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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.

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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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