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HOW TO USE TWO OR MORE HEADPHONES ON PC (WIRED/BLUETOOTH)

Johann Adi
Johann Adi
Contributor
Experience
For me, writing is a way to learn. From time travel mechanics to Bali tourist
advice, I've written about it all. At this point, I'm like a walking
encyclopedia.
Read FULL BIO
💬 6 comments
Updated on September 28, 2024
Connecting two or more headphones to PC or Mac

We independently review all our recommendations. Purchases made via our links
may earn us a commission. Learn more ❯

With a variety of workarounds, it’s possible to connect two or more wired or
Bluetooth headphones to your Windows PC.

Connecting two pairs of headphones to one PC is useful when you want to share
audio with a friend or loved one without disturbing those around you.

Unfortunately, this isn’t always easy. Your options can vary depending on the
type of headphones or PC you use, making it a confusing subject to navigate.

To help make everything clearer, we’ve put together this simple guide to help
you connect two or more pairs of headphones to your Windows PC. Read on!

In This Article

 * How to Use Two or More Wired Headphones on Your PC or Laptop
 * How to Use Multiple Bluetooth Headphones on a PC or Laptop
 * How to Use Bluetooth and Wired Headphones on PC at the Same Time
 * Frequently Asked Questions

In This Article

 * How to Use Two or More Wired Headphones on Your PC or Laptop
 * How to Use Multiple Bluetooth Headphones on a PC or Laptop
 * How to Use Bluetooth and Wired Headphones on PC at the Same Time
 * Frequently Asked Questions

Watch: How to Use Two or More Headphones on PC


HOW TO USE TWO OR MORE WIRED HEADPHONES ON YOUR PC OR LAPTOP

Most Windows PCs only offer one headphone jack for audio output, limiting the
number of wired audio outputs you can connect.

Some PCs may have two audio ports for input and output. Unfortunately, you
cannot connect two output-only devices for such PCs.

The good news is that you can use simple hardware tools or tweak your PC’s
settings to solve this problem. Here are the solutions:

 * Buy a headphone splitter
 * Adjust Control Panel settings and use Stereo Mix
 * Use an audio mixer to manage the audio output


BUY A HEADPHONE SPLITTER

The easiest way to use two headphones on a PC is by using a headphone splitter.
This is a dongle adapter you can plug into your headphone jack, which will split
one port into two.

Y-splitter (From: Amazon)

Headphone splitters work with any wired audio device with 3.5mm plugs. All you
have to do is plug the device into your audio port and then connect your
headphones to the jacks on the splitter.

Depending on your needs, you can opt for a Y splitter that will give you two
audio output ports or a multi-splitter that offers even more connections.

The only drawback to a headphone splitter is that you’ll need to purchase one
separately. However, they’re not all that expensive, usually around the $10-15
mark.


ADJUST CONTROL PANEL SETTINGS AND USE STEREO MIX

You can also use the Stereo Mix feature to share audio between any two
headphones with different connection types, e.g., a 3.5mm and a USB plug.

This also applies to a mix of Bluetooth and wired headphones. However, one pair
of headphones must be wired for this method to work.

Here’s what to do:

 1. Connect both sets of headphones.
 2. Open the Settings app and click System, then Sound.
 3. Under Output, select your headphones (or Realtek Audio) as the output
    device. This will select the headphones in the 3.5mm jack by default.
    
    
    
    Selecting the Realtek Digital Output as the default output device.
 4. Scroll down and choose More Sound Settings.
 5. Go to the Recording tab.
 6. Select Stereo Mix and click Set Default.
    If this option isn’t showing, right-click anywhere on the Recording tab and
    select Show Disabled Devices.
 7. Right-click on Stereo Mix and open the Properties.
 8. Go to the Listen tab, and click the checkbox next to Listen to this device.
 9. In the drop-down list under Playback through this device, choose the second
    set of headphones. Click Apply to save the changes, then OK to exit the
    dialogue box.
    
    
    
    Adjust Control Panel settings and use Stereo Mix

If Stereo Mix isn’t showing up, update your Realtek sound driver.


USE AN AUDIO MIXER TO MANAGE THE AUDIO OUTPUT

An audio mixer is a device used in sound recording and reproduction, designed to
mix multiple audio signals and produce a combined output. You can download a
virtual mixer for your PC, which will let you listen to audio simultaneously
through multiple outputs, though the headphones must have different connection
types.

We recommend VoiceMeeter if you’re looking for a free virtual mixer.

Follow the steps below to get set up after installing the Voicemeeter software:

 1. Go to Settings > System > Sound.
 2. Under Output, scroll down, open More Sound Settings, and click the Playback
    tab.
 3. Select Voicemeeter Input and choose to Set Default.
    
    
    
    Select Voicemeeter Input and choose to Set Default.
 4. Connect both of your headphones to your Windows PC.
 5. Next, open the Voicemeeter app. In the top right corner, under the Hardware
    Out heading, you will see two small icons labeled A1 and A2. These refer to
    the two audio output channels available.
 6. Click on A1 and select one pair of headphones, then click A2 and choose the
    other.
    
    
    
    Click on A1 and select one pair of headphones, then click A2 and choose the
    other.

Now, you should be able to listen to audio on two headphones or speakers
simultaneously. You can even listen to audio on a pair of headphones and a
speaker system at the same time.


HOW TO USE MULTIPLE BLUETOOTH HEADPHONES ON A PC OR LAPTOP

Before we explore the different ways to connect more than one pair of Bluetooth
headphones to a Windows PC, let’s look at some prerequisites.

Ensure your PC has Bluetooth 5.0, which indicates your computer supports
streaming audio to multiple music devices. Furthermore, your PC and Bluetooth
headphones must support A2DP or Advanced Audio Distribution Profile.

If your devices meet these criteria, you can try the solutions below.

 * Use a Bluetooth adapter
 * Use the Virtual Audio Cable audio mixer


USE A BLUETOOTH ADAPTER

The simplest way to connect two pairs of Bluetooth headphones to one PC is by
using a Bluetooth adapter. This small dongle device can enhance or enable
Bluetooth connectivity on your PC, and some multi-stream adapters can connect to
multiple Bluetooth audio devices simultaneously.

Not all adapters can stream audio to multiple devices, as this requires more
processing power and additional audio codecs. Ensure that the adapter is
multi-stream before purchase to avoid wasting your money.

We recommend the Avantree Orbit adapter as one of the best on the market for
multi-point connection, but at the very least, the transmitter should have
Bluetooth version 5.0 and must support A2DP.


USE THE VIRTUAL AUDIO CABLE AUDIO MIXER

The Virtual Audio Cable mixer will allow you to route your audio to multiple
outputs, including wireless headphones.

You’ll need to download the software bundle and locate the Audio Repeater
program. Once the app is installed, follow the steps below to play audio through
two Bluetooth headphones:

 1.  Go to Settings > System > Sound > More sound settings, and go to the
     Playback tab.
 2.  Select the Line 1 device and click Set Default, then hit Apply.
 3.  Go to the Recording tab and repeat the process.
     
     
     
     Select the Line 1 device and click Set Default.
 4.  Next, search for Audio Repeater (MME). Right-click on the program and
     select Run as administrator. This will open the application.
 5.  Repeat the process to open a second Audio Repeater window.
 6.  On the first application, ensure the Wave in option says Microsoft Sound
     Mapper.
 7.  Click the Wave out option beneath this and select your first Bluetooth
     audio device from the list.
 8.  Go to the second Audio Repeater tab. Click on Wave in and select Line 1.
 9.  Next, click on Wave out and select your second Bluetooth audio device from
     the list.
     
     
     
     Click on Wave out and select your audio device from the list.
 10. Click Start on both Audio Repeater windows.

Check out some quick fixes if your Bluetooth headphones won’t connect to your
PC.


HOW TO USE BLUETOOTH AND WIRED HEADPHONES ON PC AT THE SAME TIME

If you want to use wired and wireless headphones simultaneously, you can use
Stereo Mix or an audio mixer to split your audio output. We’ve explained how to
do this in the section above on wired headphones, so you can refer to that for
instructions.


FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

 * Why two headphones aren’t the norm for PC
 * Can you use 2 USB headsets on one computer?
 * How do I use headphones and speakers at the same time on PC?


WHY TWO HEADPHONES AREN’T THE NORM FOR PC

Most PCs are designed for only one audio output device due to a lack of consumer
demand and potential issues with equalizer settings.

Adding multiple simultaneous audio outputs and updating the EQ to be compatible
would require more processing power and audio ports, increasing the consumer
cost.


CAN YOU USE 2 USB HEADSETS ON ONE COMPUTER?

No, not without a headphone splitter. PCs are designed for only one audio output
device, so even though you can plug two sets of headphones in at once, sound can
only be streamed to one of them.


HOW DO I USE HEADPHONES AND SPEAKERS AT THE SAME TIME ON PC?

You can use the Stereo Mix feature or a virtual audio mixer like VoiceMeeter to
connect both a speaker and a pair of headphones to your PC simultaneously.

Filed Under:
bluetooth
mac
pc


💬 CONVERSATION: 6 COMMENTS

 1. B says:
    November 27, 2021 at 9:12 am
    
    This didn’t work for two wired headphones using a splitter on a Macbook Pro
    
    Reply
    
 2. george h says:
    April 18, 2022 at 12:41 am
    
    Didn’t work for one wired headphones and one Bluetooth on Windows 10, I’m
    guessing because there’s no way to specify the Stereo Mix device for
    Playback in Control Panel.
    
    Reply
    
 3. Paul says:
    June 16, 2022 at 3:03 am
    
    You only covered old fashioned headphones with one way communication. All my
    headphones since 2000 have included a microphone. I was hoping you could
    easily tell me how two people could wear a headset and commentate a live
    stream, or how two Corsair HS80s link together for everyone in the room and
    for the audience.
    
    Reply
    
 4. David S says:
    June 18, 2022 at 2:15 am
    
    Windows 11, combining Bluetooth and wired, please…(I find no simple
    similarity in workaround settings between Win10 and 11, clicking all over
    the web.)
    
    Reply
    
 5. zylstra says:
    November 14, 2022 at 1:22 pm
    
    What I don’t understand is, what do I do after adjusting settings in the
    Control Panel? How do I listen to a Bluetooth headset and a wired one? I
    plug the wired one in and connect the Bluetooth one, but I can select only
    one playback device. How do I select two?
    
    Reply
    
 6. elias says:
    February 12, 2024 at 2:40 am
    
    Voicemeeter worked like a charm, thanks.
    
    Reply
    


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