I suggest starting by updating your Mac laptop to the latest version of macOS Sonoma, currently 14.7.6 to see if resolves this issue.
If it already at that level, then see if the following can help:
- Go to System Settings > Sound > Input. Make sure the correct microphone is selected — typically “Internal Microphone”. Speak into it and look at the input level meter to see if it responds.
- Go to System Settings > Privacy & Security > Microphone. Make sure that FaceTime, Camera, or other relevant apps have permission to access your microphone. If they don’t, toggle them on.
- Open the Voice Memos app and try recording your voice. If it picks up audio there, the mic hardware is likely fine and it’s a software/app-specific issue.
- Reboot your Mac in Safe Mode. Ref: Use safe mode on your Mac - Apple Support This will clear cache and only load essential macOS components. Then test the microphone again. If it works in Safe Mode, it may be a third-party extension or background process interfering.
- Finally, if none of the above helps, try resetting the Mac's Core Audio. To do so, open the Terminal app, and then, enter the following command: sudo killall coreaudiod (Note: You should be prompted to enter your Mac's Administrator's password. Do so and Core Audio should restart after a moment.
