Google Pixel 8a microphone is quiet, muffled or not working

Google's page for a phone whose microphone seems dead during calls starts with the simple items: make sure the call is not muted, which you can see by looking at whether the microphone button is highlighted, then turn off Bluetooth in case the call has moved to an earbud or a car, and restart the phone. The Pixel 8a has several microphones, so a blocked opening from a case or dirt can muffle your voice. Clean the openings at the bottom and top with a soft brush and remove the case. Test with the Recorder app: speak and play back to see whether the hardware works.

If your voice is clear there but callers cannot hear you, the cause is the call, a network or a Bluetooth route. For one app, check Settings, Apps, the app, Permissions, Microphone is set to Allow only while using the app. If your voice breaks up only in video calls, test the same call over Wi-Fi and over mobile data, because a poor connection affects voice more than the microphone does. A speakerphone call that cuts out is also a sign of echo cancellation on a weak link. If the Recorder app captures a clear voice but video calls stay faint, the cause lies in the call app's settings or the connection, not in the phone's microphones.