Cradle

Troubleshooting

Microphone permission on Windows

How to grant Cradle access to your microphone on Windows 10 and 11: the fix for calls that drop immediately after pickup.

If a call ends within a second of you answering, often with a short tone before anyone can speak, Windows is almost always blocking Cradle from using your microphone. Here's how to fix it.

Steps

  1. Press the Windows key and type Microphone privacy settings.
  2. Open the settings page.
  3. Make sure Microphone access at the top is On.
  4. Make sure Let apps access your microphone further down is On.
  5. Scroll down to Let desktop apps access your microphone and make sure that's On too.
  6. If you see Cradle listed under desktop apps individually, make sure its toggle is On.

Try a test call. If the call still ends immediately, restart the Cradle desktop app once. Windows refreshes its per-app permissions on app launch.

If Cradle isn't in the list

Windows adds desktop apps to the per-app list the first time they request the microphone. If you've never made a successful call with Cradle, the app may not be in the list yet.

  1. Make sure the Microphone access, Let apps access your microphone, and Let desktop apps access your microphone toggles are all on.
  2. Restart the Cradle desktop app.
  3. Try a test call. If you see a Windows prompt asking whether to allow microphone access, click Yes.
  4. Cradle will appear in the per-app list afterwards.

What you should see

  • The call connects.
  • The microphone meter in Cradle's Audio Settings (speaker icon top right of the app) moves as you speak.
  • The caller can hear you.

If it still doesn't work

  • Group policy or MDM lockdown. If your laptop is managed by your employer's IT team, microphone access may be blocked at a level you can't change. Ask your IT admin.
  • A different app has exclusive microphone access. Close other audio apps (Zoom, Teams, OBS, Audacity) and try again.
  • The microphone driver is broken. Open Device Manager, find your microphone under Audio inputs and outputs, right-click, and choose Update driver.

If none of the above resolves it, send us a note. See Audio and headset issues on Windows for the broader troubleshooting picture.

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