Skype operates with a computer microphone
Skype, according to its official website, is responsible for 8 percent of international calls as of 2010. Skype's popularity is based on the prospect of free video calling accounts and its easy interface, provided you have a working microphone and camera. If for some reason the microphone is muted, none of this is as effective as it could be. The unmuting process requires a few changes in the audio program of your computer or Skype service.
Instructions
Adjusting the mic setting
1. Open the My Computer window from the "Start" menu.
2. Select "Control Panel." It is usually located on the right side of the window.
3. Open the Sounds and Audio Devices window. The icon will be a grey speaker.
4. Select the "Voice" tab from the "Properties" menu. This will open a window that displays controls for voice playback and voice recording. Go to the voice recording section.
5. Select the appropriate microphone from the pull-down menu. If you have a Web camera with an integrated microphone, choose the "USB camera" option. If you have a high-quality microphone that you would rather use, select that microphone. If the microphone you want is not listed as an option, you may need to consult the manual to install its special drivers.
6. Press the volume button underneath the voice recording menu. This will pull up a sliding volume adjustment.
7. Set the volume bar at an appropriate level. The "Mute All" box in the bottom left corner must be left unchecked.
8. Press the "Test Hardware" button underneath the voice recording menu. This will pull up the Sound Hardware Test Wizard.
9. Click through the prompts and test the microphone. Check whether or not the volume is appropriate and adjust accordingly by repeating Step 7.
Un-muting through Skype
10. Sign into Skype.
11. Select "Options" from the tools menu.
12. Select "Audio Setting" from the toolbar on the right side of the window. This will pull up settings for the microphone, as well as the speakers and the ringer.
13. Select "Windows Default Device" from the microphone pull-down menu. This will ensure that the program is using the microphone and the settings you established in the previous section. There will also be a green sound meter that should register any sounds you make. If the green bar generally hits around the middle, the microphone is at a proper volume.
14. Highlight a name from the contacts list and press the green call button. Skype will commence ringing and pull up a separate call screen. There is a small icon at the bottom of this screen of a microphone with a slash through it. Press this button to toggle mute and un-mute for the microphone. If the microphone is still muted, a small message at the bottom of the call screen will notify you.
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