Integrated Microphone not working on Swift 3 (SF314-52).

Model Swift 3 (SF314-52). Windows 10 Pro 22H2, fully updated. All drivers installed from Acer site. Device Manager shows all good, no problems, no orphaned or duplicate devices. Apps have microphone permission. Mic volume stetting is maximum. Disabled Audio Enhancements. Default mic set to Microphone Array. Audio troubleshooter finds nothing. In Windows mic test app, integrated mic registers 0. An external earbud mic is almost zero (EXTREMELY faint). Audio output (speakers) working great. The user guide does not show a keyboard toggle for mic on/off. I am soooooo lost on this one. Anyone know of rocks I haven't looked under? Any ideas, or personal experience, would be much appreciated!

[Edited the thread to add model name to the title]

Accepted answers

JackE

I'd guess the cable simply needs to be re-seated a few times to help clean the contacts. The modules are cheap enough so you might consider replacing it if the re-seat doesn't work.

All comments

JackE

Right click speaker icon in tray.

Click open sound settings.

Click 'sound control panel' in right pane.

Click recording tab.

Right click mic array. Click properties.

Click levels tab. Push all sliders including boost to max levels.

JorgeVerde

Thank you Jack. Already turned up full, including the "microphone boost" slider. Have tried newer drivers… no difference. I'm suspecting a hardware issue, as unlikely as that seems. The odd thing is external mics ALMOST work (extremely faint) and the integrated ones do nothing. Thanks again.

JackE

Device Manager shows all good, no problems, no orphaned or duplicate devices

Uninstall realtek audio drivers. Exit Device Manager without trying to re-install anything. Shut windows down normally. Wait a minute or so. Turn machine back on and let Windows auto detect the hardware and auto re-install fresh copies of the audio drivers.

JorgeVerde

I did as you suggested. The drivers reinstalled after reboot. Rechecked all settings (volume, permissions, etc) and they hadn't changed. Tested, still the same.

JackE

Windows 10 Pro 22H2, fully updated.

Did the mic ever work under Win10Pro?

JorgeVerde

I'm working through this issue on a relative's laptop and she says, yes, she was regularly using the mic. It was Win 10 Home, but that should not matter. I also installed Win11 just to see, and it was the same story there. Between 10 Home and Pro, I'm quite sure device drivers are identical. BUT… something I JUST NOW discovered is that the webcam is NOT being detected. I looked it up and sure enough, the camera and mics are on the same module! So it's now looking (to me) like a hardware issue. Either the module, or the cable to it. Sound right?

module.jpg

JackE

> > It was Win 10 Home, but that should not matter. > >

Go to this link , download and try installing the audio, chipset & i/o drivers.

JorgeVerde

Thanks Jack. I've installed all of those drivers from that Acer page several times, as well as trying newer versions. No drivers, and no settings make any difference. I'm now convinced, in light of the camera not being detected at all, that it's either the module or the cable. Thanks for your research!

Joe9844

Or that the Webcam is disabled by BIOS or by a physical Webcam kill button in the laptop keyboard.

JorgeVerde

Scoured the BIOS carefully… no webcam ON/OFF option. Not even listed in BIOS. No keyboard toggle either (no camera symbol and no reference in the user manual).

FnKeys1.jpg

William_mk2

@JorgeVerde

Sometimes a simple system restore will fix the issue..

Try windows x
click on power shell admin or command prompt admin or Terminal admin
type rstrui
chose an earlier date on which your computer was working fine
click on next, finish, yes
It will restore your computer to an earlier date
if you get an message - system restore not completed - click on close
It will show you all the icons..
Try and check whether it is working now ..

William_mk2

@JorgeVerde

Open chrome

go to google.com - you will see the google search

click on the microphone on google search - Say Hello

If the computer looks for hello then microphone is working

If it is not working - go to settings on top right corner - privacy and security and site settings

Go to site site settings and enable the microphone and then try the same steps again

You can also run the voice recorder and try to record your voice and play it

It it is working then microphone is working fine

William_mk2

@@JorgeVerde

If you dont want to reinstall windows then there is option to try the external usb microphone and external usb camera. Please check whether it is working fine through the external devices.

JorgeVerde

Thanks William. Now concluded it is not a software, BIOS, driver, settings or Windows issue. Reinstalled Windows fresh and updated everything (drivers, etc) 3 times. It is hardware. Time to replace faulty module or cable.

JackE

> > It was Win 10 Home, but that should not matter. > >

Shouldn't. But often does. System libraries for MS generic Win10Pro, Win11 or even generic Win10Home versions aren't the same as the original Acer OEM Win10Home version. The proprietary drivers are specifically written for and depend on the libraries in Acer OEM version.

Accordingly, one of the better ways to rule in/out hardware issues are an OEM factory system reset. Unfortunately, the hidden OEM recovery partition is usually rendered inaccessible after installing another Windows version. So if a USB image wasn't created before installing a non-OEM version, a factory reset usually fails. But you can still try by the Acer Alt+F10 cold boot method.

Have you tried running one of the device driver freeware tools (booster, master, etc) to see if they can even detect the hardware?

JorgeVerde

Recovery partition gone. Yes, I employed several driver updater programs. All drivers are functioning normally BUT there is no camera or webcam device listed in Device Manager. Yes, l exposed Hidden (non-present) devices and it does not exist. There are no non-functioning or mystery devices. Windows Home, Windows Pro and Windows 11…. none of them detected a camera. None of them ran the microphones. Camera and microphone are a part of ONE MODULE. That module, or it's cable, are toast. I will see if a USB webcam replaces this functionality. If not , I will use as a non-camera, non-microphone laptop. Thank you everyone for your help! Greatly appreciated.