Microphone recording levels

Audacity Help Forum Windows
1

PLEASE HELP

I use an HP Pavilion laptop running windows 10 and using the newest version of Audacity. For recording I use a Fifine Plug and Play USB microphone.
I have always managed recordings and edits well using this equipment, until recently.
Every now and again, seemingly randomly, my recording level seems to drop. I have to go into sound setting, recording levels, microphone etc. I don’t know what I do that eventually puts it right because it generally takes me about an hour to fix it and I lose track of what settings etc I have changed.
Please can someone help me as it is costing me a lot of time when I am supposed to be recording and editing audio-books

2

Firstly, ensure that Skype (or similar) are not running (not even in the background).

Then open the Windows Sound Control Panel, and in the “Communications” tab, set the option to “Do Nothing”.

communications-volume.jpg

3

Thank you for your reply. I have done both of those and it is still not working

4

You mean it is still recording quietly?

Is the recorded waveform visibly smaller (vertically) than usual?

5

Is this the mic? https://www.gearbest.com/microphone/pp_1537241.html?wid=1433363&currency=GBP&vip=19385266&gclid=CjwKCAiAs8XiBRAGEiwAFyQ-ejiK0hTc4nT4BeHOkZgH-FZg_9N-U5gnUK09_NzPxIVz5z0DmaZl0hoCfEoQAvD_BwE

6

No it isn’t. It’s this one
PC microphone,Fifine Plug &Play… https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01D4I2UM0?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share