Fact · Dictation in your apps
When Microsoft's Dictate troubleshooting reports that it cannot detect your microphone, it says to make sure the microphone is plugged in and to test it.
Checked against its source on October 17, 2026
In the source's own words
“Make sure the microphone is plugged in Test the microphone to make sure it's working”
Dictate your documents in Word, Microsoft, 2026, Troubleshooting, Microphone isn't working.
Open the original- What it measures
- The next step in the same section is to check the microphone settings. The section is the one that covers messages such as 'There is a problem with your microphone'.
- What it does not show
- The page shows this check next to browser-permission steps that apply to Dictate on the web, so not every step applies to the desktop app.