Restore Bluetooth Headset Microphone Input on Ubuntu 24.04

If your Bluetooth headset plays sound but other people cannot hear you on Ubuntu 24.04, first select its microphone in Settings > Sound > Input. If the headset is missing there, switch its Bluetooth audio profile to a hands-free or headset mode, then reconnect it. The headset’s stereo playback profile and its microphone profile are different routes, so being connected does not guarantee that the microphone is active.

Why the headset can play audio without its microphone

Ubuntu Desktop 24.04 uses PipeWire for desktop audio, with WirePlumber managing devices and routes. Bluetooth supports separate audio roles: A2DP is primarily for stereo playback, while HFP/HSP hands-free profiles provide two-way call audio. When the headset is using an output-only profile, its microphone may not appear as an input. Switching to hands-free mode can reduce playback quality while the microphone is in use; that is a normal profile tradeoff, not proof that the headset is broken. The Noble PipeWire device reference lists the Bluetooth roles and the installed Ubuntu package version, while Ubuntu’s desktop audio overview explains PipeWire’s role in the audio path.

1. Select the headset mic in Sound settings

1. Connect the headset, make sure it is charged, and move close enough to the computer to avoid a weak Bluetooth link.
2. Open Settings, choose Sound, and find the Input section.
3. Select the Bluetooth headset microphone if it appears. Speak normally and watch the input level indicator. Ubuntu’s microphone instructions use this meter as the basic check that the selected input is receiving sound.
4. Check that the input volume is not at zero and that the microphone is not muted. In your meeting or recording app, also choose the headset microphone explicitly; apps can keep using the laptop’s built-in mic even after the system default changes.

If the meter responds in Settings but the app does not, the Bluetooth connection is already providing microphone audio. Quit and reopen the app, select the headset under its microphone or audio-device settings, and check any app-specific mute control or microphone permission.

2. Switch from playback mode to a hands-free profile

If you can hear audio but no headset microphone appears, open Settings > Bluetooth and confirm the headset says Connected. Then return to Settings > Sound. Depending on the headset and Ubuntu’s device controls, you may see a hands-free/headset choice in the input list or a Bluetooth profile selector. Choose the option labeled Headset, Hands-Free, HFP, or HSP, then select its microphone under Input. The exact wording varies, so do not look for a single label that must appear on every system.

Expect music to sound less full while the headset microphone is active. A2DP is designed mainly for stereo playback; HFP/HSP is for bidirectional voice. If you need high-quality music and a microphone at the same time, use the headset for output and the laptop, webcam, or a USB mic for input.

3. Check the input route with WirePlumber

Use the command line only if the microphone is present but the wrong device keeps receiving audio, or if Settings does not make the active source clear. Ubuntu 24.04 includes wpctl, WirePlumber’s control tool.

wpctl status

Under Sources, find the headset microphone and note its current numeric ID. IDs can change after reconnecting, so read the current output instead of copying an ID from an example. Set the headset source as the default with:

wpctl set-default ID

Replace ID with the number beside the headset microphone. Then check that the default source is not muted:

wpctl get-volume @DEFAULT_SOURCE@
wpctl set-mute @DEFAULT_SOURCE@ 0

The first command reports the source volume and mute state; the second unmutes it. The wpctl manual documents status, default-source selection, and mute controls. If the headset microphone does not appear under Sources at all, changing the default cannot create it; continue to the recovery step.

4. Refresh the audio session, then pair again if needed

Close voice-chat, browser-call, and recording apps first so they release the device. Restart the per-user audio services:

systemctl --user restart wireplumber pipewire pipewire-pulse

Reconnect the headset and repeat the Input check. This briefly interrupts all desktop audio. If the command reports that a service is missing, do not install or enable a second sound server as a guess; confirm which audio stack is active and update Ubuntu through Software Updater.

If the microphone is still absent, open Bluetooth settings, remove or forget the headset, put it back into pairing mode, and pair it again. A headset connected to a phone or another computer may reserve its hands-free connection; disconnect it from those devices during the test. Some headset models or Bluetooth adapters may have compatibility issues that a profile switch cannot fix.

Verify the fix

Open Settings > Sound > Input, select the Bluetooth headset microphone, and speak. The input meter should move. Make a short recording or join a test call and confirm that the recording or call uses the headset mic rather than the laptop mic. If the system meter moves but the app test is silent, focus on that app’s selected input, mute, and microphone-access settings. If no input source appears even after reconnecting and restarting the audio session, record the headset model, Bluetooth adapter, Ubuntu updates, and the output of wpctl status before seeking device-specific support.

For reference, see Ubuntu 24.04 PipeWire Bluetooth device roles, the Ubuntu audio overview, Ubuntu’s microphone input instructions, and the WirePlumber wpctl manual for command behavior. The upstream manual may describe a newer WirePlumber release than Ubuntu 24.04; consult the local man wpctl if command details differ on your installed package.