If people on a Google Meet or Zoom call can’t hear you on your Acer Chromebook even though your camera and speakers work fine, the fault is almost always a permission, input-selection, or software conflict rather than a broken microphone. Here’s the order to check things in.
1. Check site and app permissions
Go to Settings > Privacy and security > Site settings > Microphone and confirm the call app or website isn’t blocked. Browsers and Android apps each have separate microphone permissions on ChromeOS, so an app that worked yesterday can silently lose access after an update.
2. Confirm the right input device is selected
Click the status area (bottom right) and check the audio settings, or look inside the call app itself (Zoom and Meet both have a microphone dropdown in their settings). Acer Chromebooks with a headphone jack sometimes keep routing audio input to a headset that’s no longer plugged in — unplug and replug the jack, or restart the browser tab, to reset the routing.
3. Test the microphone directly
Open the Diagnostics app and run the audio test if your model supports it, or record a quick voice memo. This isolates whether the hardware itself is picking up sound at all, separate from any one app’s settings.
4. Rule out a stuck mute state
Some Acer keyboards have a dedicated mute key or use a function-row shortcut that can get toggled accidentally. Check for a small microphone-mute icon in the status area, and try the keyboard shortcut again if your model has one.
5. Restart and update
A simple restart clears most audio driver glitches. If the issue persists, check Settings > About ChromeOS for a pending update — audio driver fixes are shipped fairly often in ChromeOS point releases.
Related audio and hardware issues
If the microphone is fine but you’re also getting no sound from the speakers, or your camera isn’t working either, it’s worth checking whether a single call app is the common thread rather than three separate hardware faults. The same troubleshooting order applies to Lenovo Chromebook microphone problems and the general Chromebook microphone guide if you’re troubleshooting more than one device.
If nothing works
A microphone that fails the Diagnostics app test and stays silent after a Powerwash points to a hardware fault on the motherboard or a disconnected internal microphone cable — on most Acer Chromebooks this isn’t a user-serviceable part, so it’s worth checking your warranty status before attempting further repairs.
