Controller Mic Not Working
A controller mic that isn't picking up your voice is almost always a software routing issue, not a hardware fault. The DualSense mic works on PC out-of-box with no drivers — Windows just often defaults to a different input. Check the mic test in-browser to confirm the mic is active, then fix the routing.
Diagnose before you fix
Confirm the symptom and measure its severity first. The test result tells you whether to clean, recalibrate, or replace — different severities call for different fixes.
Mic Test
The mic test reads directly from the browser's audio input device and shows live audio levels. If levels move as you speak, the mic itself and the OS-level routing are both working — the problem is downstream in your game or voice chat app. If levels stay flat, the mic isn't reaching the browser either, and the fault is at the Windows audio device level, not the game's.
Run the mic test- A Chrome or Edge browser with microphone permission
- A USB data cable (for DualSense on PC — Bluetooth mic routing is less reliable)
Step by step
Work through these in order. After the last step, run the diagnostic again to confirm the fix held.
- 01
Check the mic in the mic test first
Open the mic test in your browser, allow microphone access when prompted, and speak toward the controller. If the audio level bar moves, your controller mic is physically working and being detected by the OS — the failure is in a specific game or app's settings, not the controller. If the bar stays flat, the mic isn't reaching the OS at all and the fault is at the Windows or console audio-device level.
- 02
Confirm the mic isn't muted
The DualSense has a hardware mute button between the touchpad and the PS button — a quick tap mutes with a small orange indicator LED. On PC over Bluetooth, this button often doesn't work natively (requires reWASD or DSX to reach the OS-level mute). Press it once and check whether the mute LED changes. On PS5, mute state is visible in the on-screen indicator when you start speaking.
- 03
Set the controller as the default input on Windows
Windows frequently defaults to another mic (webcam, existing headset) when the controller connects, so games see the wrong device. Right-click the speaker icon → Sound settings → Input → set the controller (listed as 'Wireless Controller' or 'DualSense Wireless Controller') as the default input. Test-record with Voice Recorder to confirm Windows is receiving audio before checking games. Do this on the wired connection first — DualSense mic over Bluetooth on PC is documented as less reliable than USB.
- 04
Fix game-specific mic settings
In-game voice chat and Discord/OBS each have their own input device selection independent of Windows' default. Open the game's audio settings and explicitly pick the controller mic as the input device. In Discord: User Settings → Voice & Video → Input Device → pick the controller. In OBS: Audio Mixer → controller mic source. Getting Windows right doesn't automatically fix apps — many require their own device selection.
- 05
On PS5, check the console-level mic settings
On PS5: Settings → Sound → Microphone → Input Device. Confirm the DualSense's built-in microphone is selected, not a paired headset. Also check Microphone Level — a level slider set too low reads as 'not working' even when the mic is technically active. The Sidetone slider adjusts whether you hear yourself; it doesn't affect what others hear but is easy to confuse with a broken mic when troubleshooting.
- 06
Test wired if Bluetooth is unreliable
On PC, DualSense mic routing over Bluetooth is documented as less reliable than USB — the mic often appears in device lists but doesn't actually route audio, or does so with heavy latency. Connect a USB data cable and retest. If wired works and Bluetooth doesn't, the fix is either accepting wired mic use or installing DS4Windows / reWASD to normalize the wireless audio path.
- 07
Hardware fault — pursue warranty
If the mic test still shows no levels wired, with the correct Windows default, and after checking the console mic settings, the internal microphone array has failed — a rare but documented hardware defect. For in-warranty DualSense controllers, Sony treats this as a covered defect. Document the mic test showing no input as evidence before submitting the warranty claim; a controller returned as 'no fault found' has become a common frustration otherwise.
Where to go next
Persistent symptoms usually mean hardware wear that cleaning and recalibration can't reach. These resources cover repair, replacement, and warranty paths.
Other tests for the same controller
A symptom rarely arrives alone. Worn sticks often coincide with deadzone creep and reduced circularity — run the related diagnostics while the controller is already in your hands.
Variants of this symptom
The same underlying issue presents differently across controllers. These device-specific guides cover the variations.
audio questions
No — Windows recognizes the DualSense's built-in microphone the moment the controller connects. No driver install is required. The mic appears as a standard audio input device that Windows can route to any app. Guides that recommend driver downloads for controller mic issues are wrong; the actual cause is almost always the wrong default input being selected in Windows or in the specific game.
Because Windows doesn't natively receive the mute-button signal from the DualSense over Bluetooth — the button lights the controller's mute LED but doesn't tell Windows to actually mute the input. To make the mute button work at the OS level on Windows, use DSX, reWASD, or DS4Windows. On Linux, the mute button works natively without additional software.
Yes for casual voice chat — it's a functional cardioid mic with active noise reduction, comparable to a headset mic in an average room. It's not going to match a dedicated USB microphone or a good gaming headset boom mic, and it picks up background noise if you're in a loud environment. For streaming or podcasting, use a proper mic; for game voice chat, it's fine.
Standard Xbox controllers don't have a built-in mic — the microphone comes from a headset plugged into the 3.5mm jack. If nobody hears you, check the headset connection is fully seated, verify the mute switch on the headset itself isn't engaged, and check Xbox settings → Devices & connections → Accessories → your controller → Audio settings to confirm the input is enabled and levels are up.
Yes at the OS level — Windows can have multiple active input devices — but each app you use only picks one. Games and voice chat apps select a single input device at a time. If you want the controller mic for game chat while streaming with a USB mic, you'd set each app to a different input in its own audio settings.
Yes — the PS5 handles the DualSense mic over its wireless connection reliably because the console is designed for that specific pairing. This is different from PC Bluetooth, where DualSense mic routing is documented as inconsistent. If your PS5 isn't picking up the mic, the issue is settings on the console, not the wireless link itself.
Two common causes: Windows or the console mic input level is set too low (raise it in Sound settings → Input → Device properties), or the app's own input gain slider is low. Some games also apply aggressive noise gates that clip quiet voices as 'silence' — check for a mic sensitivity or noise gate setting in the app before assuming the mic itself is weak.
Still seeing the issue?
Re-run the diagnostic to confirm whether the fix held or whether escalation is needed.
Run the test again