5 Free Tools That Make Laptop Microphone Quality Sound Professional

Microphones equipped in most laptops are good enough for basic use, but the audio quality might not always be the best. Several factors, such as background noise, echo, and unclear voice, can hamper your online meetings, voice recordings, and video calls.

However, users do not need an external microphone because there are several free tools available that can reduce background noise, make voices sound clearer, and improve the overall microphone quality using the laptop's inbuilt microphone.

In this guide, we have listed some free tools that can help make your laptop microphone sound more professional without spending any money. Check them out.

Why It Matters

It is worth noting that good microphone quality is important for online meetings, voice recordings, and video calls. While the inbuilt microphone on most laptops is enough for basic use, background noise and poor audio quality can make it difficult for others to hear users clearly.

Free Microphone Tools for Windows Laptops

1. Krisp

Krisp is a free tool that helps reduce background noise from the laptop's inbuilt microphone. It works with popular apps such as Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, and many other calling and recording applications.

Using this tool can help make the user's voice sound clearer by reducing fan noise, keyboard sounds, traffic, and other background noise. The free version offers up to 60 minutes of noise cancellation per day, which is enough for regular meetings and short voice recordings.

How to use it:

• Download Krisp from its official website.

• Install the software and create a free account.

• Open the calling or recording app.

• Select Krisp as the microphone input.

2. NVIDIA Broadcast

NVIDIA Broadcast is a free tool for users with a compatible NVIDIA RTX graphics card, such as the RTX 2060 or newer. It uses AI to reduce background noise, room echo, and other unwanted sounds from the laptop's inbuilt microphone.

It is useful for users who regularly attend online meetings, record videos, or create other content from their laptops. While the audio features do not use many system resources, running the AI on the graphics card can increase power usage and laptop temperatures. It may also slightly affect performance if users are gaming or running other heavy applications at the same time.

How to use it:

• Download NVIDIA Broadcast from the official NVIDIA website.

• Install the application on the laptop.

• Open the calling or recording app.

• Select NVIDIA Broadcast as the microphone input.

3. Adobe Podcast Enhance Speech

Adobe Podcast Enhance Speech is an online tool that uses AI to improve the quality of recorded voice audio. It helps reduce background noise, echo, and muffled sound, making recordings from the laptop's inbuilt microphone much clearer.

It is useful for users who record podcasts, voiceovers, lectures, or meeting notes. Users only need to upload the recorded audio file, and the tool processes it in the browser without requiring any software installation. The free plan supports audio files up to 30 minutes long and allows up to 1 hour of audio enhancement per day.

How to use it:

• Go to the Adobe Podcast Enhance Speech website.

• Upload the recorded audio file.

• Click Enhance.

• Download the improved audio file after the processing is complete.

4. Voicemeeter

Voicemeeter is a free virtual audio mixer that works between the laptop microphone and apps such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Discord, and OBS. It allows users to control their microphone audio using features such as a Noise Gate, Compressor, and Equalizer. The Noise Gate helps reduce background noise when users are not speaking, while the other controls can improve the overall microphone quality.

This tool is useful for users who want more control over their microphone audio. It is worth noting that the standard free versions, including Voicemeeter and Voicemeeter Banana, do not include advanced real-time AI noise removal while speaking. However, the Noise Gate can still help reduce constant background sounds. Voicemeeter is available as donationware for personal use.

How to use it:

• Download Voicemeeter from the official VB-Audio website.

• Install the software on the laptop.

• Set the laptop microphone as the hardware input.

• Select Voicemeeter as the microphone in the calling or recording app.

• Adjust the Noise Gate, Compressor, and Equalizer settings to improve the microphone quality.

5. Equalizer APO

Equalizer APO is a free and open-source tool that works system-wide on Windows. It allows users to apply equalizer settings, filters, and VST plugins to the laptop microphone in real time. This can help improve voice clarity and reduce unwanted frequencies.

This tool is useful for users who want more control over their microphone audio. It is worth noting that Equalizer APO works only on Windows, and users must run the Configurator during setup to enable it for the specific microphone. Many users also install the free Peace Equalizer interface because it makes adjusting the settings much easier than the default interface.

How to use it:

• Download Equalizer APO from its official SourceForge page.

• Install the software and run the Configurator to enable it for the laptop microphone.

• Optionally install the free Peace Equalizer interface for easier controls.

• Add equalizer adjustments or free VST noise filters to improve the microphone quality.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Next Steps

Improving your laptop microphone quality is only one part of getting better audio during online meetings and recordings. You can also read our guides on choosing the right laptop bag and cleaning and maintaining your laptop bag.

Along with that, there are easy to understand guides on when to repair or replace a laptop, how to extend your laptop's lifespan, set up a new laptop correctly, and improve your device's security with free antivirus tools and essential security tips.

And if you're thinking about replacing your current device, don't miss our picks for the best convertible,  business, gaming, creator, and travel-friendly laptops, along with our MacBook Air vs Windows ultrabooks comparison.

Disclaimer: This article is for general informational purposes only. The availability of features, free plans, and system requirements may change over time and can vary depending on the software version, operating system, and device. Always download software from the official website and review the system requirements before installing or using any tool.