With these detailed steps, I hope you can successfully resolve the issue of automatic microphone volume adjustment on Windows, enhancing your audio experience when using sound applications.