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Is there a way to get the in-line microphone and remote controller on headphones to work on Windows?

I've got Koss iSpark designed to work with iPhone, but also other smartphones. It has in-line microphone and also push-to-talk button with ability to accept/decline calls and pause/play/next/previous song. Since I use it on my laptop a lot I was wondering if it can be used as a microphone (e.g. for Skype calls) and as a media controller (common practice for keyboards).

I assume some kind of driver would probably be required, at least for the media control part. Yet I haven't found anything useful so far and despite this question being asked before in several situations there was no conclusive answer.

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3 Answers 3

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Since this is using them in a way they aren't designed, this may or may not work.

The headphones you are using have more connections on the plug than the standard headphone jack on your computer can handle. Most computers have separate headphone and microphone jacks. So, in order to use them, you would need an adapter like the one below.

enter image description here

Product recommendations are off topic here, so you will have to search for 3.5mm Mic Stereo Audio Y Splitter 1 Female to 2 Male Adapter Cable.

As far as drivers, Windows 7 will likely just recognize it as a generic microphone and headphone. Koss does not provide drivers.

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  • Thanks for the answer, I will try that out. But as for the media control - is there any way to achieve that? I have a keyboard with keys to control media players (it works with iTunes for instance), would it be possible to associate those actions with the button on the headphones?
    – SysGen
    Commented Jun 15, 2013 at 8:42
  • I seriously doubt it. That keyboard likely has software or drivers specific to connecting to a PC and performing those functions. Again, you are trying to use these headphones in a way they were not intended, so you may not get all the features you desire.
    – CharlieRB
    Commented Jun 17, 2013 at 11:07
  • I've finally tested it and can confirm that it's working! Bought myself that cable and both speakers and microphone on my headphones now work with my laptop. Thanks a lot for an advice. Too bad there's no chance to get the remote control to work, but I guess it was a long shot.
    – SysGen
    Commented Jan 3, 2014 at 17:10
  • now my computer supports the 3 ring jack. Can I ge the remote to work somehow?
    – nimsson
    Commented Aug 14, 2014 at 20:05
  • @nimsson You need to ask your own question rather than ask it in a comment of an answer to another question.
    – CharlieRB
    Commented Aug 15, 2014 at 11:11
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This depends on the connector, look at the tip of the headphone jack, and count the stripes:

TS vs TRS vs TRRS TS vs TRS vs TRRS channel assignments

The jacks on computers (PCs anyway, not Macs!) are typically 3 conductor TRS so they will only work for

  1. left
  2. right
  3. ground (required)

If the connector is 3 stripe (TRRS) and is compatible, the TRRS signalling methods (for volume control, pause / play, etc) depend on the vendor and there literally is no standard for that, as of 2017 anyway.

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For those of you who have this problem on a Mac running windows via Bootcamp: upgrade to Windows 10. Apple's new BootCamp drivers (win-10 version) support headphones volume control in full.

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  • 4
    1. Your suggestion "upgrade to Windows 10" doesn't apply to anyone except a niche group of Mac users who installed Windows on their Macs. 2. Apple's drivers are not helpful in any computer except a Mac running Windows on BootCamp. 3. Headphones and earphones designed for Android won't have volume control ability even on a Mac with Windows 10. 4. You assume everyone has a Mac, BootCamp and Windows license. Oh did I mention that already?
    – ADTC
    Commented May 31, 2016 at 9:25
  • Bonus: The asker did not mention anywhere that the laptop is a Macbook. I hope you didn't infer that from the use of an iPhone :)
    – ADTC
    Commented May 31, 2016 at 9:34
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    @ADTC Yeah, sorry I thought i'm answering a question at apple.stackexchange.com I'm NOT assuming everyone has a mac. Just confused the sites.... PS. with SE network you always have to run a background thread in your brain, monitoring on which site you're at...
    – jazzcat
    Commented May 16, 2017 at 11:34
  • Edited the answer
    – jazzcat
    Commented May 16, 2017 at 11:42

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