How to Use Your Smartphone as a Windows Microphone

Whether you're playing a game with friends or joining a Zoom call for work, a microphone is necessary in today's post-pandemic world. But if you don't have a dedicated mic for your PC, you can use your smartphone as a Windows microphone. We'll show you how below.

How to Use Your Android Phone as a Windows Microphone

If you have an Android phone, you can use it as your Windows microphone for free with AudioRelay. To make it work, all you need is Wi-Fi on your smartphone and an internet connection on your Windows computer.

Download: AudioRelay for Android | Windows (Free, subscription available)

Once you've installed AudioRelay on both your devices, follow these steps:

1. In the mobile app, go to the Server tab and tap Microphone to stream your mic to another device.
2. In the desktop client, go to the Player tab. Under Mode, check the radio button next to Mic.
3. At the bottom, under Servers, your phone should appear. Click your phone's name, and it should establish the connection.

Next, you'll need to tell your Windows PC to use AudioRelay as your microphone:

1. Right-click the volume icon in the Windows taskbar and choose Sound Settings (or Sounds on Windows 10).
2. Under the Input section, select Virtual Mic for AudioRelay. If you're on Windows 10, head to the Recording tab, right-click Virtual Mic for AudioRelay, and choose Set as Default Device.

Start speaking, and you'll see the volume bar moving to the sound of your voice. Alternatively, if you're not sure if it's working, test the mic in a program like Zoom. Make sure to set the input device to Virtual Mic for AudioRelay in the app you're using.

There are just a couple of things you should keep in mind. Other connection options exist, but I found Bluetooth to have latency issues and wired USB to be non-functional. I recommend sticking to Wi-Fi, which is the default mode.

Note that the free version limits you to one hour of continuous use. After that, you'll have to restart the connection by following the steps above.

How to Use Your iPhone as a Windows Microphone

If you have an iPhone and want to use it as your Windows mic, you can use AirDroid Cast. It might feel a tad roundabout because the app is intended for full-screen mirroring, but it's probably your best bet in getting the job done. To make it work, all you need is Wi-Fi on your iPhone and an internet connection on your Windows PC.

Download: AirDroid Cast for iOS | Windows (Free, subscription available)

Once you've installed AirDroid Cast on both of your devices, follow these steps:

1. When you first launch the app on Windows, click Allow if the Windows Firewall pops up.
2. In the desktop client, head to the Wireless tab and take note of the numeric code or QR code.
3. In the mobile app, head to the Cast the Screen tab. Then, type in the numeric code above or use the Scan option to capture the QR code and tap Start Casting.
4. When you see a pop-up in the desktop app, click Allow.
5. Next, tap Start Broadcast in the mobile app. When an overlay appears, click Start Broadcast again. Now, you should see your mobile screen mirrored on your Windows client.

Next, to start using the microphone, follow these steps:

1. In the mobile app, tap somewhere else on the screen to get off the overlay. You should now be at the connection screen, which shows your connection time so far.
2. Tap the Microphone icon to toggle it to ON.
3. Talk into your phone, and you should hear it on your PC.

That's all there is to it. It's nice that everything is negotiated through the app, so you shouldn't have to fiddle with the Windows microphone settings. The free version is also generous and gives you unlimited connection time.

There are a couple of things to know about other connectivity options. You can connect via Bluetooth or USB cable. However, the USB cable option is only available if you upgrade to a paid subscription plan.

Is Windows Not Detecting Your Voice?

If Windows can't detect a microphone or your voice, check for these common issues first:

• If you're using AudioRelay on your Android phone, make sure the Windows program has its input device set to Virtual Mic for AudioRelay.
• If you're using AirDroid Cast on your iPhone, make sure you're casting your phone screen to your PC and not the other way around. Also, check whether the Microphone option in the mobile app is toggled on.

If you're still having problems after checking for the issues above, you may need to fix other microphone problems in Windows, such as improper drivers or permissions.

While it might not be ideal to use your smartphone as a microphone for Windows, it's a great, inexpensive workaround when you don't have a traditional microphone handy. Similar to how you can use your phone as a webcam on Windows, it's nice to make do with what you already have.

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