- The most common cause of microphone issues in VMWare is incorrect audio settings in the virtual machine configuration, not a hardware problem with your microphone.
- Reinstalling or updating VMware Tools is often the fastest solution, as it ensures proper hardware integration including audio input devices.
- If another application on the host system is actively using your microphone, VMware may not be able to pass it to the virtual machine, so close conflicting applications first.
- You may need to manually enable permissions for the virtual machine.
Not getting any sound in VMware can be a nuisance to troubleshoot because it can stem from either yours or the remote system’s settings. The good news is that most attempts on how to fix malfunctioning microphone in VMWare will usually deal with both problems or completely reset it.
Fix 1: How to Fix Malfunctioning Microphone in VMware Settings
VMware Workstation allows you to manually connect audio input devices to the virtual machine. If the microphone is not enabled in the virtual machine settings, it will not work inside the guest operating system regardless of whether the device is connected to your host system.
Step 1. Go to VMWare Workstation and power off the virtual machine you’re troubleshooting.
Step 2. Select the virtual machine and click on “Edit virtual machine settings” from the context menu.
Step 3. In the settings window, locate and click on the “Sound Card” option in the hardware list on the left side.
Step 4. Make sure that the “Connect at power on” checkbox is enabled.
Step 5. Check the “Use default host sound card” option in the menu, which will use your host system’s audio devices.
Step 6. Click “OK” to save the settings.
Step 7. Power on the virtual machine again.
Fix 2: Check the Internal Sound Settings in the Virtual Operating System
Even when the microphone is properly enabled in VMware, the guest operating system itself may be using the wrong input device or the volume may be too low.
Step 1. Start your virtual machine and log in to the system.
Step 2. Open the Sound settings within the guest operating system. For Windows systems, you can access this by right-clicking the speaker icon in the system tray and selecting “Sound settings” or by navigating to Settings > System > Sound.
Step 3. In the Sound settings window, locate the “Input” or “Recording” section.
Step 4. Select the correct microphone device from the list. It will be displayed as “Microphone Array” or the default audio input device.
Step 5. Turn up the input volume slider if needed.
Step 6. Test the microphone using the built-in test feature.
Fix 3: Install or Update VMware Tools
Without updated VMware Tools, microphone functionality may not work correctly or at all.
Step 1. Ensure your virtual machine is powered on and you are logged in to the guest operating system.
Step 2. In the VMware Workstation menu bar, click on “VM” at the top of the window.
Step 3. In the dropdown menu, select “Install VMware Tools” or “Reinstall VMware Tools,” depending on which option you get.
If you see an “Install” option, the installer will typically launch automatically inside the guest operating system. Follow the on-screen prompts to complete the installation. For the “Reinstall” option, this will overwrite the existing installation with the latest version, which can resolve compatibility issues and audio problems.
Step 4. Accept all default settings unless you want to customize other settings.
Step 5. Restart the virtual machine.
Fix 4: Enable Microphone Permissions in Privacy Settings
Modern operating systems including Windows 11 might block microphone access by default as a security and privacy measure.
Step 1. Inside the guest operating system, go to Settings.
Step 2. Navigate to the “Privacy” or “Privacy & security” section, depending on your Windows version.
Step 3. Scroll down and select “Microphone” from the list of available permissions.
Step 4. You should see a toggle switch at the top labeled “Microphone access for this device.” Ensure this toggle is set to “On.”
Step 5. Below the main toggle, you will see a list of individual applications. Locate the specific application you are trying to use (such as Zoom, Teams, or a recording application) and ensure its toggle is also turned “On.”
Step 6. If the application is not listed, scroll down and click “Add an app” or “Allow apps to access your microphone” to add it manually.
Step 7. Close the Settings window and test your microphone with the application to verify access has been properly granted.
Fix 5: Restart Audio Services in the Virtual Machine
Audio services inside the virtual machine can fail to start correctly or become unresponsive, preventing the microphone from functioning. You may need to restart them.
Step 1. Inside the guest operating system, press “Win + R” to open the Run dialog.
Step 2. Enter “services.msc” into the text field to open the Services management console.
Step 3. In the Services window, locate “Windows Audio” in the list of services. This is the primary service that handles audio functionality.
Step 4. Right-click on “Windows Audio” and select “Restart” from the context menu.
Step 5. Locate “Windows Audio Endpoint Builder” in the same services list and restart it as well.
