MotionShine01 / Level
Peaks in the green
When you talk at your normal volume, the peak marker should sit roughly between -18 and -6 dB. Lower than that and your voice will sound thin next to other sound.
Free tool
Mic test, before you hit record.
Press start, allow the microphone and speak. The meter shows how loud you are, holds the peak and lights up red when the sound clips. Check how noisy the room is, record a take and listen back, and try the browser's noise suppression and echo cancellation on and off. Nothing leaves this tab.
No microphone yetClip
-∞Press Start and say something.
Record and listen
Up to 60 seconds. Press again to stop.
Room noise
Browser sound settings
Your microphone is used only in this tab. Takes are kept in memory and are gone when you close the page.
Reading the meter
Loud enough, never red.
02 / Clipping
No red light
The Clip light means the sound reached the top of the scale and was cut flat. That crackle cannot be fixed later, so lower the input volume or move back a little.
03 / Noise
A quiet room
The noise check measures the room while you are silent. The bigger the gap between your voice and the room, the cleaner the recording.
Questions
Good to know.
Is my voice recorded or uploaded?
No. The meter is drawn in this tab and nothing is sent to a server. A take you record stays in your browser's memory until you close the page, unless you download it.
Why does my microphone not show up?
The browser needs permission. Click the icon in the address bar and allow the microphone. On a Mac, also open System Settings, then Privacy & Security, then Microphone, and switch your browser on.
The meter does not move. What now?
Pick the right microphone in the list and check that it is not muted. On a Mac, open System Settings, then Sound, then Input, choose the microphone there and raise the input volume while you speak.
What do noise suppression and echo cancellation do?
They are the browser's own clean-up for calls. Noise suppression lowers steady sounds such as fans, echo cancellation stops your speakers coming back through the mic, and automatic volume evens out loud and quiet speech. Turn them off and record a take to hear your microphone as it really is. Apps like Zoom and screen recorders use their own settings.
What is a good background noise level?
Quieter is better. As a rough guide, a room below about -60 dB on this meter is quiet, and above about -45 dB you will hear the room behind your voice. The numbers depend on your microphone and its input volume, so compare rooms with the same settings.
Can I test my camera too?
Yes, on the webcam test, which shows the camera picture next to a simple level bar.