Windows 10: Problem with Mic: Microphone is recognized as headset/headphones and thus cannot be used

Hello,I recently switched to Windows 11 but even before that, I still had the same problem: When I put my Rode Lavalier Go into the microphone jack front, it is not recognized as a mic anymore i.e as Input, but rather as headphones Output. See images below. My PC is a Dell Inspiron 3881 and it has one entry at the back Green for audio and one in front for headset. There are no other entry points. In the past I haven't been using it for a while the PC would recognize the mic as a mic. Now that has changed. I have followed all of the standard fix steps eg. uninstall drivers and reinst

:)

 

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.

 

Computer won't recognize headset microphone

This is what i see in device manager. Im not sure if the Speakers/Headphones (Realtek High Definition Audio) is the one your saying to disable, as that is what is default in playback devices in the sounds panel.

Setting Stereo Mix as the default recording device and disabling everything else still didnt get the mic working, even when the headset is plugged into the microphone only audio port or the mic + sound audio port.

 

Headset microphone not being recognized

I have used this headset with the laptop before, and I have used both the mic and the headphones with it. However, I just went to use it again after some time, and my laptop doesn't recognize the mic with it. The sound still goes through the headphones,
and it registers it as such, but there is no option for the mic, the only available input listed is the laptop's built in mic.

Previously, there would be that "What Device Was Plugged In?" Popup, where you could select whether you had plugged in a headset or headphones. That no longer pops up, and I have failed to find a setting to reenable it, as was suggested when I was looking to
solve this problem on other question on the subject.

How can I get my computer to register that there is a microphone associated?