Guides / Automatic Call Recording
Why does my mic volume change during Google Meet?
Google Meet runs in Chrome, and Chrome's audio processing includes automatic gain control, which raises or lowers your mic level to keep your voice steady. On a Mac it can move the system input slider itself, so your volume seems to change on its own. To stop it, open chrome://flags, search for input volume, set "Allow WebRTC to adjust the input volume" to Disabled, and relaunch Chrome.
Why Google Meet seems to change your mic volume
Meet runs inside Chrome, and Chrome processes your mic before Meet ever hears it. One piece of that processing is automatic gain control, or AGC. Its job is to keep your voice at an even level: boosted when you lean back, trimmed when you speak up.
On macOS, Chrome can apply that adjustment by moving the system input volume slider itself. That is why you open System Settings, go to Sound, then Input, and find the slider somewhere you did not leave it. Sometimes it jumps in the middle of a call.
Common signs that this is what you are seeing:
- The input slider drifts or snaps to a different spot after you join a call.
- Colleagues tell you that you sound quiet, then loud, within the same call.
- The same thing happens in other calls that run in Chrome, such as a Slack huddle in the browser.
The fix: turn off Chrome's input volume adjustment
This is a Chrome setting, so one change covers Meet and anything else that runs in Chrome. Save anything in progress first, because the last step restarts the browser.
- Open a new tab in Chrome and type chrome://flags in the address bar.
- In the search box at the top, type input volume.
- Find Allow WebRTC to adjust the input volume and set it to Disabled.
- Click Relaunch at the bottom so Chrome restarts with the change.
- Open System Settings, Sound, Input, and set the slider where you want it. Then join a Meet and watch it. It should stay put.
If you ever want the old behavior back, set the flag to Default and relaunch again.
If the flag is missing in your version of Chrome
Flags are experimental settings, and they come and go between Chrome versions. If searching input volume finds nothing, use the fallback: cut down which sites can reach your microphone.
- Go to chrome://settings/content/microphone.
- Look through the sites that are allowed to use your mic.
- Remove or block any site that does not need it. Keep Meet if you use it for calls.
- Restart Chrome, set your input level once in macOS, and test again.
Fewer sites with mic access means fewer pages that can touch the level behind your back. It is a blunter fix than the flag. If the slider still moves, check chrome://flags again after your next Chrome update.
Is your call recorder moving the slider? Not Donna
If you record calls on your Mac, it is fair to suspect the recorder. Donna never changes your mic input volume. If the macOS input slider moves during a Chrome call, that is Chrome's automatic gain control, not her.
A quick way to check: quit any recording tool, join a test Meet, and watch the slider. If it still moves, Chrome is the cause and the fix above is the one you want.
What Donna does do is record the call locally on your Mac, capturing your mic and the call audio. She starts the moment your mic goes live, including calls that were never on your calendar, and she handles Google Meet, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Slack huddles, FaceTime, Discord and Webex. No bot joins, nothing shows up in the participant list, and nothing is uploaded. She also reminds you to get consent where it is required.
Automatic call recording is part of Pro, which is $8 a month. See pricing for the details, or read how to record a Slack huddle on a Mac if your drift shows up there too.
Keeping your level steady afterward
- Set your input level once in System Settings, Sound, Input, after applying the Chrome fix, then leave it alone.
- Stick to one mic per call. Switching between the built-in mic, a headset and earbuds mid-call can look like the volume changing, because each device has its own level.
- Keep a steady distance from the mic. A headset makes that easy.
- Look in Meet's audio settings for any automatic mic adjustment option, and turn it off if your version has one.
- Re-test after a big Chrome update, since flags can change or disappear.
Try Donna. Records, transcribes and summarizes your meetings on your Mac, with nothing sent to a server.
Frequently asked questions
Does Donna change my microphone volume?
No. Donna never changes your mic input volume. If the macOS input slider moves during a Chrome call such as Meet or a Slack huddle, the cause is Chrome's automatic gain control.
Will disabling the Chrome flag affect other calls?
Yes, it is a Chrome-wide setting, so it applies to other calls that run in Chrome, like Slack huddles in the browser. That is usually what you want, since the same gain control causes the same drift there.
Is it safe to change something in chrome://flags?
Flags are experimental, but this one is easy to undo. Set it back to Default and relaunch Chrome. With it disabled, your level is simply whatever you set in macOS, so adjust the slider once.
The volume still changes after I disabled the flag. What now?
Make sure you clicked Relaunch so Chrome fully restarted. Then check chrome://settings/content/microphone and remove mic access for sites that do not need it, and confirm you are not switching between mics mid-call.
Can I record a Google Meet on my Mac without a bot?
Yes. Donna records on your Mac, capturing your mic and the call audio, so no bot joins and nobody sees a recorder in the participant list. It is a Pro feature, and she reminds you to get consent where required.