# Input volume Canonical page: https://flit.fyi/glossary/microphone-input-volume [Glossary](https://flit.fyi/glossary) / [On your Mac](https://flit.fyi/glossary#mac) Also: microphone volume, input level, mic gain Published October 4, 2026 Definition Input volume is the setting on a Mac that controls how strongly sound from the selected microphone or other input device is captured. You set it with a slider in System Settings → Sound, under Input, where you also choose which input device the Mac uses. Input volume is the first thing to check when people say you sound quiet on a call, when a recording is faint, or when dictation keeps missing words. It is separate from the output volume keys on your keyboard, which only change what you hear. People also call this the input level. Strictly, the volume is the setting you choose and the level is how strong the signal turns out to be once your voice, your distance from the microphone and that setting are combined. ## How to change the microphone input volume on a Mac Apple puts the control in Sound settings. Apple’s guidance is simple: if the source is loud, lower the input volume so the sound is not too loud or distorted, and if someone is speaking softly, increase it so your Mac can better capture the voice. 1. Choose Apple menu → System Settings, then click Sound in the sidebar. You may need to scroll down. 2. Click Input. 3. Select the device you want to use in the list of sound input devices. 4. Drag the input volume slider to the right to raise the volume, or to the left to lower it. 5. Speak at your normal distance and volume in the app you use, and adjust again if you are still too quiet or too loud. ## How to choose which microphone your Mac uses A Mac can listen through more than one device. Apple lists the computer’s internal microphone, your display’s microphone if it has one, your iPhone microphone, or an external microphone plugged into the sound port. All available input devices appear in one list, and a display with an internal microphone is listed as the Mac model followed by Microphone. The wrong device is a more common problem than the wrong volume. If a headset or a display is selected and you are talking to the laptop, you will sound distant however high the slider is. 1. Choose Apple menu → System Settings, then click Sound. 2. Click Input. 3. Read the list of sound input devices and click the one you are actually speaking into. 4. Set the input volume for that device. 5. If you use Apple’s Dictation, also open System Settings → Keyboard, go to Dictation, and check the Microphone source pop-up menu. Automatic lets your Mac listen to the device you are most likely to use for Dictation. ## Where is the input level on a Mac? The control Apple documents is the input volume slider in System Settings → Sound → Input. Apple’s FaceTime guide gives the same path with one more label on current macOS: go to Output & Input, click Input, then drag the input volume slider. To judge the result, use the app you are recording or speaking in. Apple’s troubleshooting article for recording describes audio meters that move when sound is reaching an app, and says that if you do not see meters move or waveforms appear, the app may not have permission to use the input. ## Why is my Mac microphone so quiet? A low level usually has an ordinary cause. Check these in order, because the first three account for most cases. - The wrong input device is selected. Check the list under System Settings → Sound → Input. - The input volume slider is set low for that device. Drag it up and test again. - You are too far from the microphone. Move closer, or use a headset so your voice is clearly louder than the room. - The app is not allowed to use the microphone. Open System Settings → Privacy & Security → Microphone and turn access on for that app. - The device controls its own level. Apple’s help for macOS Sequoia 15 notes that you cannot adjust the input volume for a digital input device with your computer’s controls and must adjust it at the source. - An external microphone or audio interface needs attention. Apple suggests checking with the manufacturer for software updates and compatibility information. ## Input volume vs Mic Mode These two settings solve different problems. Input volume changes how loud everything is, your voice and the room together. Raising it makes a quiet voice louder, and it makes the fan behind you louder too. Mic Mode changes what is kept. Voice Isolation filters out background sounds and Wide Spectrum includes them, in apps that support Mic Modes. If people can hear you but also hear your surroundings, change the mic mode. If they can barely hear you at all, change the input volume or the device. ## How to tell when the microphone is in use macOS shows you when an app is listening. Apple says the Recording Indicator in Control Center shows when your computer’s microphone is in use or when it was used recently. It also turns on when you open the Input options in Sound settings, so seeing it there is expected. You decide which apps can use the microphone at all. Open System Settings → Privacy & Security, click Microphone, and turn access on or off for each app in the list. An app with access turned off receives no sound, which can look exactly like a microphone with the volume at zero. In Flit Flit has its own microphone setting, in Settings → General, so you can choose the microphone it listens to by name. [Setting up the microphone](https://flit.fyi/setup#permissions) ## Questions people ask. ### How do I turn up the microphone volume on a Mac? Choose Apple menu → System Settings, click Sound, click Input, select your microphone, and drag the input volume slider up. ### Where is the input volume setting on a Mac? It is in System Settings → Sound, under Input. Select an input device in the list and the input volume slider applies to that device. ### How do I change which microphone my Mac uses? Open System Settings → Sound, click Input, and select the device you want in the list of sound input devices. All sound input devices available to your Mac are listed there. ### Why is my microphone so quiet on my Mac? The most common causes are the wrong input device being selected, a low input volume slider, and sitting too far from the microphone. Check all three in System Settings → Sound → Input. ### Why can I not change the input volume on my Mac? Some devices set their own level. Apple’s help for macOS Sequoia 15 says you cannot adjust the input volume for a digital input device with your computer’s controls and must adjust it from its source. ### Why does the microphone indicator appear when I open Sound settings? Apple says the Recording Indicator turns on when you access the Input options in Sound settings. It shows that the microphone is in use or was used recently. ## Guides that use it - [Mac dictation not working](https://flit.fyi/mac-dictation-not-working) - [Dictating with AirPods on a Mac](https://flit.fyi/airpods-dictation-mac) - [Superwhisper not working](https://flit.fyi/superwhisper-not-working) ## Related terms - [Voice activity detection](https://flit.fyi/glossary/voice-activity-detection) - [Dictation](https://flit.fyi/glossary/dictation) - [Word error rate](https://flit.fyi/glossary/word-error-rate) - [Speech-to-text](https://flit.fyi/glossary/speech-to-text) ## Your voice was always faster. 7 days free, then $19 USD once. 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