Microphone not working on Mac OS Big Sur

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Level 1

9 points

Microphone not working on Mac OS Big Sur

I run Mac OS Big Sur in my MacBook Air Early 2015 model, model no. A1466.

For the past 3 months, I have been experiencing an issue of the in-built Microphone not working for programs other than Siri and Keyboard dictation. The microphone works fine for Siri and Keyboard dictation but, doesn't work for any other programs. I have checked all the required privacy settings and considered all the tricks available on the internet, and still, the problem persists.

But, my microphone works fine for other applications too, if I open System Preferences>Keyboard>Dictation in the background, and let the System Preference tab be open. But, as soon as I close the System Preferences tab my in-built microphone doesn't work again.

But, if I connect an external microphone, everything works fine, the above-mentioned problem doesn't persist.

I need a solution for this.

MacBook Air 13″, macOS 11.3

Posted on May 17, 2021 12:34 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Luis Sequeira1

Level 9

64,928 points

May 17, 2021 7:54 AM in response to gambhir253

If you don't mind my asking, why would you need uTorrent?

Regarding Tunnelbear, it appears here:

User Launch Agents:

[Not Loaded] com.adobe.GC.Invoker-1.0.plist (Adobe Systems, Inc. - installed 2021-04-24)

[Loaded] com.bittorrent.uTorrent.plist (? 0 - installed 2016-10-18)

[Running] com.tenorshare.Reiboot.agent.plist (Tenorshare Co., Ltd. - installed 2018-10-25)

[Running] com.tunnelbear.mac.tbeara.plist (TunnelBear, Inc. - installed 2018-10-12)

You can press command-shift-G in Finder, paste

~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.tunnelbear.mac.tbeara.plist

drag the file to the trash (you may have to type your password, if asked), then restart.

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Answer 2

May 17, 2021 3:11 AM in response to gambhir253

I don't see something that should cause the present problem, but you do have some old stuff, which is not needed and could be causing problems.

Kernel Extensions:

/Library/Extensions

[Not Loaded] ssuddrv.kext - com.devguru.driver.SamsungComposite (1.4.48 - SDK 10.6)

You don't need any third party disk driver, and this is extremely old (targetting Snow Leopard!).

Also, do you really need utorrent?

You also have "tunnelbear". Third party "vpn" solutions are not needed, and may create a false sense of security, in fact diminish security. You should only use VPN if you are connecting to a corporate or school network. "Public" VPN is anything but private.

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Answer 3

gambhir253 Author

Level 1

9 points

May 17, 2021 4:46 AM in response to Luis Sequeira1

Apparently, I had already moved tunnelbear to trash, how to remove it completely?

I have removed this

Kernel Extensions:

/Library/Extensions

[Not Loaded] ssuddrv.kext - com.devguru.driver.SamsungComposite (1.4.48 - SDK 10.6)

Any alternative to Utorrent, as it seems I need it?

My Bluetooth is also not running?

Can you give suggestions for it also based on the EtreCheck report?

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Answer 4

May 17, 2021 9:23 AM in response to gambhir253

Try resetting NVRAM.

What exactly is happening with Bluetooth?

Do not install any "cleanera" or "optimizers". They're utter junk.

The best way to keep a healthy performant mac is not to install junk.

I make it a rule to always have good backups (preferably at least one Time Machine, and a clone on separate drives); and when doing a major upgrade, like from Catalina to Big Sur, erase and install, and then migrate ONLY the user accounts.

That gets rid of any stuff that I happened to install a while ago and do not need. Any programs or extensions that I need I install fresh up to date versions.

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