How do I use my earbuds as a mic on Android?

Most Android phones allow you to use your earbuds as a microphone for calls or recordings like memos, videos, or apps. This can come in handy if your phone’s built-in mic is damaged or you simply prefer using your earbuds for better sound quality.

You can use both wired and wireless Bluetooth earbuds as a mic on your Android device. Wired earbuds just need to have a microphone and be plugged into your phone’s headphone jack or USB-C port using an adapter. Bluetooth earbuds need to be paired to your device and support headset functionality.

Using your earbuds as a microphone enables hands-free calling and voice recording. This guide will walk through how to set up and use your earbuds as a mic on Android.

Check earbud compatibility

Before using your earbuds as a microphone on your Android device, you’ll want to verify that your particular earbuds actually have microphone capabilities. Many earbuds, especially cheaper models, may only be configured for audio output and lack any microphone functionality.

Look closely at the earbud design – earbuds with an integrated microphone will typically have 3 black bands or rings near the base of the stem or cable. These 3 rings contain the ground, microphone, and remote control contacts needed for microphone input and call control. If your earbuds lack these 3 black bands, then they likely don’t have a microphone and won’t work. You’ll need to use earbuds specifically designed with call and microphone features.

You can also check the product description for your earbuds – compatible models will be advertised as having a microphone, mic support, call capabilities, or headset functionality. Brands like Apple, Sony, Bose, Jabra, and others sell earbuds marketed specifically for call and voice assistant use thanks to their built-in mics. Focus your search on these headset-enabled earbuds for microphone support.

Locate microphone icon

Most earbuds have a tiny microphone icon located somewhere on the buds or remote control to indicate the microphone location. Common placements for the microphone icon include:

On the outer housing of each earbud
On the inner part of each earbud tip

On the inline remote control on one of the earbud cables
On a microphone stalk protruding from one of the earbuds

Before using your earbuds as a microphone, inspect them closely for a small mic icon symbol. This icon lets you know which part of the earbuds contains the built-in microphone.

Access microphone settings

The microphone settings on Android devices are located within the Settings app. Here are the steps to access them:

1. Open the Settings app on your Android device.

2. Scroll down and tap Sound & vibration (on some devices this may be listed as Sound).

3. Next, tap Advanced.

4. You should now see options for microphone settings including a toggle to turn the microphone on or off for various apps. You can control which apps have microphone access here.

Some Android devices may bury the microphone settings deeper in the Settings menu. If you don’t see Advanced under Sound, try searching for “microphone” in the Settings search bar. This should bring up the microphone settings.

You can also access microphone settings quickly from the notification shade. Swipe down from the top and look for a microphone icon, then tap on it to toggle the mic on or off across all apps.

In summary, the microphone settings are found within the Settings app > Sound > Advanced menu. Toggling these settings allows you control over which apps can access your microphone.

Source: https://www.androidauthority.com/android-microphone-settings-3393146/

Select earbuds as microphone

To set your earbuds as the default microphone on Android:

Open the Settings app and go to Sound & vibration or Sound settings.
Tap on Media volume to expand the options.

Under Volume, tap on the drop down box next to Microphone and select your earbuds.
You can test that the earbuds mic is selected by tapping on the mic icon and speaking. You should see the mic level indicator move when using the earbuds.

Alternatively, you can go to Voice input and select your earbuds as the Default microphone option. Some brands like Samsung also allow you to set the microphone specifically for calls under Call settings.

Make sure your earbuds are designed to act as a microphone for your Android device. Refer to the earbud’s documentation or product details to confirm microphone support before troubleshooting issues with the mic selection.

According to users on Reddit and Quora, some Android models may restrict using earbud mics with certain apps, so you may need to adjust app-specific permissions as well.

Test the microphone

Once you have selected your earbuds as the microphone source in your Android device’s settings, the next step is to test that the microphone is working properly.

You can test your earbud microphone in a few ways:

Open the built-in Voice Recorder app on your Android device, press record, and speak into your earbuds. Play back the recording to verify your voice was captured clearly through the earbuds.
Make a phone call to a friend using your earbuds. Ask them if they can hear you speaking clearly through the earbuds microphone.

Install a microphone testing app like MicTest which provides real-time feedback on microphone volume levels.

If your voice is not coming through clearly, refer to the microphone troubleshooting section below.

Adjust microphone volume

If you find that the microphone volume through your earbuds is too low or too high, you can adjust it in your Android device’s settings.

Go to Settings > Sound & vibration > Volume or Volume and vibrate alerts. Here you will see sliders for volume control of media, notifications, system sounds, etc.

You want to adjust the slider for “Call Volume” or “Microphone volume” depending on your specific device. Drag the slider to the right to increase microphone volume or to the left to decrease it. You can test the volume and continue adjusting until you reach the desired loudness.

Some more modern devices may have a separate microphone section in Settings > System > Sound > Microphone. Here you may see an option to boost microphone volume or test microphone sensitivity. Use these options to customize your mic volume as needed.

The WikiHow guide has step-by-step instructions for various Android devices. The volume should now come through clearly in recordings and calls. Adjust as desired for your specific usage situation.

Microphone troubleshooting

If you are experiencing issues with your earbud microphone on your Android device, there are several troubleshooting tips that may help. According to this Guiding Tech article, some things to try include:

Clean the microphone hole. Gently use a can of compressed air or a cotton swab dampened with rubbing alcohol to remove dust, lint, or debris that may be blocking the mic.

Check your Android microphone settings. Go to Settings > Apps & Notifications > App Permissions > Microphone and ensure the microphone permission is enabled for desired apps.
Test with a voice recording app. Download a simple voice recording app from the Play Store to test and ensure your microphone is working properly.

If your microphone volume seems low even if the mic is working, you can also try these troubleshooting tips:

Increase the microphone volume in your Android settings. Go to Settings > Sound & Vibration > Volume and slide the Microphone volume up.
Use a volume boost app. Install an app like Volume Booster GOODEV or Volume Booster & EQ from the Play Store to amplify your mic’s input volume.
Adjust sensitivity if too sensitive. Go to Settings > Sound & Vibration > Advanced > Microphone sensitivity and reduce from High to Medium or Low if your mic is picking up too much background noise.

Following these troubleshooting steps can often resolve microphone challenges on Android phones and improve audio input quality.

Audio recording apps

There are several good Android apps for recording audio using your earbud microphone. Popular options include:

Voice Recorder – This free app provides high-quality recordings and an intuitive interface. You can easily select your earbuds as the audio input.

Easy Voice Recorder – As the name suggests, this app makes recording quick and easy. It has options to optimize quality and manages recordings.

Both apps allow you to test your connected microphone before recording. They also have settings to adjust the microphone volume if needed. Consider downloading one of these apps to make use of your earbuds’ microphone capabilities.

Conclusion

To summarize how you can use your earbuds as a microphone on an Android device:

Check that your earbuds have microphone capabilities.
Locate the microphone icon when you plug in the earbuds.
Open microphone settings to select the earbuds as the microphone.

Test the microphone and adjust volume as needed.

If you followed these steps, your earbuds should now function as a microphone on your Android device. You can use earbud microphones for audio recording and voice calls. Remember to troubleshoot any microphone issues in your device settings or recording apps.