Whether it is gaming or making video calls online, a microphone is something everyone needs when using a laptop or a PC.
Nearly all headsets are equipped with a separate microphone which makes it easy for users to talk and listen through a single device.
And the most amazing part is that they are available at competitive prices, meaning anyone and everyone can afford it.
However, not all headsets can work with laptops and PCs, especially if you are using an older model. For this, you need to know how to use headset mic on pc with one jack.
In most cases, you might be able to use your headset for listening on your PC, however, you may face a hard time making the microphone work on your PC.
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In this article, we will be covering the following topics in detail:
- Reasons why a headset microphone doesn’t work on a PC
- Difference between a 3 pin and 4 pin audio connector
- Main benefits of using splitter for a PC
- How to change your default microphone settings
Now let’s, discuss these points in detail:
Why a headset microphone doesn’t work on a PC?
One of the main reasons why a headset microphone doesn’t work on a PC is due to the fact that most PCs come with two separate ports for headphones and microphone.
Owing to the growing popularity of gaming laptops, not many people are fond of investing in traditional PCs.
As a result, major computer manufacturers are focusing more on building laptops and tablets instead of PCs.
Therefore, those who still wish to use a PC for gaming or any other task have no other option but to use a refurbished one.
Such PCs usually feature separate ports for mic and headphones.
Therefore, headsets with dual audio and microphone jack won’t work on it.
Since, more people are leaning towards laptops instead of PCs for their work.
Brands like Dell, Lenovo, HP and Asus are featuring dual headphones /microphone jack in their laptops to make sure they work with the latest gaming headsets.
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3 pin vs. 4 pin audio connector
One of the main reason why a microphone on a headset can’t be used in a PC is because it comes with 4 band pin connector.
The metal pin on the connector features 4 different sections that are in the form of bands.
The point of the pin is for the left side speakers.
The band next to the point on the pin is for the right side speakers.
The second last ring is the ground and the fourth ring is used for accessing the microphone in a headset.
The jack on a PC is designed for 3.5mm audio connector of 3 bands.
The pin of these 3.5mm connectors don’t have a ring for microphone which is why you cannot use your microphone through it.
Ideally, a PC will have a pink 3.5mm microphone audio input. Some may even feature a USB port for microphones.
However, very few PCs come with a 4 pin jack which makes it hard for users to use their headsets’ microphone in their PC.
Unlike PCs and old laptop models, you can easily use a headset’s microphone on the latest versions of laptops and PCs.
They usually come with a 4 pin audio jack to allow smooth running of the latest gaming headsets on the system.
If you try using your single audio connector headset on an older smartphone, tablet or any other smart device that comes with a port for an audio jack, then you won’t face any kind of problem using the microphone on your device as nearly all smart devices come with a 4 band audio connector.
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Benefits of using a splitter
The easiest solution to this is to invest in a splitter.
A splitter doesn’t cost a lot and is a great way to convert your single 3.5 mm audio connector pin into two.
It with two different 3 band pins for the headphones and microphones.
Once you connect your headset pin into the splitter, your headset will have two separate 3 band pin connector.
Now, you can easily use your headset on any PC or laptop that comes with two different ports for headphones and microphone.
In case your microphone still isn’t working after using a splitter, then the problem may be with the default microphone settings of your PC.
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Checking your default microphone settings
Whether you are using a MAC or Windows OS, the process of activating your current headset is almost the same.
The main idea is to make your current headset the primary microphone of your PC.
Step 1: For this, you might want to go into the control panel and go to the sounds settings.
Step 2: Next, a list will who up featuring all the sound relates hardware.
Step 3: You need to find the name of your current headset from the list.
Step 4: Once you find it in the list, simply click on it and make it your default microphone.
Step 5: At times, the name of your current headset won’t appear in the list.
Step 6: In such situations, you can go to Set up Mic option to have your computer automatically find it for you.
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To sum up
In this article, we discussed some simple tips through which you can easily use your microphone on any PC or laptop. If you use an Apple earbuds and want to use it on your laptop or PC, you can try following the same method to activate its microphone for playing games or making video calls on your PC.
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