On most Huawei laptops, the built-in microphone sits by the webcam bezel or tiny pinholes near the hinge or keyboard edge.
You bought a MateBook for video calls, voice notes, or streaming. If the input sounds muffled, people can’t hear you. Finding the exact pickup points and setting them up in Windows takes two minutes and saves a lot of head-scratching.
Microphone Location On Huawei Laptops
Across recent MateBook lines, Huawei places one or more small digital mics around the display bezel or chassis edges. Many models use an array—several tiny holes—so the laptop can filter noise and pick up speech from a short distance. You’re looking for either:
- Small pinholes near the webcam or on the top bezel.
- A short perforated strip beside the hinge.
- Pinhole pairs along the keyboard deck, just above the function row.
Spot The Mic In Seconds
Clean Light And A Close Look
Wipe the bezel and the hinge area. Hold the screen at a slight angle under a lamp. The openings look like needle-sized dots or a thin grille.
Check The Camera Cluster
On many models, the camera, indicator LED, ambient light sensor, and mic cluster sit together. If you see two tiny dots flanking the lens, that’s usually the left and right channels of a dual array.
Look Near The Hinge
Some MateBooks hide the array along the back edge. You may notice a row of openings that are not speakers or vents. Those are often the mics.
Confirm With A Tap Test
Open Windows Sound settings, select the input device, and speak or gently tap next to spots you suspect. The level meter will spike when you’re near the pickup point.
Pick The Right Input In Windows
Windows can switch inputs when you plug a headset, USB mic, or webcam. Pick the correct one:
- Windows 11: Settings → System → Sound → Input → Choose your input device → Microphone array (often labeled Intel Smart Sound or Realtek). Click “Start test” and speak.
- Windows 10: Settings → System → Sound → Input → Choose your input device.
If your MateBook has Huawei PC Manager, you can also enable “Microphone audio” in the app’s recording controls, and turn on AI Sound on models that support it.
Why You Might Not See A Single Hole
Many modern Huawei laptops use multi-mic arrays. Manuals for the MateBook X Pro line list “Microphone x 4.” That means four pickup points placed around the bezel or deck. The openings are tiny by design and sit flush, so they’re easy to miss unless light catches them.
Model Clues That Help
MateBook X Pro: Known for a recessed camera button on some generations and a four-mic array. Expect openings near the display or along the deck edges.
MateBook 14/16: Often ship with dual or quad mics and Dolby-tuned speakers. Openings typically live around the webcam area or hinge.
MateBook D series (D 14/D 15): Budget-friendly lines with clean bezels. Pinholes commonly sit by the camera cluster or near the hinge cutout.
Practical Moves For Clearer Voice
- Remove case or skin: Shells or deck protectors can block pinholes. Make sure accessories don’t block the grille.
- Pick the right side of the room: Avoid placing the hinge against a wall if the array sits there. Reflections can dull speech.
- Angle the screen: If the mics are on the top bezel, tilting the screen a touch toward you can lift volume without raising gain.
- Cut background noise: Turn off loud fans near the hinge side. Fan rush can mask your voice when the mic sits on that edge.
- Try AI Sound: On supported machines, Huawei PC Manager adds voice-enhancement presets.
Step-By-Step: Pinpoint The Exact Spot
- Open Sound settings. Tap the Windows key, type “sound settings,” and open it.
- Select input. Pick the Microphone array that matches your audio driver.
- Run a live test. Click “Start test,” talk, and watch the bar.
- Pinpoint by tapping. Gently tap around the webcam bezel, hinge, and top case.
- Lock the device. If you use headsets or webcams, set your preferred mic as Default.
Fix A Quiet Or Muffled Mic
- Microphone access: Windows 11 → Settings → Privacy & security → Microphone → Allow apps to access your microphone.
- Input device properties: In Sound → Input → Device properties, set volume near 80–95%.
- Update drivers: Device Manager → Sound, video and audio → your driver → Update. Or use Huawei PC Manager’s driver tool.
- Check PC Manager controls: Open Huawei PC Manager → Settings → Accessibility → Microphone audio.
- Remove blockages: Dust in the pinholes can reduce sensitivity. Use short puffs of air from a distance. Don’t insert objects.
- Try another user profile: Profile-level app permissions sometimes block access.
- Hardware test: Record in Voice Recorder at arm’s length. If levels stay low, contact service.
Where To See It In Official Docs
Huawei’s help pages explain enabling or disabling the built-in mic and the recording toggles in PC Manager. Manuals for the MateBook X Pro series include the line “Microphone x 4,” which hints at multiple pickup points around the chassis. These align with what you see on the device: small symmetrical openings around the webcam or edges.
Read the Huawei guides here:
built-in microphone settings
and
PC Manager recording controls.
Deeper Checks, Myths, And Care
Deeper Checks In Windows And Apps
- Run the Recording Audio troubleshooter: Settings → System → Troubleshoot.
- In Privacy → Microphone, allow access for your calling app.
- In Control Panel → Sound → Recording → Properties → the format/options tab, turn off the option that lets apps take sole control.
- In Huawei PC Manager, toggle AI Sound or Microphone audio off/on once to refresh.
Where The Microphones Are Not
- Speaker grilles on the deck are outputs.
- Vent slots are for cooling.
- Ports and the combo jack aren’t pickup points.
Pop-Up Camera Models And Audio
The pop-up lens lives in the keyboard, but the mics still sit around the screen or edges. Keep those areas clear.
Quick Field Test Script
- Start a call in a quiet room.
- Talk at normal volume.
- Angle the screen forward and back while watching the level meter.
- Wave a hand near the bezel, then the hinge, and listen for changes.
- Pick the angle and seating that sound best.
Care And Cleaning
Short air bursts from a distance clear dust. Avoid poking tools into the pinholes. Let the laptop dry fully after any spill near the bezel or hinge.
Model-By-Model Quick Reference
MateBook X Pro (multiple years): Manuals list four mics. You’ll spot tiny holes along the bezel or near deck edges.
MateBook 14 family: Many units ship with dual or quad mics. Expect openings near the webcam or hinge.
MateBook D 14/D 15: Look for understated dots flanking the camera or a short perforated strip by the hinge.
Table: Typical Placement And Where To Confirm
| Model Line | Likely Placement | Where To Confirm |
|---|---|---|
| MateBook X Pro | Multi-mic array near bezel or deck edges | MateBook X Pro manual |
| MateBook D 14/D 15 | Pinholes by webcam bezel or near hinge | MateBook D manual |
| All recent MateBooks | Input selection in Windows; PC Manager controls | Huawei mic settings |
App Settings That Often Matter
Picking the right device in Windows is step one. Many apps also keep their own input list. If callers still can’t hear you after fixing the system input, open the app’s audio settings and point it to the same mic:
- Zoom: Settings → Audio → Microphone → pick the internal array. Uncheck “Automatically adjust microphone volume” if levels pump.
- Microsoft Teams: Settings → Devices → Microphone → choose the array. Set Noise suppression to a middle setting for a natural tone.
- Google Meet (in browser): Click the padlock in the URL bar → Site settings → Microphone → select the array.
- OBS or screen recorders: Add an Audio Input Capture source and select the array. Watch the meter while you speak.
Tell Speakers, Vents, And Mics Apart
Speakers have larger perforations and sit on the deck or underside. Vents are slotted and line up with fans or heatpipes. Mic openings are tiny, round, and often arrive in pairs near the camera or in a short strip by the hinge. If you place a fingertip over a mic during a test, the level drops right away; doing that on a speaker or vent won’t change the meter.
Privacy And Permissions
Windows can block input for privacy. In Settings → Privacy & security → Microphone, allow access for both apps and desktop apps. Your browser also needs permission. If a site asks for mic access, pick “Allow” and select the array in the prompt. You can revoke access later in the same menu.
When A Headset Beats The Built-In
The array on a MateBook is tuned for near-field speech in a quiet room. In a shared office or a café, a headset or a tiny USB-C lapel mic keeps your voice close to the capsule and cuts spill from neighbors. Use a foam windscreen or a simple pop filter if you speak directly into an external mic.
Why This Article Matches Real Hardware
Huawei’s public docs show the presence of multi-mic arrays on popular models and describe how to enable and control them in software. You can cross-check the four-mic note in the MateBook X Pro manual, and you can review the official steps for switching inputs or recording with mic audio in Huawei PC Manager. Put those pieces together, and you have a reliable map for finding the pickup points on your own unit.
Troubleshooting Cheat Sheet
- No input detected: Toggle Microphone access in Privacy settings, pick the right input, reboot after driver changes.
- Volume too low: Raise input level to 90%, angle the screen toward you, clean the pinholes.
- Noise or hum: Turn down boost if voices sound watery; move away from fans behind the hinge.
- App picks the wrong mic: Set system default, then pick the same device inside Zoom, Teams, or Discord.
Final Pointers That Save Time
Keep audio drivers current in PC Manager. Use the tap test any time you add a case or skin. If callers report echo, lower speaker volume or move off hard walls. For voice-over or music work, a USB-C mic placed 10–15 cm from your mouth will deliver richer tone than any built-in array.