How to Play Music Through Mic on Windows 10

This guide shows you how to route music from your PC into your microphone input on Windows 10, so others hear your audio during calls, streams, or recordings. You’ll need a Windows 10 PC, a playback device (speakers or headphones), and a microphone—either built-in or external. The method uses Windows’ built-in “Listen to this device” feature, so no extra software is required.

What You’ll Need

A Windows 10 computer with a working microphone (built-in or external).
Audio you want to play (e.g., Spotify, YouTube, local files).
An app that uses the microphone (Discord, Zoom, OBS, etc.) to test with.
Optional: a virtual audio cable (like VB-CABLE) if you need more advanced routing.

Step-by-Step

Open Sound Settings: Right-click the speaker icon in the system tray (bottom-right) and select “Open Sound settings.” Alternatively, go to Settings > System > Sound.
Access Sound Control Panel: In the Sound settings window, scroll down to “Related settings” and click “Sound Control Panel” (on older builds it might be “Advanced sound options”).
Open the Recording tab: In the Sound window that appears, click the “Recording” tab. You’ll see a list of your microphones.
Select your microphone: Find the microphone you want to use (e.g., “Microphone Array” or “External Mic”). Right-click it and choose “Properties.”
Enable “Listen to this device”: In the Properties window, go to the “Listen” tab. Check the box next to “Listen to this device.”
Choose your playback device: In the “Playback through this device” dropdown, select the device you want to hear the music through (usually your speakers or headphones). This is the device that will also carry the music to your mic.
Apply the changes: Click “Apply” and then “OK” to save. Now your microphone will pick up whatever audio is played through the selected playback device.
Play your music: Start playing music on your PC (e.g., open Spotify or YouTube). The audio will be routed to your microphone, and others will hear it along with your voice.
Adjust volume levels: If the music is too loud or quiet for your listeners, adjust the volume of the playback device (the one you selected in step 6) or the microphone’s input volume. Right-click the speaker icon > “Open Volume mixer” to fine-tune app volumes.
Test it: Open your communication app (Discord, Zoom, etc.) and do a mic test or ask a friend to confirm they hear the music.

Common Mistakes

Selecting the wrong playback device: If you pick a device that isn’t actually in use (like “Digital Audio (HDMI)”), the music won’t route. Choose the same device you normally hear sound from.
Forgetting to enable “Listen” on the correct mic: If you have multiple microphones, make sure you’re enabling it on the one your app is using.
Not adjusting the “Playback through this device” setting: If you leave it on “Default device,” it might route to a different output than expected.
Feedback or echo: If your speakers are too loud, the mic may pick up the music again, causing echo. Use headphones to avoid this.
Assuming it works for all apps: Some apps (like certain games) may not respect the “Listen” feature due to exclusive mode settings. You may need to disable exclusive mode (see Troubleshooting).

Tips

Use headphones: To prevent echo and feedback, wear headphones while using this feature. The music will still be sent to the mic, but your speakers won’t blast it back into the mic.
Keep the music volume moderate: If the music is too loud, it may overpower your voice. Use the volume mixer to set the music app to about 50-70% and adjust the mic input level accordingly.
Use a virtual audio cable for more control: If you need to play music only to the mic (not to your own ears), or want to mix multiple audio sources, install a free virtual audio cable like VB-CABLE. Set your music app’s output to “CABLE Input” and then set that as the “Playback through this device” for your mic.
Toggle quickly: You can quickly enable/disable this feature by returning to the “Listen” tab and unchecking the box. No need to restart your apps.

Troubleshooting

No music is heard by others: First, check that the music is actually playing on your PC and that you can hear it. If you can’t hear it, the playback device is wrong. Also, confirm that the “Listen” box is checked and the correct playback device is selected. If using a laptop with multiple audio outputs (e.g., speakers and headphones), make sure you’ve selected the one currently active.
Music is distorted or too loud: Lower the volume of your music player and/or the playback device volume. Also, reduce the microphone input level in the “Levels” tab of the mic’s properties.
Echo or feedback: This usually happens when your speakers are playing the music and the mic picks it up again. Use headphones. If you must use speakers, keep the volume low and position the mic away from the speakers.
Music plays but your voice is not heard: Your mic might be muted in the app, or the app might be using a different mic. Check the app’s audio settings to ensure it’s using the same mic you configured.
Feature not working in a specific app (e.g., games): Some apps take exclusive control of the audio device. To fix, go to the “Advanced” tab in the mic’s properties and uncheck “Allow applications to take exclusive control of this device.” Do the same for the playback device.
No “Listen” tab on your mic: This can happen if your mic driver is outdated. Update your audio drivers via Device Manager (right-click Start > Device Manager > Audio inputs and outputs > right-click your mic > Update driver). If that doesn’t help, try a different mic or use a virtual audio cable as an alternative.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this work with Bluetooth headphones?

Yes, but there may be latency. Also, some Bluetooth headsets have two modes (hands-free and stereo), and the “Listen” feature might not work in stereo mode. Try switching to hands-free mode in the sound settings.

Can I play music only to the mic, not to my own ears?

Yes, but you’ll need a virtual audio cable. Set your music app’s output to the virtual cable, and then set that cable as the “Playback through this device” for your mic. You won’t hear the music yourself unless you also route it to your speakers.

Will this work on Discord?

Yes, Discord will pick up the music as part of your mic input. Just make sure your Discord input device is set to the same mic you configured.

Why does the music sound quiet for others?

Your mic input volume might be low, or the music volume is low. Increase the mic volume in the “Levels” tab of the mic properties, and also raise the music app volume.

Can I use this to play music through my mic on Zoom?

Yes, it works on any app that uses your microphone. Just select the same mic in Zoom’s audio settings.

Is there a way to do this without the “Listen” feature?

Yes, you can use a virtual audio cable (like VB-CABLE) to route audio more flexibly. Set your music app’s output to the virtual cable, and then set your mic’s input to the virtual cable’s “CABLE Output” in the app you’re using.

General steps for current mainstream versions; menus can differ by device and version. See the disclaimer or report an error.

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