How to Connect Headphones to Xbox One

If you have a headphone and Xbox and don’t know How to Connect Headphones to Xbox One, then this article is for you.

With the rise of digital music, listening to your favorite songs has become more streamlined. You no longer need to have an app for each individual song or artist, instead you can either stream their entire album or use a feature called playlists where you can add different artists, genres, and albums into one collection.

If you are someone that loves listening to music but cannot find your headphones in the middle of a game, this article will help! We will go over how to connect your headphones to the Microsoft Xbox One console.

Reminder: When using the device it is important to remember that not every headphone jack supports wired connections. Some only support Bluetooth technology or wireless technology. Make sure to research which ones do before purchasing.

Find the correct headphone jack

Find the correct headphone jack

There are three different ways you can connect your headphones to an Xbox One depending on what type of headset you have and which controller interface mode you use.

You will need to know which one of these types of headsets uses what kind of connection for this to make sense.

The 3rd party controllers that work with the Xbox One do not come with their own dedicated audio out port, so they must be connected to another source in order to use them.

That other source is usually your TV or stereo system, but it cannot be a device such as iPhone or Android phone, computer, radio, etc.

Interfaces

There are two main interfaces used to connect headphones to the Xbox One. They are called Bluetooth and HDMI-out.

Bluetooth is typically found on wireless earbuds or on headphones that have a wire plugged into a smartphone. The Bluetooth connects automatically without having to input any codes or information.

Plug your headphones into the jack

Plug your headphones into the jack

There are two types of headphone jacks on most consoles these days, 3.5 mm plug-in style and USB type. The former is much more common as they are still the default for many devices!

The 3.5 mm port uses what’s called an analog connection (think phone lines in telephonic communication). This means that it doesn’t use digital signals but instead transmits sound waves in direct proportion to how hard you press down on the connector.

The other option is a USB headset which sends audio data through Bluetooth or Wi-Fi technology. These have become very popular because you don’t need to connect using a cable!

With both options there are several things you should be aware of. First, make sure your console can detect your headset! Many newer models check if the device has been connected via this link automatically when you turn the system on. Others may require you to do it manually.

Make sure the volume is at its highest

Make sure the volume is at its highest

If you are having trouble using your headphones with the voice chat or game features, you can try lowering the audio settings for the console. You can do this by navigating through Settings -> System -> Audio. Here, you can lower the Voice Chat Volume, Music Volume, or both.

If you choose to only reduce the music volume, make sure there are no games that have in-game music or other types of sounds. This could include apps like Netflix or YouTube where there is background music.

You may also want to turn off the headphone jack so it does not confuse the system as to whether there are still headphones plugged into the port.

Restart your console

Restart your console

If you are having trouble connecting headphones, try restarting your console! Press the power button for at least five seconds then choose to start streaming or gaming directly from Netflix or YouTube instead of signing in first.

If you are still getting no sound after re-starting your console, check out our troubleshooting guide here.

There’s also an option to reset all audio settings, which can be done by selecting “reset default EQ, volume, and profile settings” under Settings > Audio options.

Connect your controller with the headset

how to connect headphones to xbox one

There are two ways to connect your headphones to an Xbox One. You can use either a USB 3.0 headphone jack or Bluetooth technology.

To use the USB3.0 option, you will need to have some spare space on your computer for software to work. Then you will need to download some specific audio software from Microsoft or third-party companies that cost around $20 – this includes music apps like Spotify, YouTube Music, etc.

Once these programs are installed, you will be able to sync and control most of the settings via your phone or PC! This is very helpful if you want to switch off voice and video calls while listening to music because you can do that through your device.

The best part about using the USB3.0 method is that it works with any type of headset — not just ones made specifically for the Xbox. However, there may be compatibility issues at first until everything syncs up.

Start a game

Start a game

Once you have connected your headphones, start a game! You can now enjoy listening to music or audiobooks while playing games. If you want to switch off audio completely, you can do that as well.

There is one more thing to note – The volume will stay at its current level even when changing which controller you use. This is very helpful if for example you put on really loud headphones and then using the wireless headset, you lower the volume.

You can also easily re-adjust the volume without having to disconnect and reconnect the headphone jack.

Enjoy your gaming session

how to connect headphones to xbox one

Now that you have connected your headphones, it is time to enjoy your game! You can now listen to music or audiobooks while you play and improve your listening skills at the same time.

If you need help switching between games, don’t worry! You will still be able to do so by using the Trackpad Mode which we discussed earlier. This way you won’t lose out on anything important.

There are several ways to control your audio settings in the Settings menu, so make sure to look around.

Disconnect your headset

how to connect headphones to xbox one

There is an easy way to test whether your headphones work with Xbox, by disconnecting them! You can either remove the headphone jack from your console or you can switch off your device physically.

If you’re using earbuds then try taking one out at a time until you find one that doesn’t work. If the music stops immediately then your new earphone just won’t connect properly.

For headsets, turn it on and off several times to see if it finds the controller automatically.

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