How to use headphones as a microphone on your computer

If you have very good headphones, but you can’t find a microphone that suits you and doesn’t reduce the sound quality, you can make one out of headphones. It will allow you to record speech, control chats and answer calls.

Microphone from headphones

A microphone and headphones are very similar devices. While the former are capable of converting sound into electrical signals, the latter do the opposite. But the components of the products, as well as the principle of their operation, are identical.

The headphones and microphone contain vibration diaphragms. They are able to convert sound into electrical signals and vice versa. Therefore, headphones are capable of recording such signals.

Signals are transmitted to the microphone, and the diaphragm begins to vibrate. This allows electrical signals to be sent through wires to the preamplifier. After passing through the wires, the signal enters the speakers, inside of which there are cones with speakers. The latter begin to vibrate, and this allows the signal to be converted into sound.

These speakers can also act as a microphone if you force the signal to travel through the wires and make the magnets and speakers vibrate. The sound quality is a little worse than a standard microphone, but it can be improved by adjusting the signal on your computer.

How to connect headphones as a microphone

To connect headphones as a microphone, you need:

1. Find the audio input on your computer and connect headphones.
2. Open the Start menu, go to Control Panel and open Sound Control settings. The program may be called "Manage Audio Devices" or "Sound", depending on the version of the Windows program.
3. Click on this option. A window with sound settings opens.
4. Select the recording tab. There will be a window with all the audio devices connected to the computer. We select the necessary ones.
5. A “Default” button will appear at the bottom. Click on it.
6. Click OK.
7. Now you need to make several continuous taps on the headphones. You can just do a few touches. Watch the reaction of the green stripes. They show that the device is capable of recording signals.

But headphones as a microphone may be needed not only for a computer, but also for a phone with a tablet. In this case, the action algorithm will change. Necessary:

1. Find the application that is responsible for setting the sensitivity. This is necessary to match the signals transmitting sounds on the device. Alternatively, you can use a mixer or preamp (they create the matching). Some device models have automatic signal adjustment.
2. To convert via Android or iOS, you must use an adapter with ports (the input is divided into 2 signals, one for the microphone, the other for headphones).
3. We connect the connector to the port in the adapter, and the adapter itself to the mixer.
4. Several test recordings are made to check that the settings are correct. If necessary, amendments are made.
5. The result is a small-sized microphone-earphone. Such a device is useful for a concert or for filming that needs to be hidden.

Attention! There are times when a smartphone does not have an audio input.This problem can be solved through Bluetooth, which can also be used as a microphone.

How to adjust sound quality

If all the previous steps were done correctly, when connecting to a computer, the signal should completely disappear from the device and appear in the headset. But if this does not happen, take the following steps to configure:

1. On the taskbar, near the clock, there is an image of a speaker. It is responsible for setting the sound. Right-click on it.
2. Our window opens. Select "Playback Devices".
3. Another window should open. Go to the playback tab (should be the very first one).
4. Select the “Headphones” item.
5. Click the properties button.
6. Another window will open. Select the “General” tab.
7. At the bottom there is the inscription “Using the device”. Under it, select the “Use this device” option.
8. Click the “Properties” button.
9. Go to the driver tab. You need to make sure it works correctly. If there are no errors, the device status window will say, “The device is working normally.” If it doesn't work, download the driver.
10. Now we set the volume indicator.
11. Finally, go to the “Advanced” tab and select the sound quality.

Connecting headphones instead of a microphone is easy. The main thing is to adhere to the rules and do everything strictly according to the instructions.