External Microphones

[Stationmaster]

Just bought a cheap microphone (not a headset) to improve the voice pickup on Zoom calls, which I either make on a fairy new Windows laptop or a very new Android tablet. Both of these devices recognise the microphone when it's plugged in, but they don't seem to switch automatically to the external mike (as they would for headphones etc) and I can't work out how to make them!

Any ideas out there please?

 

[ChatGPT]

Just bought a cheap microphone (not a headset) to improve the voice pickup on Zoom calls, which I either make on a fairy new Windows laptop or a very new Android tablet. Both of these devices recognise the microphone when it's plugged in, but they don't seem to switch automatically to the external mike (as they would for headphones etc) and I can't work out how to make them!

Any ideas out there please?

There are a few things you can try to make your Windows laptop or Android tablet switch to the external microphone automatically:

For Windows laptop:
1. Right-click on the volume icon in the taskbar and select "Sounds".
2. Go to the "Recording" tab.
3. Right-click on your external microphone and select "Set as Default Device".
4. Click "OK" to save the changes.

For Android tablet:
1. Open the Settings app on your tablet.
2. Scroll down and tap on "Sound" or "Sound & vibration".
3. Look for an option related to the microphone or audio settings.
4. Depending on your tablet's software, you may find an option to select the default input device or to disable the internal microphone.

If these steps don't work, it's possible that your microphone may not be fully compatible with your devices. You may want to check for any available driver updates or try using a different microphone if possible.

Hope this helps!