Whether you’re chatting with friends over Discord, participating in a Zoom study session, or listening to some tunes, a microphone can come in very handy for your computer. But what if you don’t have one?
While you might not have a microphone for your computer, chances are you have a smartphone. It has the solution to your problem: you can use your smartphone as a PC microphone and it’s extremely easy to set up.
We’ll show you different ways to use your phone as a microphone.
How to use your phone as a microphone for your PC
One of the best ways to achieve this is to use WO Mic software. With this program, you can use USB, Bluetooth, or Wi-Fi to connect your smartphone’s microphone to your computer.
It’s completely free to use, has low latency, and will work in any app just like a standard microphone. Compatible with Windows 10/11 and Linux.
Visit the WO Mic website and download the PC app. The necessary drivers are part of this package. Then, download the app on the Android or iOS app store.
Launch the PC program (if you get a missing DLL error, install VC redist from Microsoft. Go to Connection > Connect and select Transport type.
Wo Mic has 4 connection types available, below we will detail each connection type.
Table of Contents
Connect via Bluetooth
First, turn on Bluetooth on your computer:
Press the Windows key + I to open Settings.
Go to Devices > Bluetooth & other devices.
Switch Bluetooth to On mode. Your computer will now be discoverable to other devices.
Next, turn on Bluetooth on your phone. The exact location of this option will vary on the device, but it will be somewhere in Settings (then probably in the Connections menu).
Pair your phone with your computer. A notification will pop up on your computer to confirm the connection.
On the WO Mic desktop program:
Under Transport type, select Bluetooth.
Select your phone from the Target Bluetooth device drop-down menu.
Click Connect
On the Micro WO mobile app:
Click on the settings cog (settings icon)
Click Transport type and select Bluetooth.
Return to the previous screen and tap the play icon to start transmitting your voice.
Connect via USB
This method only works for Android. Connect your phone to the computer using a USB cable. It’s like the one you use to charge your phone.
Windows may prompt you to install the driver, so follow that procedure if available.
Next, turn on enable USB debugging in the Developer Options of your phone. Windows will then recognize your phone as a device.
On the WO Mic desktop program:
Under Transport type, select USB.
Click Connect
On the WO Microphone mobile app:
Click on the settings cog (settings icon)
Click Transport and select USB.
Return to the previous screen and tap the play icon to activate the microphone on your phone.
Connect via Wi-Fi
For this method, both your phone and computer need to be connected to the same Wi-Fi network.
To set your Wi-Fi network on Windows:
Press the Windows key + I to open Settings.
Go to Network & Internet > WiFi.
Click Show available networks.
Click the one you want to use, then click Connect.
On the Micro WO mobile app:
Click on the settings cog (settings icon)
Click Transport and select Wi-Fi.
Go back to the previous screen and tap the play icon. A gray banner notification will appear at the top with a number at the bottom. This is the IP address.
On the WO Mic desktop program:
Refresh the Transport type, and select Wi-Fi.
In the Phone IP address section, enter the IP address from the application.
Click Connect to start using the microphone.
Connect via Wi-Fi Direct
This method requires you to turn your phone into a Wi-Fi hotspot and use your network data. Use this as a last resort; if your computer does not have an internet connection and the other methods above are not suitable.
First, create a mobile hotspot from your phone. How to do this will be different on each device, but look in Settings and you can find it usually under the Connections or Tethering category.
Next, you need to link your computer to this hotspot:
Press the Windows key + I to open Settings.
Go to Network & Internet > WiFi.
Click Show available networks.
Click the hotspot, then click Connect.
On the mobile WO microphone app:
Click on the settings cog (settings icon)
Click Transport and select Wi-Fi Direct.
Return to the previous screen and tap the play icon.
On the Windows WO Microphone program:
In the Transport type section, select Wi-Fi Direct.
In the Soft AP IP address section, leave it as default.
Click Connect.
Windows not detecting your microphone?
You shouldn’t encounter any problems, but if you follow the instructions above and Windows doesn’t detect the microphone, there’s an easy fix:
Press the Windows key + I to open Settings.
Go to System > Sound.
Under Input, press the down arrow to select Microphone (WO Mic Device).
Speak into your smartphone and you will see the volume change on your Test your microphone bar.
Other alternative methods
There are alternatives to the WO Mic, but these require the use of an audio connection jack:
Free Megaphone for iOS
Microphone for Android
Real Microphone for Windows Phone
Download these apps, connect your phone to your Windows computer using the headphone jack, and your phone will then act as a computer microphone.