Gaming headsets can be rather fancy nowadays, and they often offer far better sound quality than your typical phone headset. As a result, a lot of people wonder whether you can connect a gaming headset up to a phone. We are going to answer that question for you on this page.
So, do gaming headsets work with phones?
Yes, gaming headsets do work with phones as long as they have a 3.55mm jack or Bluetooth functionality. Additionally, you will be able to use its full functionality such as the microphone & shortcut controls.
While you could probably try connecting your phone up to your gaming headset now, we do want to go into a little bit more depth. This way, you will really be able to understand how it all works.
Do Gaming Headsets Work with Phones?
In 90% of games, a gaming headset will work with a phone. You will have the full functionality of the gaming headset too. This means that you will be able to use any controls on the headset (assuming that they are not gaming-specific), a well as the microphone and the headphones.
If your gaming headset has one of these connections, then we are sure that it will work:
- 3.5mm jack
- Bluetooth functionality
If your gaming headset works with one of those, then go right ahead and connect it up. It should work perfectly. However, if it has one of the following:
- A jack larger than 3.5mm
- A split cable for the microphone and headphones
Then you may have to purchase some extra equipment. However, in the majority of cases, you should be able to get it to work still.
Jacks larger than 3.5mm
If your gaming headset has a jack larger than 3.5mm, then you will need to purchase a converter.
Now, it is rare that an actual gaming headset will be larger than 3.5mm. However, if it is, it will probably be a 1/4″ jack.
Thankfully, the converters should be no more than a couple of dollars.
Split Cables
If the cables are split i.e. you have one cable that leads to the microphone and a cable that leads to the headphones, then you can’t just plug it in. Well, you can, but only the microphone or the headphones will work. It is all dependent on the cable that you plug into the system.
Thankfully, combining them is simple. You can purchase adapters, also available for a couple of dollars, that are reverse splitters. Rather than splitting a cable into two, they will turn two cables into one. This means that you can plug it straight into that 3.5mm jack without any issues.
Situations where a Gaming Headset Won’t Work
If you have a headset designed for:
- Old Xbox 360 Consoles
- USB Plugs
Then no the gaming headset will likely not work with your phone. There are ways to convert it over. Well, at least in the case of USB. However, a lot of people have found that their headset doesn’t work quite right when they do.
You can purchase USB plugs that will convert a headset into a 3.5mm jack and try it out. It will only cost you a couple of dollars. But, do bear in mind that not everything will be working as smoothly as you hope.
This also applies if your headset needs USB power. It is rare that they do. However, if your headset normally needs to be plugged into a USB slot before it works, then you won’t be able to use it with a gaming headset. You can’t even use a converter here. It simply will not work.
Can You Answer a Phone Call From a Gaming Headset?
If you are wondering whether you are able to physically answer the phone with a gaming headset then it is unlikely that you will be able to do this.
Gaming headsets have been designed to be used with video games consoles and PCs. They have never really been designed to be used with a phone.
Because gaming headsets have not been designed to work with a phone, it is unlikely that they will have a button on them that allows you to answer telephone calls.
If you wish to answer a telephone call on your gaming headset while it is plugged into your phone, then you will need to remove the phone from your pocket and answer it that way.
Once the phone call has been answered, then you will be able to talk to people like you normally would with any other headset!
Do Phone Voice Controls Work with a Gaming Headset?
Yes, it is unlikely that you will run into any issues using voice controls on your gaming headset.
Remember, the gaming headset is nothing more than a glorified microphone. Anything that you can do with a microphone on your phone, you will be able to do with your gaming headset.
Will All Features of the Gaming Headset Work on a Phone?
Almost certainly, yes.
If your gaming headset has those fancy LEDs on it, then these may not work. Normally, in order to make those lights that gaming headsets have, there will need to be a separate source of power going into the headset via USB. You will not have that with a phone.
You will be able to use the headphones and the microphone, though.
It is rare that your gaming headset will have any additional buttons. If it does, then they will probably not work with your phone. If they do work, then they will probably control different features to what you would expect them to control. You can experiment to discover what they do, though.
How Do You Connect a Bluetooth Gaming Headset to a Phone?
In order to get your Bluetooth gaming headset working with a phone, then you will need to pair the headset and the phone together. However, do bear in mind that once you have paired the two devices, if you want to pair the headset with your gaming console, you will need to go through the process again.
The process for pairing the two will be dependent on the headset and the phone that you have. Here, we are going to give you a brief overview. However, do make sure that you always consult the manual for your headset to know that you are doing everything 100% properly.
Android:
- Turn your Bluetooth headset on. You should set it to ‘discovery’ mode, or whatever mode your headset manual suggests that you should be using when pairing the Bluetooth headset to a new device.
- Unlock your phone
- Swipe down from the top of the screen to show the Android drop-down menu.
- Press your finger and hold the Bluetooth button.
- On the new screen, turn Bluetooth on if it is not already.
- Select ‘Pair New Device’
- Wait for the Android phone to find your Bluetooth gaming headset.
- Select the gaming headset in the list and type in the pin number to connect.
- Your headset should now work.
iPhone:
- Turn on your Bluetooth headset and switch it to ‘pairing’ or ‘discovery’ mode. You should read the manual to find out how to do this.
- Open ‘Settings’ on your iPhone
- Select ‘Bluetooth’ to turn Bluetooth on (if it is not already)
- Wait for your gaming headset to appear in the device list.
- Click the headset. You may have to enter a pin number to complete the pairing. This will be in your headset’s manual.
- The devices are now paired and you can use them.
In both cases, if you cannot find the Bluetooth gaming headset in any list, then the chances are that your headset has not been switched to discovery mode or, perhaps, you do not have Bluetooth switched on. Read through the manual of your headset to discover what you are doing wrong.
How Do You Connect a Wired Gaming Headset to an iPhone?
If you have a modern iPhone, then you will know that you can’t just go plugging a 3.5mm wired headset into it. Anything that you plug into the iPhone needs to have a Lightning connection.
In order to get that Lightning connection, you will need to buy a converter. This converter is likely to cost between $10 and $20. It all depends on how ‘good’ you want that converter to be! The lower the quality of the adapter, the poorer the sound quality will be.
Once you have converted the wired headset to a Lightning connection, then it should function just like any other normal headset plugged into the iPhone.
Final Thoughts
If you have a gaming headset, then it will almost certainly work with your phone. In fact, it should work pretty well. Probably the only issue that you will have is that gaming headsets tend to be a bit bulkier than their phone counterparts, particularly on the microphone front. This means that you may need to be careful when you are walking around. You don’t want to break anything do, you?
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