How to Reduce Background Noise on Your Microphone in Windows 11

Background noise on a microphone in Windows 11 is a frustrating but fixable problem, whether the culprit is fan hum, keyboard clicks, HVAC rumble, or ambient voices in a shared space. This guide explains four methods, starting with simple Windows 11 settings. It then moves to external software tools. It ends with hardware-based AI noise reduction for tougher cases. These steps help when software alone cannot fix the problem.

Why Microphones Pick Up Background Noise on Windows 11

Understanding the cause narrows down the right fix. Common reasons background noise enters your audio signal include:

• Omnidirectional pickup pattern: Many laptop and USB microphones capture sound from all directions, not just the speaker.

• High input gain or Microphone Boost: Amplifying the signal amplifies background noise at the same rate.

• Disabled or missing OS-level noise processing: Windows 11 has noise suppression features that are off by default.

• Driver limitations: USB class-compliant devices often bypass Windows audio processing entirely.

• Poor microphone noise floor: Budget or built-in mics produce more self-noise that software filters struggle to remove cleanly.

Method 1: Use Windows 11 Voice Focus 

Windows 11 version 24H2 introduced the Voice Focus feature. Voice Focus is a noise reduction tool included with Windows Studio Effects. It focuses on your voice and reduces sounds around you. This can include keyboard clicks, fan noise, and nearby conversations. 

The feature comes in two versions. One relies on software to reduce background noise. The other uses dedicated AI hardware found in Copilot+ PCs. Because it depends on specific hardware, it is not available on every device. You must also turn it on or off manually in your microphone settings.

Steps

1. Click on the Start button, search for "Settings," and click on the icon.

2. From the left sidebar menu, click System and select Sound.

3. Scroll down to the Input section and click your microphone name to open its Properties.

4. Look for the Voice Focus option and click its toggle to enable the feature.

Method 2: Reduce Microphone Boost and Input Gain

Noise suppression filters work on whatever signal they receive. When input gain is too high, the noise floor is amplified before any filter acts on it, which reduces the effectiveness of Method 1. Lowering the boost first gives any noise filter a cleaner starting point.

Steps

1. Right-click the speaker icon and select Sound settings.

2. Scroll down to the Advanced section and then click More sound settings.

3. When the sound properties open, click on the Recording tab.

4. Then select your microphone by clicking its name, and click Properties.

5. Click the Levels tab.

6. Set Microphone Boost to 0 dB. The default is often +10 dB or +20 dB, which amplifies background noise significantly.

7. Adjust the main microphone volume to 70–80% as needed to maintain an adequate signal level.

8. Click Apply, then OK.

Reducing the boost lowers recorded volume slightly, so you may need to move closer to the microphone or speak a bit louder. This results in a lower noise floor that you can clearly notice. It also makes any added noise reduction tools work more effectively.

Method 3: Use Third-Party AI Noise Cancellation Software

When Windows’ built-in options are unavailable or insufficient, third-party tools install virtual audio devices that process your microphone signal in real time before passing it to any application. 

NVIDIA RTX Voice / RTX Broadcast

RTX Voice, now integrated into RTX Broadcast, uses GPU-accelerated AI to remove background noise with strong results. It installs a virtual microphone that Windows 11 recognizes as a standard input device, so you simply set it as your default input in Sound Settings. 

Krisp

Krisp runs entirely on the CPU, making it compatible with any Windows 11 PC regardless of GPU. It installs as a virtual microphone, offers a free tier with limited daily processing minutes, and works independently of which application you use. Noise suppression quality is strong and comparable to RTX Voice on capable hardware. Krisp is the practical default choice for laptops and non-gaming machines.

Built-In App Suppression (Teams, Discord)

If your use case is limited to one application, check that app’s own audio settings first. Microsoft Teams includes a Noise suppression option under Settings > Devices > Noise suppression. 

Discord offers Krisp-powered suppression under User Settings > Voice and Video > Noise Suppression. These require no additional software and are often sufficient for call-only scenarios.

Note: Software noise reduction tools add a small processing delay. This kind of delay is usually between 20 and 60 milliseconds. Most people will not notice it during calls. But it can matter during live monitoring or recording tasks where timing is important.

Method 4: Eliminate Noise at the Hardware Level with an AI-Powered Wireless Mic

Software filters process noise after the microphone has already captured it. When the microphone causes the problem, software fixes may not help much. This can happen with omnidirectional mics, noisy electronics, or loud rooms. A better solution is reducing noise before the sound reaches Windows. Using a microphone that filters unwanted sound at the source is usually more effective.

The Hollyland LARK MAX 2 is a wireless lavalier microphone system with 32-bit Float onboard recording, wireless monitoring through OWS earphones, and built-in AI Noise Cancellation operating at the transmitter level. The cleaned audio is what the receiver delivers to your PC, meaning Windows 11 receives an already-filtered signal regardless of what software settings are active on the system.

Connecting the LARK MAX 2 to a Windows 11 PC

1. Plug the LARK MAX 2 receiver into an available USB-C port on your PC.

2. Windows 11 detects it automatically as a USB audio input device. No driver installation is required.

3. Open Settings > System > Sound.

4. Under Input, locate the LARK MAX 2 receiver in the device list and select Set as default input device.

5. Confirm the input level meter responds when you speak into the transmitter.

Enabling AI Noise Cancellation on the Transmitter

The LARK MAX 2’s AI Noise Cancellation is activated on the transmitter itself, either through a physical button on the unit or through the HollyAudio app. 

When the mode is active, the transmitter’s LED indicator turns solidgreento confirm that AI Noise Cancellation is on. 

You can also use the HollyAudio app to toggle the feature, adjust gain, and view noise sensitivity settings from a visual interface.

Why Hardware-Level AI Cancellation Is Different

Software filters process noise from an already-degraded signal. Hardware-level AI cancellation works with the raw audio before any compression, transmission, or OS handling. It keeps the original voice more intact and reduces unwanted audio effects. It also avoids delay caused by Windows processing. The LARK MAX 2 outputs at 48 kHz / 32-bit Float, giving any application a high-quality clean input to work with. For real-time audio monitoring, connecting the wireless OWS earphones to LARK MAX 2  lets you hear what Windows is receiving through the low-latency monitoring path.

Quick Comparison — Which Method Should You Use?

FAQs

Q1: Why is the Enhancements tab missing or greyed out in Windows 11?

The Enhancements tab only appears for microphones using a Windows-native audio driver. USB microphones connecting as generic USB Audio devices bypass the Windows audio processing stack entirely and will not show this tab. If the tab is missing, use Voice Focus (Method 1) or a third-party app like Krisp as your noise suppression solution instead.

Q2: Does enabling noise suppression affect voice quality?

Aggressive software filters can introduce minor artifacts, particularly with fast speech or certain accents, because the filter occasionally misclassifies voice frequencies as noise. Hardware-level AI filtering, such as the LARK MAX 2’s built-in AI Noise Cancellation, generally preserves voice naturalness better since it processes the raw signal before any OS handling occurs.

Q3: Does NVIDIA RTX Voice work on Windows 11?

Yes, RTX Voice and RTX Broadcast are fully compatible with Windows 11, but both require an NVIDIA RTX or GTX-series GPU to run. On systems without a qualifying GPU, Krisp or Windows 11’s Voice Focus are the practical alternatives, and both work on any hardware configuration without a dedicated graphics card.

Q4: Can I stack Windows 11 Voice Focus with a third-party tool like Krisp?

Using more than one noise filter is possible, but it often makes the sound quality worse. It can make speech sound unnatural. Worst? It can add strange audio effects like distortion or sudden cuts. Testing one filter at a time gives cleaner results. Keeping only the strongest filter active usually works better. Even modern microphones with built-in AI noise control work best alone. Adding extra system filters or third-party tools can repeat the same processing. This can reduce overall audio quality instead of improving it. If you are using a Copilot+ PC with Windows 11 Voice Focus and also running a tool like Krisp, it is better to turn off the built-in Windows effects. This helps avoid overlap between both systems.

Conclusion

Start with Windows 11’s Voice Focus on version 24H2 and later. If your driver does not support those, lower the Microphone Boost and add Krisp or RTX Broadcast. When the environment is consistently loud, or the microphone hardware itself is the limiting factor, upgrade to a wireless mic with AI noise cancellation, as that would solve the problem before it even reaches Windows.