Speech Diagnostic calibration errors on Windows prevent the microphone from recognizing and picking up the user’s voice. Code 0x80004003 usually accompanies this error, but it doesn’t provide a lot of information about the potential causes that could lead to the error.
Many factors can cause this problem, including faulty updates, outdated/corrupted audio drivers, and apps that can’t access the microphone. Below, we have listed six troubleshooting methods that may help you get rid of this issue forever in a short period of time.
To save time, we recommend taking a look at the troubleshooting methods first and then moving on to the most appropriate one for your situation.
1. Run the voice troubleshooter
If you’re experiencing any kind of voice-related issues on Windows, then the first thing you should do is run the voice troubleshooter built into Windows.
Microsoft has developed this tool specifically to look for voice-related issues in the system and fix them without requiring too much effort on the part of the user. You can access it in the Windows Settings app.
Here’s how you can run it:
1. Press the Win+I key at the same time to open Windows Settings.
2. Select Troubleshooting in the left pane.
3. Click on Other troubleshooters.
4. In the window below, scroll down to find the location of the Spearch troubleshooter.
5. Click on the “Run” button associated with it and wait for the scan to complete.
6. If you find any issues, click Apply this fix to implement the solution recommended by the troubleshooter.
If the troubleshooter fails to identify any issues, skip to the method below.
2. Uninstall the most recent update
Some users have also reported facing this issue because of recently installed updates. This issue is usually related to the KB5014697 and KB5014699 updates, so if you have installed any of them, we recommend that you uninstall the update. Hopefully it will solve this problem.
However, if you don’t know which update is causing this problem, then you can try uninstalling the most recent update and see if that helps you.
Once you uninstall the problematic update, make sure you hide it to prevent it from installing itself in the future.
3. Update the audio and microphone drivers
Another reason you may face a speech diagnostic calibration error is due to outdated or corrupted audio or microphone drivers. If this situation applies to your situation, then updating the relevant drivers should help you.
If that doesn’t work, you can try reinstalling the driver to see if that fixes the problem.
Here’s how it works:
1. Enter Device Manager in Windows Search and tap Open.
2. In the window below, look for the Audio Inputs and Outputs sections and expand them.
3. Right-click the microphone driver and select Update Driver.
4. Select Browse My Computer for drivers and pick an older driver available.
5. Follow the on-screen instructions. If you don’t have an old driver available, you can choose to search for drivers automatically, letting your system pick one for itself.
6. When you’re done, expand the Sound and video game controllers section in the same window.
7. Find your audio driver and right-click on it.
8. Follow the steps above to update it and then check if this resolves the voice issue you are experiencing.
If that doesn’t fix the problem, you can try reinstalling the driver software from scratch. If the issue is indeed related to the driver, then reinstalling will hopefully help you solve the problem.
4. Set the microphone as the default device
If your microphone isn’t already set as the default device, your PC might have problems receiving your speech. In this case, the solution is simple because all you need to do is make some changes in the control panel.
Follow these steps:
1. Enter Control Panel in Windows Search and click Open.
2. Change View as Category to Large Icon.
3. Now, head to the Speech Recognition > Advanced Speech Options.
4. Under Microphone, select Audio Input.
5. Move to the Playback tab and right-click the microphone you’re using.
6. Select Enable.
7. Right-click it again, this time from the context menu select Set as Default Device and Set as Default Communication Device.
8. Now, go to the Recording tab and right-click on the microphone you are using.
9. Select Set as Default Device and Set as Default Communication Device from the context menu.
10. Click OK to save the changes.
11. Next, in the Voice Microphone dialog box, tap Configure Microphone to select your microphone.
12. Finally, click “OK” to save the changes and check if the issue is resolved.
5. Modify your language settings
Speech Diagnostic calibration errors can also occur when you use a language other than the system’s default language.
You can verify that you are using the correct language in the “Speech” section of your Windows settings. If you are not a native speaker of your chosen language, you can tick the box in the same window related to identifying non-native accents of that language.
6. Allow the app to access your microphone
It is also possible that the application you want to use does not allow your microphone access. You can manually allow the application to access the microphone to solve this problem.
1. Enter your microphone privacy settings in Windows Search and tap Turn on.
2. Turn on microphone access and let the app access your microphone toggle key.
3. Expand the Let apps access your microphone option to enable microphone access for the app you want to use.
Voice diagnostic calibration errors, permanently fixed
If you use your microphone frequently, it can be frustrating when it suddenly stops receiving your voice and throws an unknown “speech diagnostic calibration” error.
We hope that one of the methods mentioned above will help you solve this problem forever. To avoid such problems in the future, make sure that the relevant drivers are always up to date and that the target application has access to your microphone.
