Windows 10: Microphone shows up in settings under the same input as my headphones' mic and I cannot get...

I have headphones connected through a headphone jack and a microphone connected through a microphone jack, but in settings, they are there is only one input for both of them and the mic only works when the headphones are unplugged and when they are both plugged into my computer uses the headphone mic.

:)

 

Computer Won't Use Headphone Mic

Are you using a wired or wireless connection?

If you are using Bluetooth you will find there is a gotcha when using a headset with a microphone. With Bluetooth 4.x there is not enough bandwidth for both the headset's stereo speakers and the microphone at the same time. If the headset's speakers are used in mono mode then the microphone will work. Here is the information from my computer:
I I left-click on speaker icon on taskbar tray I see my options for the speakers:

• Speakers (Realtek High Definition Audio) = Laptops built-in speakers
• Headphones (Arctis 3 Bluetooth Stereo) = Headphones stereo mode
• Headphones (Arctis 3 Bluetooth Hands-Free AG Audio) = Headphones mono mode

I found out that if I select "Headphones (Arctis 3 Bluetooth Hands-Free AG Audio)" the headset microphone will work.




However, I found that next time the computer might choose "Headphones (Arctis 3 Bluetooth Stereo)". Then the headset speakers will work but the the headset microphone will not work.

To ensure that the right selection is always done automatically I have to go further and set the default to "Headphones (Arctis 3 Bluetooth Hands-Free AG Audio)".
Note I can always override this at any time. To do this...
I right-click on speaker icon on taskbar tray and left-click on Sounds




The first tab Playback is for the speakers

• Headset = Headphones mono mode
• Headphones = Headphones stereo mode
• Speakers = Laptops built-in speakers

The second tab Recording is for the microphone

• Headset = Headset's microphone
• Microphone Array = Laptop's built-in microphone
• Stereo Mix = N/A

To ensure that both the headset speakers and microphone work at the same time I set the default playback to Headset. This will put the headset in mono mode and allow the microphone to work. Note that if I disconnect the headset the computer will automatically revert back to using the built-in speakers and microphone.

 

Combo Input Changed from Mic to Line In: Can't revert to Microphone

Hi,

I have an Windows 10 HP Desktop (product # Y1B39AV) which has builtin sound (i.e. no sound card). It has only 2 audio jacks on the back labeled with icons. One appears to be output and is plugged into my speakers, which work fine. The other appears to be input and is plugged into a microphone which used to work but now doesn't. (There are also 2 output jacks on the front labeled with icons: 1 appears to be for a headphone and the other for a headphone with a mic. They both work when I plug a headphone in.) I also have a Logitech C310 Webcam which plugs into a USB port and works fine for both sound and video. All of this has been connected and working correctly for over a year.

My problem is that my microphone no longer works. When I use Audacity to record from the mic I previously selected Microphone (Synaptics HD Audio) but now that's been replaced with Line In (Synaptics HD Audio). When I record from that I get very faint sound.

It seems that my PC previously thought that the input jack on the back was a mic input but now it thinks it's a line in input. As I recall when I first plugged the microphone in I was prompted to select what type of device I had plugged in, either Line In or Microphone, and I picked Microphone. That worked fine until the PC decided for unknown reasons that it's a Line In device. Since the Line In inputs expect 40 to 60 dBV higher levels than the Microphone level the microphone input sound is so low as to be useless.

The problem is I don't know how to switch that input jack back to Microphone from Line In. I don't see it in the HP documentation or anywhere else. Everywhere I look in Windows (Device Manager, Settings for Sound) it just shows the Synaptics Line In input (and also the Webcam mic) and there's no Synaptics Microphone anywhere. Under Settings/Sound/Manage Devices there is a Synaptics Stereo Audio input that's disabled but when I enable it and record from it in Audacity (called Stereo Mix there) there's no sound at all. Nowhere do I see a Synaptics Microphone.

Can anyone tell how to fix this? I'm running Windows 10 ver. 1903.

Thanks,
Mike

- - - Updated - - -

Further research on the HP web site reveals that this input port is "re-taskable" as a Line-in or Microphone-in port. However so far that hasn't helped me figure out how to re-task it.

 

HP Pavilion desktops headphone and microphone input

If you don't have a setup like this:



,

you may need extension cables or a usb adapter.