How to Use Your Smartphone as a Microphone in Windows

When you use your smartphone as a microphone on a Windows computer, it frees you from relying on a headset or computer mic. In addition, you get much better sound quality compared to the default audio on a Windows laptop, particularly any older or inexpensive models. The latest smartphones from leading brands come with stereo speakers to provide a more immersive sound experience, and it’s very easy to connect them to a PC using apps. This guide shows how to use a smartphone as a microphone for a Windows computer.

Good to know: did you know you can use your Android phone as a remote for your Android TV? We show you how to set it up.

How to Use Your Phone as a Microphone

There are various apps in Google Play and the App Store that enable a smartphone to be used as a microphone on a computer. We are using WO Mic, which is free to use on Windows. It’s trusted by millions of users, and the phone-to-PC sound transfer quality is quite decent.

Warning: in the past, there were malware concerns with WO Mic. There are even viruses named after it. Be sure to download the WO Mic client installer and apps from the official source only. Also, there are a few advertisements on the mobile apps that you can remove with a cheap subscription.

1. Install WO Mic on your Windows PC.

2. Download and install WO Mic app (Android | iOS) to your smartphone.

3. Go to “Connection -> Connect” on your PC to establish a pairing with your smartphone.

4. Select one of four connection options, then press the “Connect” button.

5. To establish a pairing between the phone and PC, go back to your smartphone app, and tap the three-dot icon on the top to open “Settings.”

6. Tap on “Transport,” and select one option.

7. You’ll find the same four connectivity choices on your mobile app: Bluetooth, USB, Wi-Fi, and Wi-Fi Direct. Your client device (laptop) and phone should use the same transport mechanism.

Tip: compare Wi-Fi 5 vs. Wi-Fi 6 vs. Wi-Fi 6E.

Connect With Wi-Fi

For this method to work, both devices need to be connected to the same Wi-Fi.

From the Mobile App

1. Set up Wi-Fi for transport (if it’s not already set by default).

2. On the previous screen, tap the play icon, and jot down the IP address displayed on the app’s home screen.

3. A “Waiting for connection” status will be displayed on the app.

In the Desktop App

1. Set the transport type as Wi-Fi (if it’s not set by default).

2. The IP address field should match the IP address generated in the phone app. If it does not, modify it.

3. The “Connect” button at the bottom will have a “Connecting” status for just a couple of seconds.

4. Your desktop and mobile will have a Wi-Fi mode “Connected” status.

5. Disconnect the established pairing anytime from “Connection -> Disconnect” on the desktop or the smartphone app.

FYI: getting a “USB device not recognized” error in Windows? Learn how to fix it.

Connect With USB

Before getting started with this method, you will need to set up Developer Options on your Android phone.

1. Go to the “About phone” menu, and select “Software information.”

2. Tap seven consecutive times on “Build Number” to enable Developer Mode.

3. The “Developer Options” should be visible on your phone’s settings. Tap it for more tweaks.

4. Turn on USB debugging for your smartphone.

5. Connect your phone to the Windows laptop using your phone’s USB charging cable. The laptop is ready to receive data from the phone.

In the Desktop App

1. Set the transport type as “USB.”

2. Click “Connect” at the bottom.

In the Mobile App

1. Select “USB” as the transport.

2. Hit the “Play” button on the app, and it will wait to connect with the PC in USB transport mode.

3. Give your consent to any data transfer from phone to PC, such as USB debugging, by tapping the “Allow” button.

4. The phone app should show a “Connected” status for USB transport mode. The same should be visible on the desktop.

Tip: is the Bluetooth tile missing from the Action Center in Windows? Learn how to bring it back.

Connect With Bluetooth

For this method to function properly, you’ll need to enable Bluetooth for both the phone and the laptop, then pair them together.

1. Go to “Settings -> Bluetooth & devices,” and click “Add device” on the Windows desktop.

2. Double-click on “Bluetooth” under “Add a device.”

3. Select your phone model from the list of compatible Bluetooth devices.

4. Go to “Settings -> Bluetooth & Device Connection” on your smartphone, and tap on the Windows laptop.

5. The phone will send a Bluetooth pairing request. Jot down the PIN or pairing code, and click “Pair” to proceed.

6. The PIN will show on the Windows laptop. Click “Yes” to finalize the Bluetooth pairing.

7. You will see a “Connection succeeded” status on the Windows laptop.

8. The “Bluetooth & devices” section in Windows will display the newly added smartphone.

In the Desktop App

1. Set the transport type as “Bluetooth.”

2. Select your target Bluetooth device, which is the phone we just added to the network, in this case.

3. Hit the “Connect” button at the bottom.

In the Mobile App

1. Set the transport type to “Bluetooth.”

2. Hit the “Play” button, which will put the WO Mic app in “Waiting for connection” status in Bluetooth transport mode.

3. The phone app should show a “Connected” status for Bluetooth transport mode. You will also see a USB-mode “Connected” status on the desktop.

Tip: dealing with a slow Wi-Fi connection in your home? Learn how to improve it.

Connect With Wi-Fi Direct

To use this method, you will first have to set up a mobile hotspot on your phone. Make sure you connect your Windows PC to the network you’ve just created.

In the Mobile App

1. Select “Wi-Fi Direct” as transport.

2. If your Android device supports Wi-Fi Direct, jot down the IP address to enter it in the “Soft AP IP address” value in the desktop app.
3. Press the “Play” button.

In the Desktop App

1. On the desktop, set the transport type as “Wi-Fi Direct.”
2. Enter the AP IP address based on your phone’s hotspot information.

3. Press the “Connect” button. If there is proper pairing between your phone’s soft AP and WO Mic Client IP address, the connection will be established.

Good to know: if your TV is not connecting to Wi-Fi, we have a list of fixes you can try.

Other Apps to Use a Smartphone as a Mic on Windows

Apart from WO Mic, there are a few other apps that offer similar services of using a smartphone as a mic on Windows. The following is a list of such apps:

• EZ Mic: it’s an easy-to-use app that has a very simple installation on Windows. The pairing between phone and PC happens over Wi-Fi and USB. Currently, it only supports iPhones, but an Android version is coming out soon. The other downside is that only the first five minutes of EZ Mic are free to use, but a full version can be unlocked for only $3.99.
• DroidCam: although technically a webcam service, DroidCam does a decent job of transferring phone audio to a Windows device. Download and install the Windows client, followed by downloading the DroidCam apps on Google Play and App Store. The service is free to use and supports connection via Wi-Fi and USB cable.
• Bandicam: Bandicam is a webcam recorder for Windows, which is mainly used to convert your smartphone into a webcam for Zoom, Skype, Google Meet, and other meetings. The free version of the software only supports 10 minutes of recording with sound, and a lifetime personal license starts at $45.

While you investigate the above apps, check out our detailed guide on how to use an iPhone as a webcam. Remember that smartphones can do much more than record on a laptop. You can, for example, use your phone’s keyboard as a portable writing station and hook it up to your Windows keyboard. This is very helpful if your laptop keyboard is stuck or not working properly.

Image credit: FreePik. All photos and screenshots by Sayak Boral.