If you can hear the caller in your Bluetooth earbuds but they can’t hear you, the microphone usually isn’t broken. Music and calls travel over two different Bluetooth connections, and the one used for calls (the hands-free link) is the one that has failed, been switched off, or been grabbed by another device. Four short tests will tell you whether the fault is in the earbuds, the phone, one app, or the connection between them.
Why Music Works but Calls Don’t
Bluetooth earbuds use one mode for stereo music and a separate hands-free mode for calls. Only the hands-free mode uses the earbud microphone. So your earbuds can sound perfect on YouTube while the call microphone sits unused, because the phone never switched to that second mode.
This split explains the strange pattern people describe online. On a Samsung community thread, an A02s owner could hear callers fine through Bluetooth devices with microphones, but callers couldn’t hear them, even though voice assistants, voice-to-text and video calls worked on other devices. On a Tom’s Guide thread, a poster’s earbuds sounded fine for YouTube, but on WhatsApp voice calls the audio was very quiet and the caller’s voice came out of the phone speaker. A third user on a Sony forum could hear the other party, and voice navigation worked over Bluetooth, but callers heard nothing. Same symptom, three different phones, and none of the threads confirmed a fix beyond “get it serviced.”
The 4-Test Check
You only need the earbuds, your phone, and (for one test) a second phone or a friend’s phone.
- Voice recording test. Open your phone’s voice recorder, switch the input to the earbuds if the app lets you, say a few words, and play them back. If your voice records clearly, the earbud microphone works.
- Different-app test. Make a normal phone call, then a call in another app like WhatsApp. If one works and the other doesn’t, the cause is that app’s settings, not the earbuds.
- Second-phone test. Pair the same earbuds to another phone and call someone. If callers still can’t hear you, the earbuds are at fault. If they hear you fine, your phone’s settings are the problem.
- Phone-mic test. Take the earbuds out, make a call using the phone’s own microphone, and have the caller confirm they hear you. If they can’t, the issue isn’t Bluetooth at all. See our guide on phone microphone not working during calls.
Keep track of the results. They point to exactly one of the fixes below.
What Your Results Mean
The recorder works, but calls don’t. The microphone is fine. The phone isn’t using the hands-free link for calls. Go to the fix for the call-audio setting below.
One app fails, the others work. Open the failing app’s permissions and give it microphone access. In the Tom’s Guide thread, a reply suggested granting WhatsApp microphone permission and manually picking the earbuds as the audio output during the call. The same reply suggested turning on both “Media audio” and “Phone audio” for the earbuds in Bluetooth settings.
The earbuds fail on a second phone too. Don’t keep resetting your phone. Update the earbuds’ firmware through the maker’s app, then reset and re-pair them. Sony’s support page for this symptom on its headphones lists a firmware update, reconnecting the device, and choosing the hands-free profile (HFP) if the headphones offer a choice.
The phone’s own mic fails as well. This is a phone microphone problem rather than an earbuds problem, and the Bluetooth fixes won’t help.
The Fixes, in Order
- Check the call setting for the earbuds. On many Android phones, open Bluetooth settings, tap the gear next to your earbuds and make sure the phone-call option (often called “Phone calls” or “Phone audio”) is switched on alongside media audio. If it’s off, the phone will play music through the earbuds but won’t use them for calls. Google’s own Bluetooth page confirms this gear menu exists and says that on some devices you can switch other settings on or off, but it doesn’t name them, so the label depends on your phone brand.
- Forget and re-pair the earbuds. Remove the earbuds from Bluetooth settings, put them back in pairing mode and pair again. This rebuilds the call connection, not just the music one.
- Select the earbuds during the call. While a call is active, tap the audio output button and pick your earbuds. If the call is showing the phone speaker or earpiece, that’s the whole problem.
- Disconnect other devices. If your earbuds also connect to a laptop or tablet, switch Bluetooth off on those devices for a test call. A second device can take over the hands-free link.
- Check app permissions. Give the calling app microphone access in your phone’s privacy or app permission settings.
- Update the earbuds’ firmware. Use the manufacturer’s app. Call-microphone bugs are a common reason for firmware updates.
- Reset the earbuds. Use the maker’s reset method for your model, then pair them fresh.
If none of that works and the earbuds also fail on a second phone, the microphone itself may be faulty and the earbuds are worth a warranty claim.
When It’s Really a Car Problem
Some people notice the same split in a vehicle: music plays, calls don’t, or the reverse. That’s a similar profile issue but it has its own cause, covered in car Bluetooth calls work but no music.
If callers can’t hear you but you can’t hear them either, or the earpiece is silent, you may have a different issue entirely. Read phone speaker not working during calls to check.
For the manufacturer’s own steps, see Sony’s support page on the other party’s voice being low or inaudible on Bluetooth headphones, and Google’s guide to managing a Bluetooth device on Android.
FAQ
Why can people not hear me on my Bluetooth earbuds?
Calls use a separate hands-free Bluetooth connection that uses the earbud microphone. If that connection is off, not selected for the call, or taken over by another device, callers can’t hear you even though music sounds fine. Check the call option in Bluetooth settings first.
Why do my earbuds work for music but not for calls?
Music uses a stereo audio mode, and calls use a hands-free mode with a microphone. They’re switched on separately, so one can work while the other fails. Turning on “Phone calls” for the earbuds and re-pairing them often restores the call mode.
How do I know if the earbuds or the phone is the problem?
Pair the earbuds with a second phone and make a test call. If callers still can’t hear you, the earbuds are the problem. If callers hear you fine, the cause is in your phone’s Bluetooth or app settings.
Why does it only fail in WhatsApp or another app?
That app may not have microphone permission or may be sending call audio to the phone speaker. Allow microphone access for the app in your permission settings, and select the earbuds as the audio output during the call.