Fix an FSX headset microphone not working, restore audio, and set the right Windows, simulator, push-to-talk and Bluetooth options.
To get a headset working in FSX or FSX: Steam Edition, connect it before launch, select it as the Windows playback device, then choose it as FSX’s Sound Device and Voice Device. Built-in ATC does not accept microphone speech; select the mic inside your online ATC or multiplayer voice client.
Set up headset sound and microphone input
Windows must recognise both sides of the headset before FSX or an ATC client can use them.
- Connect the headset before starting FSX. Check any inline mute switch and volume control. An analogue headset with one four-pole plug needs a compatible combination socket or a headset splitter if the PC has separate headphone and microphone sockets.
- Test playback and recording in Windows. Select the headset as the output device, play a test sound, select its microphone as the input device, then speak and confirm that the input meter moves. On Windows versions with microphone privacy controls, permit desktop applications to use the mic. If the meter remains still, fix the port, mute switch, driver or recording-device selection before opening FSX.
- Select the FSX output devices. Open the simulator’s settings and find the Sound page. Choose the headset under both
Sound DeviceandVoice Device, enable sound, and raise the Voice slider. The crucial detail is thatVoice Devicecontrols ATC and voice playback; it is not a microphone setting. - Choose the required audio routing. For everything in the headset, assign it to both FSX device fields. To keep engines and cockpit sounds on speakers while hearing ATC through the headset, select the speakers as
Sound Deviceand the headset asVoice Device. - Configure the microphone in the voice application. Select the headset microphone explicitly in the online ATC or multiplayer client, test its level, and assign push-to-talk. Our VATSIM microphone and push-to-talk walkthrough covers those client-side checks.
- Restart after changing devices. Close and reopen FSX and the voice client after connecting a USB or Bluetooth headset. Older applications often retain the audio endpoints detected when they started.
Does FSX use the headset microphone for built-in ATC?
No. Stock FSX ATC is operated through numbered choices in the ATC window and does not recognise spoken microphone commands. Hearing the controller through a headset does not mean FSX is recording from that headset.
A microphone becomes relevant when using an online ATC service, a compatible multiplayer voice system or a speech-control add-on. Those applications have their own input-device and push-to-talk settings. If the aim is human online ATC, follow the FSX-to-VATSIM connection process before configuring the mic.
How do I put ATC in the headset and engines on speakers?
Set Sound Device to the speakers and Voice Device to the headset.
| Wanted result | Sound Device | Voice Device |
|---|---|---|
| Everything through the headset | Headset | Headset |
| Aircraft sounds on speakers, ATC in headset | Speakers | Headset |
| Everything through speakers | Speakers | Speakers |
We recommend selecting the named device during diagnosis rather than a generic default-device entry. Some complex add-ons use a separate sound engine and may follow the Windows default output instead of FSX’s selection.
Why does the headset work in Windows but not in FSX?
If the Windows test succeeds but FSX remains silent, the simulator is usually holding the wrong or an outdated output endpoint.
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| All FSX sound is missing | Wrong Sound Device, disabled simulator sound, Windows mixer mute or per-app output override | Select the headset explicitly in FSX, unmute FSX in the Windows volume mixer, then restart the simulator. |
| Engines are audible but ATC voices are silent | Wrong Voice Device, low Voice slider, radio tuning or ATC state | Assign the headset as Voice Device first, then use our FSX ATC audio fault checklist. |
| Headset audio works but the microphone meter does not move | Muted mic, wrong input, unsuitable analogue connection or blocked microphone permission | Resolve the recording problem in Windows; FSX output settings cannot repair microphone input. |
| The microphone meter moves but nobody hears a transmission | Wrong client input, missing push-to-talk assignment or the client is not transmitting | Select the mic inside the voice client and test push-to-talk there. |
| Only one add-on aircraft is silent | Aircraft sound configuration or missing package files | Treat it as an aircraft problem rather than a headset fault and follow our aircraft-specific sound diagnosis. |
Why does Bluetooth audio become poor when the mic is enabled?
Bluetooth headsets often switch from a stereo playback profile to a lower-quality hands-free profile when their microphone activates. Windows may also expose separate Stereo Headphones and Hands-Free or Headset endpoints, making it easy to select an incompatible pair.
For voice communications, select the matching hands-free input and output endpoints. For higher-quality simulator audio, use the stereo output with a separate USB or wired microphone. Restart FSX and the ATC client after changing profiles so both applications detect the same endpoints.