Microphone · not the speaker
You hear them fine. They can't hear you.
That's a microphone problem, not a speaker one — a different opening, usually blocked by the same dust and lint. Clear it, then test it before you trust it on your next call.
- Dust Buster clears the mic grille
- Record & playback confirms it worked
- Nothing uploaded — stays in your browser
Find the small microphone hole — usually on the bottom edge — and hold it face-down over a cloth.
Mic test
Records 3 seconds of audio and plays it straight back, so you can hear what your mic actually picks up.
Speaker problem or mic problem?
They're easy to confuse because both show up as "bad call quality." The test is simple: if you can't hear them, it's your speaker or earpiece. If they can't hear you, it's your microphone.
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1
Find the mic hole
Usually a pinhole on the bottom edge near the charging port, sometimes a second one on the back near the camera.
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2
Run Dust Buster
The 3,000–9,000 Hz sweep vibrates surface dust and lint out of the opening.
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3
Wipe gently
A soft, dry microfiber cloth over the opening picks up whatever the sweep loosened.
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4
Record and confirm
Use the Mic Test panel above — don't rely on a call to find out, test it privately first.
Case covering the mic?
Before assuming it's dust, check whether a phone case's cutout lines up with the mic hole. Misaligned cutouts on cheaper cases are a common, completely unrelated cause of muffled calls.
If it's your earpiece instead
If people can hear you fine but you can't hear them, the problem is on the other side of the call — see the call speaker & earpiece cleaner instead.
Mic cleaning questions
Can sound clean my microphone?
Dust Buster's high-frequency sweep vibrates the mic grille the same way it vibrates a speaker grille, which can loosen surface dust and lint. It can't remove anything lodged inside the housing itself.
How do I test if my microphone still works?
Use the Mic Test panel on this page — it records 3 seconds through your microphone and plays it back immediately, so you hear exactly what a call partner would hear.
Why does my voice sound muffled or quiet to other people?
Most often a blocked mic grille — usually a small hole on the bottom edge or back of the phone. Also check that a case isn't partially covering the opening.
Does this use my microphone recording for anything else?
No. The test recording stays in your browser, plays back locally, and is discarded when you leave the page. Nothing is uploaded.