How many times have you found yourself in a situation that required you to listen to music on your Android, laptop, or PC? This isn’t something that should be common.
Maybe there are other people around, and they don’t want to hear what you’re listening to, or maybe you want both hands free for other tasks.
There’s an easy solution that will allow you to use headphones and speakers at the same time, no matter what type of device you’re on!
How to Use Headphones and Speakers at the Same Time?
Many people have trouble with this, and there is a quick fix you can do to solve this. You will need an aux cord to be able to use both at the same time, but once that’s plugged in, then it should work just fine!
If you want your music louder, having speakers will ensure everyone hears what they are listening to. If you want your music in private, plug in the headphones, and no one but yourself will be able to hear it.
As long as an aux cord is plugged into both devices, they should work just fine at the same time! Of course, if you want everyone around you to listen along with what’s playing on your device, then use speakers instead of headphones.
But if privacy is more important than sound quality for all those surrounding you, use the headphones so that only one person can listen in.
- Connect your headphones to the speaker.
- Turn on the headphone volume and turn off the speaker volume.
- Adjust the volume of your headphone to your comfort level.
- Listen to music or watch videos without disturbing others in your home.
- Plug one end of an aux cord into your phone or laptop, then plug it into a 3.5mm jack with another aux cord for speakers (or use Bluetooth).
- Use headphones with microphones so you can make calls while listening to music or watching videos at the same time.
Play through Headphones and Speakers at the Same Time
You can use headphones and speakers at the same time to hear audio from your computer. However, you may want a quick way to switch back and forth between sounds coming from each device. For example, you watch movies on Netflix with headphones in one ear while someone else is talking nearby.
Or maybe you have an old speaker system that doesn’t support Bluetooth or AirPlay but does work with USB cables. In this case, all you need is a cable that plugs into both ports.
It will carry the audio from either place to where it needs to go! The main disadvantage here is that you cannot adjust the volume using just your keyboard’s media keys because they control whichever port has the input focus.
If your monitor speakers are plugged into your laptop, you can adjust the volume with keyboard shortcuts, but not if headphones are connected.
You could also use two separate sound cards (speakers and headphones) or a splitter. This will let each device have its independent audio controls, which may be preferred over switching back and forth between them depending on what input source is chosen by default.
However, it’s important to pick good quality equipment because using incompatible hardware may cause static interference. There should only ever be one master output device at any given time.
This will allow you to control the volume of each device independently. Then when your headphones are plugged in, use them for sound output instead of your speakers. They should automatically mute themselves if no input is detected and then resume playing once you unplug the cable again.
How to Set Up Headphones and Speakers?
First, you need to plug in your speakers. You must then connect your headphones to your computer’s headphone jack. In addition, ensure that both are not muted and that they are on.
Once everything is connected properly, open up a YouTube video or any music file of your choice to test out if they work fine together without conflicting with each other’s sound output. In addition to listening to music on both devices at the same time, you can also use both at the same time.
If they do not work as expected, go back and check your connection again. Audio settings might be conflicting; try changing sound output from speakers to headphones in Windows’ control panel or change some audio settings themselves for an easy fix.
You can also check your volume settings and make sure that the sound is not muted on either.
Likewise, unplugging headphones while having speakers connected might lead to undesired sounds from both devices unless you mute one or change its audio output in the Windows control panel.
If you want to use only headphones at any point in time, switch the headphone jack with another input source like an aux cord for listening to music through speakers using a TV or iPod instead; plug it back in when done watching videos again.
Although this may vary depending on your device model number (e.g., laptops vs. desktop PCs), most modern computers are equipped with jacks for microphone-in/line-out, enabling users to listen to music simultaneously via two separate audio devices.
How to Connect Speakers and Headphones to PC?
Speakers and headphones serve the same purpose. They allow you to listen to music. Speakers are meant for listening to sound media in a group. Headphones, on the other hand, work by producing sounds that only the user themselves can hear.
There are three ways to connect speakers and headphones to pc:
- Connecting Headphones and Speakers to PC using 3.5mm audio jack (For headphones)
- Using HDMI Cable to connect speakers and headphones to the computer.
- Using Bluetooth headphones or an external speaker with your laptop or pc.
Read for more information about connecting speakers and headphones to pc:
1. Connecting Headphones and Speakers to PC using 3.5mm audio jack (For headphones)
Using 3.5mm Audio Jack For connecting internal speakers & headphones is the most common way of connecting it because almost all speakers and audio devices have 3.5mm, Audio Jack.
Even though some high-end speakers have a Bluetooth connectivity option, it is not the best option to connect to pc. Because Bluetooth does not support high-quality audio streaming, which you want from your speaker or headphone connected through PC.
2. Using HDMI Cable (For Headphone and Speaker)
Using an HDMI cable for connecting internal speakers and headphones to the computer is a new way of connecting it. This method was introduced in late 2014 by Microsoft’s Xbox One console.
Because Xbox one has both the HDMI output and Input port so can be used as both consoles and monitor at the same time, such that you can charge the controller and play games with Xbox one connected to the TV.
When you want to continue your work on PC (monitor mode), Xbox one’s HDMI input port can be used as a Monitor for Playing video and browsing the internet).
3. Using Bluetooth Speaker/Headphone with your laptop or pc
Using a Bluetooth headset is the new method of connecting speakers and headphones to pc, but it takes more time to connect via Bluetooth than a 3.5mm audio jack.
Because while using Bluetooth, the user has to pair their Bluetooth speaker/headset with Pc, which takes twice or thrice time compared to pairing between two devices using a 3.5mm audio jack.
Remember that Bluetooth is a wireless technology, so it has some limitations and doesn’t support high-quality audio streaming.
How to Enable Sound through 3.5 Jack and not HDMI?
In this method, first, you have connected your speaker/headphone’s Audio cable with your computer, then use an equalizer or sound blaster application to set the default playback device on your pc.
Then you have to configure speakers settings in windows 7,8,10, and 11. After configuring speaker properties restart the pc otherwise, after the disconnection of wired headphones, speakers will not play any sound if it is not configured properly.
Step 1: Connect Speakers /Headphones Audio Cable to your computer’s Audio Input Port (Green color).
Step 2: After connecting your speakers/headphones with the audio input jack of the computer, Now open sound settings in the control panel and set the default playback device as speakers.
Step 3: Now go to speaker properties, un-check the “Show Disconnected Devices” option, and click the apply button. Restart the pc if asked for.
Step 4: Now, your speakers will be ready to play 5.1, 7.1 channel movies on the home theater system.
How to connect Bluetooth Speaker and Headphone with PC using Bluetooth Technology?
In this method, first, you have to pair both devices. One is a laptop or pc. Another device is a Bluetooth headset /speaker you want to connect with it, then after making both devices ready for Bluetooth connectivity, open “Playback devices” settings in windows.
Step 1: Turn On Bluetooth Speaker/headphones and pair them with your computer’s Bluetooth device. You can learn how to turn on Bluetooth speakers or headphones from its user manual.
Step 2: Now, open the sound settings option in the control panel and set the default playback device as speakers connected via Bluetooth. Click apply button.
Step 3: Now go to speaker properties, un-check the “Show Disconnected Devices” option, and click the apply button. Restart the pc if asked for.
Step 4: Your headphones are now ready to play a sound whenever you connect it; whenever you disconnect the Bluetooth headset/speaker from your pc, it will not play any sound. You have to configure that device again.
In this method, you can’t use the Bluetooth headset/speaker as a recording device because it won’t show up in sound settings properties.
How to use speakers with HDMI?
Using HDMI Cable is also one of the simple ways to connect speakers and headphones with a PC. This method is a little different from previous methods because while connecting speakers with pc using an HDMI cable, both speaker and headphones will be connected simultaneously.
First, you have to connect your speaker/headphone’s Audio cable to your computer’s audio output port, then after connecting the device, open sound settings in the control panel.
Step 1: Connect Speaker /Headphones to Computer using HDMI Cable.
Step 2: Open the “Playback devices” settings in windows and select your speakers as the default device.
Step 3:
- Now go to speaker properties.
- Un-check the “Show Disconnected Devices” option.
- Click the apply button.
- Restart the pc.
Step 4: Your PC is now ready for sound from your headphone or home theater system. In this method, you can use the Bluetooth headset/speaker as a recording device.
Frequently Ask Questions
Can I plug in speakers and headphones at the same time?
Yep! You can plug in both speakers and headphones at the same time. But keep in mind that if you want to hear audio from the headphone, you’ll need to send audio to it by selecting “Play” while holding down the Option/Shift key.
Any audio coming out of your computer’s output will go into or through your headphone jack, so you need to tell the app what area you want sound coming out of on your screen.
So when we’re sending video and some audio back and forth between two screens, we’ve got one display with speakers and one with headphones plugged in so we can hear everything happening on each screen.
Can I use a Bluetooth speaker and wired headphones at the same time?
Yes, you can usually plug in speakers and headphones at the same time. Bluetooth speakers and wired headphones will not affect each other while playing sound because both devices transmit their sounds wirelessly. Use the Controls for Audio menu to change how your audio is played on a device with an input jack (speakers or headphones).
How do I change the volume of my speaker/headphones?
Different speakers and headphones will have different physical volume controls.
This will usually be a dial or buttons that you can press to increase or decrease the volume, making sound come out of that device at a higher or lower level.
It is also possible to adjust the volume of the speakers from the menu bar. For example, to adjust sound levels with the projector connected, go to projector> Volume menu in the Main Menu Bar.
You can change the master audio device on your Mac by going into System Preferences>Sound>Output or through the menu bar under System Preferences > Sound > Output. Having multiple audio devices that can output sound, like speakers or headphones, is helpful.
How do I use headphones and speakers at the same time on Android?
Headphones and speakers can be used at the same time on Android, but the audio will only come out of one or the other.
Tap on Settings > Sound & notification > Speakers. Then tap on your headphone icon to toggle it on or off. When you set your headphones as an audio output device, audio from apps, games, music players, videos, and other audio sources will only play through them. You can use both devices to listen to your favorite tunes simultaneously!
Conclusion
It is possible if you are looking for a way to get audio from your computer’s output into both of your ears.
For example, suppose you want to hear video on one screen and audio on the other while watching movies. In that case, the sound will only come out of one or the other depending on which device you have turned on in Settings > Sound & notification > Speakers> Headphone icon.
You can use headphones with speakers at the same time by plugging them in simultaneously using an HDMI cable. However, make sure that they are plugged into different ports on your PC, so there isn’t any interference between them when playing sound!
