Microphone Not Working On Duolingo? Follow These 5 Steps

Are you having trouble practicing your speaking skills because your microphone isn’t working on Duolingo?

Sadly, I’ve been there too. I know how frustrating it can be to have this happen, especially when you’re trying to finish a lesson.

If I told you how many people struggle with this issue daily, you wouldn’t believe me. But the good news is that with the help of this article, you’ll be able to leave this situation in the past.

If your microphone isn’t working on Duolingo, try these 5 simple fixes: Close other apps that may be using your microphone and check your permissions and headphones. You can also try updating Duolingo or reinstalling it.

Keep reading to use your microphone on Duolingo!

#1 Close Other Apps

Duolingo’s speaking exercises allow us to improve our pronunciation skills and learn how to put new words into phrases.

However, not being able to complete your lessons because your microphone isn’t working can be super annoying.

Luckily, as simple as it seems, this issue can be easily fixed by closing any other apps that may be using your microphone.

Follow these quick steps to do it:

iPhone and iPad:

1. Go to the home screen and swipe up from the bottom of the screen and pause in the middle of the screen. If you have an iPhone or iPad with a home button, you’ll need to double-click it.
2. Swipe right or left to find the apps that may be using your microphone.
3. Swipe up on them.

Android:

1. Open the Settings menu and go to “Apps & Notifications”.
2. Select the apps that may be using your microphone and tap on “Force Stop”.

Windows PC:

1. Open the Task Manager.
2. Select the apps that may be using your microphone.
3. Click on “End Task”.

If you’re using a browser to learn a new language, please close any other tabs. But, assuming that didn’t work, try changing your browser or installing the app on your phone or tablet.

Once you’ve completed the steps above, I recommend restarting your device and launching Duolingo again.

#2 Check Your Permissions

If closing other apps that may be using your microphone didn’t do the trick, it’s time for us to check your permissions.

You see, you won’t be able to use your microphone on Duolingo if your device’s settings are too strict.

But the good news is that this issue can be easily fixed by enabling your microphone on your privacy settings. Follow these simple instructions to do it:

Android:

1. Open the Settings menu and go to “Apps & Notifications”.
2. Tap on “App Permissions”.
3. Go to “Microphone” and turn on the switch next to Duolingo.

This process may vary depending on your phone’s model.

iPhone and iPad:

1. Go to the Settings menu and tap on “Privacy”.
2. Select “Microphone” and turn on the switch next to “Duolingo”.

Windows PC:

1. Go to the Settings menu.
2. Select “Privacy” and click on “Microphone”.
3. Turn on the switch under “Allow desktop apps to access your microphone”.
4. Make sure the switch next to Duolingo is turned on. If it was, turn it off and then turn it back on.

Mac:

1. Click on the Apple icon and select “System Preferences”.
2. Click on “Security & Privacy” and go to the “Privacy” tab.
3. Select “Microphone” and check the box next to Duolingo. If it was already checked, please uncheck it and check it again.

If you’re using Duolingo on Google Chrome, you’ll need to check your browser privacy settings. Follow these quick steps to do it:

1. Click on the menu (three dots) icon at the top of your screen and select Settings.
2. Go to “Privacy & Security” and click on “Site Settings”.
3. Click on “Microphone” and make sure Duolingo is allowed to use your microphone.

Once you’ve enabled your microphone, please go back to the lesson to see if the issue was fixed. If it persists, your headphones might be to blame.

Don’t worry, though. Keep reading to learn how to solve this issue.

#3 Check Your Headphones

If your microphone isn’t working on Duolingo, there’s a very good chance there’s a problem with your headphones.

The easiest way to check this is by borrowing headphones from a friend and trying them out while practicing your speaking skills. If your microphone starts working, then the answer is clear: your headphones were to blame.

Assuming that you couldn’t borrow any headphones, try refreshing your Bluetooth connection to solve the problem.

To do it, you’ll just need to go to your settings menu, select “Bluetooth”, turn it off, and then back on. You can also refresh your Bluetooth connection by unpairing your headphones and re-paring them with your device.

#4 Update Duolingo

Duolingo offers incredible features that allow us to learn a new language without the need to enroll in a course in a language school.

However, I’m sure you’ll agree with me that sometimes its performance issues can be super annoying.

But, what if I told you that most of these can be easily fixed by updating Duolingo?

You see, updates are released for a reason. They can improve your overall app’s performance and get rid of bugs that may be keeping you from using your microphone.

Try installing Duolingo’s latest version to solve the problem. Follow these simple steps to do it:

iPhone and iPad:

1. Go to the App Store.
2. Tap on your profile picture at the top of your screen.
3. Select “Update All” or search for Duolingo and tap on “Update”

Android:

1. Go to the Google Play Store and tap on your profile icon.
2. Tap on “Manage apps & device” and select “Manage”.
3. Go to Duolingo and tap on “Update”-

Windows PC:

1. Go to the Microsoft Store.
2. Select “Library” and click on “Get updates”.
3. Click on “Update all”.

Tip: If you’re using a browser, you’ll need to update it too.

Once you’ve updated Duolingo, please go back to your lesson and check if your microphone is working.

#5 Reinstall the App

If nothing has worked so far, it’s time for us to reinstall Duolingo.

You see, sometimes the errors that are keeping you from using your microphone while practicing your speaking skills won’t go away easily. When this happens, the best thing you can do is reinstall the app.

This action will restart every file within Duolingo from scratch and get rid of the troublesome code.

Follow these simple instructions to reinstall the app:

iPhone and iPad:

1. Go to the home screen. Then, press and hold Duolingo for two seconds.
2. Tap on “Remove app” and select “Delete app” to confirm the process-
3. Go to the App Store, search for Duolingo, and tap on the arrow icon to reinstall it.

Android:

1. Go to the Google Play Store and tap on your profile icon.
2. Select “Manage apps & device” and go to the “Manage” tab.
3. Search for Duolingo and tap on “Uninstall”.

Windows PC:

1. Press the Windows key on your computer and type “Duolingo”.
2. Right-click on it and select “Uninstall”.
3. A new window will pop up, please search for Duolingo and double-click on it to uninstall it.

Once you’ve uninstalled Duolingo, please go to your device’s app store (Microsoft Store, Google Play Store, or App Store) and download it again.

Tip: If Duolingo keeps freezing on you, try reinstalling it. As you noticed, this simple action can solve multiple performance issues.

Conclusion

Not being able to practice your speaking skills on Duolingo because your microphone isn’t working can be super annoying. After all, learning a new language should be fun, not stressful.

Hopefully, with the help of the 5 simple fixes above, you’ll be able to solve the issue in no time.

Remember to close other apps and check if Duolingo is allowed to use your microphone. Moreover, don’t forget to check your headphones and update the app.

Thank you so much for reading this article. If you found it helpful, please check out our site. You’ll find multiple fixes for all sorts of tech issues.

Have a wonderful day!