My mac's mic is broken.

Plux2 Said:

”My mac's mic is broken.: Hi. I got a 2012 15 inch Macbook Pro over 2020 Christmas as a hand-me-down. It was working fine other than the fact that we had to replace the hard drive 3 times for reasons I do not know. Anyways, a few months after we fixed the hard drive the final time the microphone stopped working.[...]”

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So, try the following, in the order provided.

First, Create a Time Machine Backup;

Start by creating a Time Machine backup of your Mac, so that you can have something to restore your Mac from, should anything go wrong with the reinstall. Go Here: Back up your Mac with Time Machine - Apple Support

Next...

• Scan for Malware:

Start with running a scan for malware, using Malwarebytes for Mac and remove what is found.

Next...

• Reset your SMC and your NVRAM:

Sometimes changes are made to the system and then settings (i.e. for the microphone) become manipulated, technically. So, reset both on your Mac. 

Next...

• Create a New User, and See if that Works.

If so, then it is something installed/configured on your current user that should not be. So, transfer everything over to the new user, and then trash user. You should be good from there

Next...

• Boot into Safe Mode:

Hold Down the Shift Key upon boot. Once at the login screen, release shift. See if it all now works. In Safe Mode, only necessary items load (i.e. the caches), and new preferences are set aside.

If nothing above works, then...

• Reinstall the macOS:

Nothing would be lost, it's just that sometimes changes are made to your system, and then then processes become corrupted, technically. When reinstalling, deleted files are reinstalled, and misplaced files are moved back to where they should be. Go Here: How to reinstall macOS from macOS Recovery - Apple Support.

Back up your Mac Prior to the Reinstall:

Are you Concerned of Losing Data?:

• If not, just move ahead and erase the disk and then install the macOS.
• If so, then first backup your macOS, using the methods I mentioned above.

Plux2 Said:

"This was helpful but it did not solve my problem, I tried everything except for creating a time machine backup and reinstalling the macOS because I do not have an external storage device at the moment and nothing worked. I will take it into the shop as soon as I get the chance. Thanks."

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You are welcome.

Perhaps this is a Faulty Device?

--

As for the Hard Drive:

Get and external one that is at least twice the stage capacity. That way, you can make multiple backups of your Mac.

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As for "Taking it into the Shop":

• What is model of your Mac?

How to find out. Enter your Serial Number Here: Check Your Service and Support Coverage - Apple Support. Or, Go to: Apple Menu > Select: About this Mac.. > View: the Third Line-Down. If less than one year old, not that you have a one-year limited warranty. And, if you have an Apple Care Protection with this, then this would be covered. So, go here, interring you Serial Number, seeing if it is elide for coverage:

• Apple Send-In Service:

At the moment, with the Coronavirus Pandemic, Apple Stores are closed at the moment. So, Send-In Service is what is available. So, have Apple take this in through Send-In Service. They will send you a box; you would ship it out to Apple; their engineers would look at it; and the would send it back to you.

Apple Support Contact Information:

• Contact Us - Choose Locations
• USA: 1(800)MY-APPLE
• Proceed from there as Necessary

IMPORTANT:

• Just Stay on the Line:

Wait for someone to answer. With this Coronavirus Pandemic, lots are at home and kids are playing games. Perhaps, affecting the ratio of Apple customers:reps (more customers calling Apple than usual, now that they have the time to do so)

• Why it is Taking a Few:

Note that Calls seem to be taking much longer than normal to get an Apple Rep to answer the call. And that makes sense, because many are at home at the moment (due to the Coronavirus Pandemic), hence they have more free time on their hands for a chance to call Apple Support.

Perhaps this is a Faulty Device?

"I put in my serial number and because it is a 2012 Macbook Pro, I do not have a warranty. I have a local shop that I can take it into as soon as the COVID-19 pandemic has come to an end. I also can send it in to apple repair. It seems that nobody has had this problem and I have a hard time explaining what is wrong. I have never seen this happen before. Thank you as always."

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You are Most Welcome!

Getting this Serviced:

You can always wait until this is all over. But, taking it to the local shop seems the best way, if you do not want to purchase a hard drive at the moment. Apple might or might not take it in - but that's their call :)

What Hard Drive to Get:

Get a hard drive that is external, is of SSD (Solid State Drive) type, and is Apple-compatible. Note that it would be most important to just reformat the hard drive to APFS format, rather than use the builtin backup software. Use Disk Utilities to format it. But, if that it far too much, then just put the hard drive aside and, just take it to a shop or send it in to Apple, if an option.

Go Here:

1. Erase and Reformat a Storage Device - Apple Support
2. Choose a File System Format - Apple Support (Use APFS)

Where to Get a Hard Drive:

Check a local Retailer who's store is open for business. Such a retailer would be considered an "Essential Business". So, look one up on the Web, and see if they are open. If any retailer, I would expect such a business most likely not to be open is one that sells just electronic items (which is why an Apple Stores are closed for the time-being). But, one that would be considered an Essential Business, would be one that sells cleaning supplies and the like (along with hard drives). For soliciting purposes, I won't name any stores, but catch my drift?

Good Luck - Let us know how it all works out!

Edit:

If this is less than one-year old, then you have a one-year limited warranty. And, if you have an AppleCare Protection with this, then this would be covered past the one-year -- if it is a faulty device. So, go here, entering your Serial Number, seeing if it is eligible for coverage

You should probably take it in to an Apple Store or an authorized repair shop so they can further examine the issue with your internal mic. That would be my suggestion, hope this helps.