Microphone for notebook HP envy stopped working. All drivers and software is updated by MS support.

[Alok74]

HP ENVY microphone suddenly stopped working. The function f8 mute key sometimes comes on and cannot be put off until the laptop is restarted. MS support spent hours updating the drivers and even reloaded the windows 11. Their team checked all settings and finally suggested to ask for HP support. I have not been able to schedule an onsite repair yet. Norton Antivirus was also uninstalled but problem is not gone. Could it be a hardware problem.

[Sneha_01]

Hi @Alok74 

Welcome to HP Support Community.

Thank you for posting your query, I will be glad to help you.

It sounds like you've already done a lot of troubleshooting, including updating drivers and even reinstalling Windows 11, so it's understandable that you're getting frustrated.

Since you've ruled out software issues with MS Support, here are a few things to check to help determine if it's a hardware issue or something else that could be causing your microphone problem:

1. Check Audio Settings

• Double-check that your microphone is set as the default device:
  1. Right-click the sound icon in the taskbar and choose Sounds.
  2. Go to the Recording tab.
  3. Right-click on the microphone and select Set as Default Device (if it isn’t already).
  4. Test the microphone again to see if it picks up sound.

2. Test with Sound Settings

• Test if your microphone is being recognized at all by the system:
  1. Right-click the sound icon and select Open Sound Settings.
  2. Under Input, check if the microphone is listed and if the volume is set high enough.
  3. Under Device Properties, make sure the microphone is enabled.
  4. You can also click Troubleshoot to see if Windows detects any issues.

3. Check for Physical Blockages or Connections

• Since the F8 mute key seems to sometimes toggle the microphone on/off, check if there are any physical obstructions (like dust or dirt) around the microphone area on your HP ENVY. Sometimes, the mic can get blocked, or there may be a loose internal connection.
• If you're using an external microphone, try it on another device to confirm it’s working. If the external mic is functional, this points more toward a problem with your laptop's internal mic.

4. Check HP Audio Drivers and Software

• Ensure that you have the latest HP Audio drivers installed:
  1. Visit the HP support page for your HP ENVY model.
  2. Download and install the latest Audio Driver or Conexant Audio drivers (depending on your model).
• Reinstalling these drivers (even though MS updated them) may help resolve any specific issues that are unique to HP laptops.

5. Check the Keyboard Mute Button (F8)

• You mentioned the F8 key sometimes activates the mute function. It could be that the mute button or related keyboard software is malfunctioning. Try the following:
  1. Disable the keyboard hotkeys temporarily in Windows Mobility Center or through the HP Quick Launch Buttons software (if installed).
  2. Check if this resolves the mute issue and the microphone starts working again.

6. Try the Microphone in Safe Mode

• Boot your laptop into Safe Mode to eliminate any potential conflicts from third-party apps:
  1. Hold Shift and click Restart from the Start menu.
  2. When the recovery options appear, select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings, then click Restart.
  3. In Safe Mode, test your microphone again. If it works here, it could indicate a third-party software conflict.

I hope this helps.

Take care and have a good day.

Please mark this post as “Accepted Solution” if the issue is resolved and if you feel this reply was helpful click “Yes”.

Rachel571

HP Support