How to Use Headphones with Built-in Mic on PC (Windows 10/11)

Not every headphone with a built-in mic has plug-and-play functionality. Some headphones with a built-in mic require adjustments either on the hardware level or software level. 

If you are facing trouble using headphones with built-in mic on a PC with Windows 10, you have come to the right post. 

Here, we have structured the solutions at the hardware level as well as software level:

Using headphones with a built-in mic on PC Windows 10: hardware-level solutions

Before you move on to the more intricate software-level solutions in order to use your headphones with a built-in mic, we recommend trying out hardware-level solutions first. 

1. Check if your mic is accidentally muted

One of the first hardware-level solutions to try is to check if you have accidentally turned on the mute mic button in your headphone. 

Trying this solution is important for you if you have a pair of headphones that has a dedicated physical mute mic button on one of the ear cups. 

Image credit: Maraksot78

2. Learn the type of 3.5 mm connector your headphone has

Not every headphone with a built-in mic comes with a single 3.5 mm connector that enables audio reception as well as transmission. 

There are many high-quality headphones that include a dedicated 3.5 mm connector for audio reception and a separate 3.5 mm connector for audio transmission through the mic channel. 

Image credit: Maraksot78

Depending on the type of 3.5 mm connector your headphone has, it’s important to choose the right 3.5 mm port on your computer. For example, a single 3.5 mm port supports both audio reception and transmission (audio input and output). 

Image credit: Maraksot78

On the other hand, if your headphone has separate 3.5 mm connectors for audio reception and transmission, it’s important to make sure that you choose two different 3.5 mm ports, with one supporting audio reception, and the other supporting audio transmission. 

Image credit: Maraksot78

3. Make sure that the mic openings aren’t clogged 

At times, the simplest of issues such as clogging of the mic openings can prevent you from properly using your headphones with a built-in mic on a PC with Windows 10. 

As such, it is worth cleaning all the openings, especially mic openings, in your headphones as part of regularly maintaining it. 

Using headphones with a built-in mic on PC with Windows 10: software-level solutions

If you have tried hardware-level solutions and none of them have worked, it’s a sign that you need to fix things on the software level.

Here are some of the software-level solutions that you can try in order to properly use your headphones with a built-in mic on a PC with Windows 10: 

4. Check if the audio driver is properly installed

There’s no denying the fact that many modern headsets automatically configure with the audio driver in Windows 10 PC. 

However, there are some headphone models in which audio driver configuration can go into conflict. 

As such, it’s a good step to check if the audio driver is properly installed. 

Step 1: Go to the device manager console. You can simply search for it to find and open it.

Step 2: Go to the “Sound, video, and game controllers” section. The next step is to choose the “Microsoft UAA Bus Driver for High Definition Audio.”

Image credit: HP Support 

5. Configure the headphone’s built-in mic for audio input

In many cases, the built-in mic of headphones does not get configured as an audio input device automatically. As such, you may not be able to use your headphone with a built-in mic on a PC with Windows 10 or higher. 

To resolve this issue, we recommend following the steps listed below:

Step 1: Open sound settings under the system settings.

Step 2: Under the input section, you may see Realtek Audio mic configuration which is usually standard across all Windows 10 PCs. 

Click on the drop-down list and you should see the mic of your headphone.

Step 3: The final step is to choose the mic of your headphone as the audio input device. 

6. Disable the PC’s built-in mic

Even if you have chosen your headphone’s built-in mic as the audio input device in your Windows 10 PC, it may not work. 

One of the common reasons for this is that both the PC’s mic and headphone’s mic are enabled and that there is a crossover between each other. 

We recommend following the steps below in order to resolve this issue:

Step 1: Open sound settings under the system settings.

Step 2: Go to the manage sound devices section. 

Step 3: Under the input devices tab, you should see the default microphone setting of your Windows 10 PC. 

Click on the disable button in order to turn off the built-in mic of your PC with Windows 10. 

Step 4: After disabling the PC’s built-in mic, we recommend following our solution number two, which is configuring the headphone’s built-in mic for audio input. 

How do I get my computer to recognize my headphones mic?

The simplest step to do this is to configure the audio driver of your headphones. Many headphones, especially USB headphones, have internal audio driver software that needs to be updated in your computer for the built-in mic of the headphone to work. 

Why is my headset working but not my mic?

The odds may be high that the built-in mic of your headset isn’t configured as the audio input device in your PC. Follow our solution number two under the software-level solutions section in order to resolve this issue.

Does my PC have a built-in microphone?

Not all PCs, especially desktops, have a built-in microphone. You can go to the sound settings and check if there is any microphone configured under the audio input device section. 

If yes, it is a confirmation that your PC has a built-in microphone. And for laptops, almost all models come with a built-in microphone. 

How do I use my earphones mic on a PC with one jack?

On your PC, find a 3.5 mm port that accepts audio reception as well as transmission (audio input and output). You can then simply plug in your earphone to use its mic. 

If you have a pair of headphones that has two separate 3.5 mm audio cables, one for audio input and the other for audio output, you can use a splitter cable that accepts both 3.5 mm connections and unifies them into one.