Choose and test your microphone

A Speaking session is only as good as what the microphone hears. The picker in RainbowSay shows every input by its real name, tells you how it is connected, and lets you see the level before you start.

Where the picker is

• Defaults: Settings → then Session → then Speaking → then Microphone.
• For one session: select Speaking in the overlay and press the options button next to Start Speaking (“Session options — languages and microphone”). This is also where the live level bars are: while the options are open, each microphone shows its input level, so you can speak and watch the right one move.

Subtitles have the same picker for their Microphone source — see Caption your own voice.

Reading the list

Each row shows the device name and how it’s connected: Built-in, USB, Bluetooth, or iPhone or iPad. Software devices that carry audio routed from other apps — aggregate and virtual devices — are grouped under Other inputs, because they are usually not what you want to speak into.

• The device macOS currently uses is marked Default. Choosing it means “follow the system”: plug in a headset and the session switches with it.
• Choosing any other device pins the session to that one.
• A row can also tell you what’s wrong: No signal, Unavailable or Unplugged.

Noise reduction

Match it to your microphone:

• Far mic — laptop or conference microphone (the default): for mics that sit at arm’s length and hear the room.
• Near mic — headset or earbuds: for a mic close to your mouth.
• Off: for a quiet room and a good microphone, or if your words are being softened too much.

It’s next to the picker in Settings, and under Noise reduction in the overlay’s session options.

If no microphone is found

When macOS reports no input at all, the picker says “No microphone connected” and Start Speaking is disabled with “Connect a microphone to start”. Plug in a USB or headset microphone, or connect Bluetooth headphones — the list updates by itself.

If the list is there but the level bars say “Allow microphone access to see input levels”, the Microphone permission hasn’t been granted yet.

Get a clean take

• Speak at a normal volume, about a hand’s width from a headset mic or facing the laptop.
• In a noisy place use Push-to-talk: nothing is heard until you hold the key.
• Bluetooth headsets switch to a lower-quality call mode while their microphone is in use; if the card mishears you, try the built-in microphone for input and keep the headphones for output.

Next

Speaking practice routines — what to actually say.