How to Change the Microphone Input in Discord Mobile

The Discord desktop app has an Input Device menu, but the mobile app generally does not offer the same device dropdown. On Android and iPhone, the operating system chooses the microphone based on the active audio route: the built-in mic, a wired headset or a Bluetooth headset. To change the microphone input on Discord mobile, you change which audio device the phone is using, then adjust Discord's voice processing if needed. App layouts and labels change between releases, so check the wording in your version.

Before you start

Microphone selection happens on your device and is handled by Android or iOS. Discord does not need any extra software for this. Once you join a call, your voice is sent through Discord's voice service, so a working connection is required for testing.

• Update Discord from your app store so your settings match the current app.
• Grant Discord microphone permission in your phone's system settings, in the app permissions or privacy section.
• Connect the microphone you want to use. Pair a Bluetooth headset in system Bluetooth settings, or plug in a wired headset or adapter.
• Make sure the headset actually has a microphone. Headphones without an inline mic leave the phone on its built-in microphone.

Step-by-step instructions

Switch the microphone through the audio route

• 1. Connect or pair the headset before you join the call. This gives the phone time to make it the active audio device.
• 2. Open Discord and join the voice channel, direct call or group call.
• 3. On the call screen, find the audio output control and select your headset. With most Bluetooth headsets, choosing the headset for output also switches input to the headset microphone, because call audio uses the headset's two-way voice mode.
• 4. To return to the built-in mic, select the phone speaker or earpiece, or disconnect the headset. This change is fully reversible.

Android and iPhone differences

On Android, a wired headset with an inline mic usually takes over as the input device as soon as it is plugged in. Many Android versions also let you change the output device from the volume panel or quick settings. On iPhone, the audio route picker in Control Center or on the call screen sets the route, and iOS chooses the matching microphone. On both platforms, the microphone follows the selected route, not a separate Discord setting.

Adjust Discord's voice settings

Discord's voice section in User Settings controls how your input sounds, not which device is used. It typically includes input mode (voice activity or push-to-talk), input sensitivity, noise suppression, echo cancellation and automatic gain control. Change one option at a time and note the original value so you can revert it.

The mobile app does not let you set a sample rate. The phone and the connection type determine it. Bluetooth headset microphones in call mode often use a voice profile with narrower sound than music playback, so speech can sound thinner. Headset audio quality may also drop while the mic is active.

Check the output

• Join a voice channel on a server you manage, speak, and watch for the speaking indicator around your avatar.
• If your version shows an input level meter next to the sensitivity slider, speak at normal volume and confirm the level passes the threshold.
• Ask someone in the call to confirm which mic they hear. Move the phone away from your mouth: if your voice stays clear, the headset mic is active.
• Listen for background noise and clipped words. If noise suppression cuts off the start of sentences, try a different suppression level.
• Voice traffic goes through Discord's service, and other participants may be able to record. Check Discord's current privacy policy rather than assuming how audio is handled.

Common problems and next steps

• Nobody can hear you: check that microphone permission is granted, that you are not muted or server-muted, and whether push-to-talk is enabled.
• Discord keeps using the phone mic with a Bluetooth headset: select the headset on the call screen, or reconnect it after joining. On many Android phones, the headset's Bluetooth settings include a call audio option that must be on.
• A USB or Lightning microphone is not used: open the phone's own voice recorder and see whether it picks up the mic. If the system doesn't use the device, Discord won't either. Adapter support varies by phone.
• Voice cuts in and out: set input sensitivity to automatic, or lower the manual threshold. You can also turn off noise suppression temporarily to see if it is the cause.
• Others hear an echo: use headphones instead of the speaker and keep echo cancellation enabled.
• You need to pick an exact input and output device: the Discord desktop app has separate Input Device and Output Device menus in its voice and video settings.

If problems remain, restore any voice settings you changed, update Discord and the phone's system software, and restart the device. Reinstalling the app is a last resort, because it can reset your local app settings.