How do you keep microphone listening in Windows 10?

Hi Evan,

Thank you for posting your query in Microsoft Community.

Please follow the below steps and check if it helps.

Method 1: Sound Recorder.

a. Close all back applications, especially, Sound Recorder or other multimedia applications.

b. At Windows Start Tile screen, move the cursor or touch lower right screen & bring out the "Search" function.

c. At the "Search" panel, look for "Control Panel" and then launch it.

d. At the "Control Panel", look for "Sound" and then launch it.

e. Click on the Recording tab.

f. Select the recording source, for example, Line In 2/Mic 2, and then click Set Default. Recording device will be marked with a green tick mark.

g. Adjust the input level if you have difficulty recording. Click Properties, and then click on Levels.

Method 2: Reinstall the Driver.

If the issue still persists, then I would suggest you to reinstall the driver and check. Refer to these steps: 

a. Press Windows key + X, select device manager.

b. Locate the Audio adapter, right click and select properties.

c. Click on the driver tab and click uninstall to uninstall the current driver.

d. Now, restart the computer and Windows will load the generic audio driver for the computer.

e. Check if you face the same issue with the Windows generic drivers.

f. If yes, download and install the latest audio driver.

g. Now, right click on the audio adapter and select “Scan for hardware changes”.

Hope these information helps, please get back to us for future support, we’ll be glad to assist you further.

Thank you.

Hello,

A couple of questions:

1) Does Cortana pop up when ever you say Hey Cortana?

2) If Cortana pops up do you hear the earcon after you say Hey Cortana?

3) Does she listen to you when you press the mic button? Or is it just with hey Cortana?

Thanks,

Janet

Hi All,

I found that if  you carry out PP's "Method One" and then select "Configure" for your source, on the next page/screen you will get "Configure Your Speech Recognition Experience" run the "Start Speech Recognition" and select "Auto" option and you find it works perfectly!  

I set the speech recognition to "auto" mode and then as you have discovered the little console launches at the top of your screen giving the On, OFF or Sleep options you mention, turn on and then close the console down (X top right corner) this will close the console but you will be told that the programme is running in the background and is constantly listening....also remember to set the speech recognition to run at "start-up".

I hope that helps! 

Thank you again for your response. Unfortunately, if I click the X in the top right corner of the speech recognition console, it closes the program and it does not operate in the background. However, if the - is clicked, it will hide in the background. If speech recognition hears a command it can recognize, it will respond; such as; 'open cortana' , and cortana will open.

but 'hey cortana' is not understood by speech recognition, and in order for cortana to respond to it (or any other verbal command for that matter), you still have to click the microphone icon in cortana in order for it to hear you.

Are you having success with the method you suggest?

Hi,

My web cam remains "ON" as indicated by the constant blue light! and "Cortana" listens and responds to all my questions. I have just had to re-start my computer for the first time after setting the camera up due to updating my Logitech Mouse/Keyboard software and the "Speech Recognition Console" loaded at start-up as required/selected. I then selected it to "Listen" and then closed it and then asked "Hey Cortana...what is the weather here today?" and Cortana replied and gave all the information on screen, so yes it is working fine for me :)

Thank you also for your response to that question.

I accidentally solved the problem, and now, I too, have constant microphone access to Cortana AND the speech recognition software. I believe my accidental solution to the problem is similar to your camera and Logitech software. I'm assuming your camera is actually plugged into your computer.

The prior two microphones that I was using were Bluetooth microphones.

With them, I could utilize the speech recognition software without issue.

I could not however, maintain an open line with Cortana.

I decided to use a new microphone for other reasons, so I bought a $20 sony clipon and an extension cord.  I plugged this into my microphone jack on the back of the computer.

SUDDENLY, Cortana could recognize my saying Hey Cortana etc and I can deliver commands, questions etc...verbally to Cortana with the speech recognition running in the background as suggested above (thank you).

So, it appears that my Bluetooth microphones, while able to function, did not have the same power of command as the microphone inserted in the jack.

Interesting.

So I want to thank you all for your help.

My problem is solved and I hope this helps anyone else having a similar issue.