It’s almost impossible to use your laptop without a working mic. Think about virtual meetings on Zoom or playing online games.
All these require a working mic. If your Acer Predator Helios 300 mic is not working, this guide can help fix it.
Why is My Acer Predator Helios 300 Mic Not Working?
It could be any number of issues. These include:
- Restricted access to microphone
- Wrong input settings
- Disabled microphone driver
- Too many apps open simultaneously
- Malfunctioning hardware
- Low microphone input settings
How to Fix Acer Predator Helios 300 Microphone Array Not Working?
Before you attempt any of the fixes discussed below, reboot your laptop.
Sometimes, the problem is a temporary issue that you can fix by rebooting your Acer Predator Helios 300.
If the reboot doesn’t help, try these fixes:
Allow Access To Microphone
Your microphone likely isn’t working because you’ve restricted the apps that can access it.
Microsoft added this privacy feature in 2019 to grant users more control over how apps use microphones.
Adding the feature ensured that restricted apps couldn’t access the microphone. The downside to this privacy feature isn’t it could be restricting apps without your knowledge.
Allowing these apps to access the microphone could fix your issue.
To allow access, follow these steps:
- Open Settings app
- Select Privacy then Microphone
- Scroll down to app permissions and select Microphone
- An easier route would be to search for microphone privacy settings on the search bar
- Click Change to check whether access is turned off. If it’s off, turn it on
- Scroll down and change access settings for apps that you use and don’t have access to the microphone
Disable and Re-enable Microphone Driver
If the above changes haven’t fixed it and your microphone isn’t working, consider disabling and enabling the microphone driver.
- Open Device Manager app
- Scroll down to the option Sound, video, and game controllers
- Expand it and select your microphone driver
- Right-click and select disable device
- Give it several seconds to a minute and then enable the device
If it doesn’t work, repeat the procedure for the microphone drivers.
Check Sound Settings
Assuming that the options above didn’t work, try checking the sound settings.
- Open Settings> System> Sound
- Search for input options. Under input, you can choose your input device
- Select the microphone you use
Once done, speak into the microphone to test its functionality. The bar should be moving from left to right and vice versa. If there is no movement, open the Settings app, select Update & security. Open troubleshooting and select additional troubleshooters.
Search and select ‘Find and fix other problems. Expand recording audio and select ‘Run the troubleshooter
Windows will look for issues and attempt to fix them.
Adjust Microphone Settings in Apps
If you’re playing games or attending virtual meetings, the microphone issue can be resolved by adjusting the settings in these apps.
In some cases, your microphone might be working fine but is being hindered by the low input volume. Tweaking the microphone settings in the apps should fix this.
If you’re playing games on your Acer Predator Helios 300, open game settings and adjust the microphone options.
Most games will have options to increase or reduce microphone input volume. Try tweaking the volume button to test if anything changes.
Similarly, you can test input volume settings on chat apps such as Zoom, Skype, etc. Click on the gear icon to open the settings if you’re using Zoom.
Open the audio tab and search for microphone settings. Adjust the input level and test the mic. If that works, you can also automatically adjust microphone volume so that Zoom does it intuitively.
Troubleshoot Microphone Hardware
Have you considered that the issue could be your microphone hardware? Confirm that the hardware is functioning by unplugging the USB mic from its port and plugging it into another port.
If it works, the first port is likely dead.
This also applies to analog microphones. Confirm that it’s plugged into the right port and that there are no loose parts. If your setup has damaged cords, replace them to eliminate issues such as cutting out.
Final Thoughts
Once you’re done applying the fixes, don’t forget to close any apps that aren’t in use. Too many apps open simultaneously can affect the microphone causing it to malfunction.
