How to Prevent Your Browser from Automatically Adjusting Microphone Levels

Many of us have faced the issue of fluctuating microphone levels during online meetings, webinars, or even while streaming content. This can be frustrating and detract from effective communication. The culprit is often a feature found in modern web browsers called “Allow WebRTC to adjust the input volume.” In this blog post, we’ll delve into what this feature is, why it might be problematic, and how you can disable it to maintain consistent audio levels.

Understanding WebRTC and Its Impact on Audio Input

WebRTC (Web Real-Time Communication) is a technology that enables web applications and sites to capture and optionally stream audio and/or video media, as well as to exchange arbitrary data between browsers without requiring an intermediary. While WebRTC is crucial for real-time communication apps like Google Meet, Skype, or Zoom, it comes with certain default settings that might not be ideal for everyone.

One of these settings is the automatic adjustment of microphone input levels. This feature is intended to normalize the audio input so that all participants can hear each other at similar volumes. However, it can lead to issues where the microphone volume is constantly being adjusted by the browser, sometimes resulting in audio that is either too low or unexpectedly loud.

Why You Might Want to Disable This Feature

Disabling the automatic microphone adjustment feature can lead to a more consistent and professional audio experience, especially in controlled environments where background noise is minimal. Here are a few reasons to consider turning this feature off:

• Professional Audio Needs: For podcasters, streamers, and audio professionals, consistent sound levels are crucial.
• Controlled Environment: If your recording environment is already optimized for sound, automatic adjustments can be more disruptive than helpful.
• Personal Preference: Some users simply prefer to have complete control over their audio settings without any automatic modifications.

How to Disable Automatic Microphone Adjustment in Various Browsers

Here’s a step-by-step guide to disabling the Automatic Gain Control in some of the most popular web browsers:

Google Chrome

1. Open Chrome and navigate to the URL chrome://flags/.
2. In the search bar at the top, type “Allow WebRTC to adjust the input volume”.
3. Set this flag to ‘Disabled’.
4. Restart Chrome to apply the changes.

Mozilla Firefox

1. Open Firefox and type about:config in the address bar.
2. You might need to accept a warning to proceed with changes as they can impact browser performance.
3. Search for “media.getusermedia.aec_enabled”.
4. Double-click on the preference to set its value to false.
5. This should disable the automatic volume control. Restart Firefox if necessary.

Microsoft Edge

1. Open Chrome and navigate to the URL chrome://flags/.
2. In the search bar at the top, type “Allow WebRTC to adjust the input volume”.
3. Set this flag to ‘Disabled’.
4. Restart Edge to ensure changes take effect.

Conclusion

By taking control of your browser settings, you can ensure a more stable and predictable microphone volume, enhancing your audio output’s quality. While the automatic volume adjustment feature is beneficial for general use, professional and semi-professional users will find a manual setup more reliable. Always test your settings in various scenarios to find what works best for you.

Hopefully, this guide helps you maintain consistent microphone levels for all your online interactions. If you have tips or experiences to share about managing microphone settings, feel free to contribute in the comments below. Happy broadcasting!