# USB Mic not working with Pi Zero W **URL:** \ **Category:** Support\ **Created:** [September 24, 2019, 12:51pm UTC](https://forums.pimoroni.com/t/usb-mic-not-working-with-pi-zero-w/11722 "2019-09-24T12:51:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Kisty](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forums.pimoroni.com/kisty/32/4803_2.png) [@Kisty](https://forums.pimoroni.com/u/Kisty)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2019, 12:51pm UTC](https://forums.pimoroni.com/t/usb-mic-not-working-with-pi-zero-w/11722/1 "2019-09-24T12:51:11Z")
My new Mini USB Mic from the Pimoroni store (btw thanks! Speedy despatch!) isn’t working with my raspberry pi zero W. Tried doing the `arecord -D plughw:1 -f cd /tmp/recording.wav`, copied the file over to my laptop to play but it didn’t do anything. It shows up in `arecord -l` but the file is silent. Tried using `alsamixer` to up the level but still nothing. I’ve got the mic plugged in to a 3-port USB hub with ethernet and powered by a Sony tablet USB charger (5V 1.5A). I tried plugging it in to my Windows 10 machine but that didn’t work either from settings. You can see it there as a microphone but can’t test it. There’s no light on the mic. Thoughts? Do I have a faulty mic? ---
**Author:** ![alphanumeric](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forums.pimoroni.com/alphanumeric/32/2729_2.png) [@alphanumeric](https://forums.pimoroni.com/u/alphanumeric)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2019, 1:11pm UTC](https://forums.pimoroni.com/t/usb-mic-not-working-with-pi-zero-w/11722/2 "2019-09-24T13:11:47Z")
Just want to confirm that you went to the Raspberry Pi menu, then _Preferences_ , then _Audio Device Settings_ , and selected _USB PnP Sound Device_ ). ---
**Author:** ![Kisty](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forums.pimoroni.com/kisty/32/4803_2.png) [@Kisty](https://forums.pimoroni.com/u/Kisty)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2019, 2:32pm UTC](https://forums.pimoroni.com/t/usb-mic-not-working-with-pi-zero-w/11722/3 "2019-09-24T14:32:18Z")
Thanks for getting back to me. Yup, tried that to no avail. ---
**Author:** ![alphanumeric](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forums.pimoroni.com/alphanumeric/32/2729_2.png) [@alphanumeric](https://forums.pimoroni.com/u/alphanumeric)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2019, 2:34pm UTC](https://forums.pimoroni.com/t/usb-mic-not-working-with-pi-zero-w/11722/4 "2019-09-24T14:34:08Z")
Ok, I don’t own one myself and don’t know what else to look at etc. ---
**Author:** ![Kisty](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forums.pimoroni.com/kisty/32/4803_2.png) [@Kisty](https://forums.pimoroni.com/u/Kisty)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2019, 3:33pm UTC](https://forums.pimoroni.com/t/usb-mic-not-working-with-pi-zero-w/11722/5 "2019-09-27T15:33:19Z")
Well this is embarrassing. They sent me a 2nd one (thanks Pimoroni!) which appeared not to be working either but my colleague tried it one his workstations and both usb mics are fine. I just didn’t put the volume all the way up! Whoopsies! ---
**Author:** ![alphanumeric](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forums.pimoroni.com/alphanumeric/32/2729_2.png) [@alphanumeric](https://forums.pimoroni.com/u/alphanumeric)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2019, 4:54pm UTC](https://forums.pimoroni.com/t/usb-mic-not-working-with-pi-zero-w/11722/6 "2019-09-27T16:54:02Z")
Stuff like that happens some times. Been there dome something similar. ;) ---
**Author:** ![HumbleMan\_MO](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@HumbleMan\_MO](https://forums.pimoroni.com/u/HumbleMan_MO)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2020, 10:37am UTC](https://forums.pimoroni.com/t/usb-mic-not-working-with-pi-zero-w/11722/7 "2020-12-11T10:37:43Z")
Hi Kisty!! Could you please help me to understand how can I connect the micro USB microphone to a Raspberry Pi Zero W like you did? Because the pi doesn’t have any USB ports… Should I use an adaptor (from USB to micro USB) and connect it to the data USB port on Raspberry? Will it work? If you have a link to an adaptor you use, that would be great! Thank you in advance!