How to Use Your Android Phone as a Speaker for Your Windows, Mac, or Linux Computer

 

If your desktop or laptop microphone stops working, you can set it up and use your Android phone as a wireless or USB microphone instead.

Most computer monitors have built-in microphones. If you're using a laptop, it probably also has a built-in microphone. Although the audio output mode is questionable, these built-in devices help with the lack of external audio processing.

However, what if your computer speakers or external audio system stops working and you don't have time to fix the problem? If you have a working Android phone, you can use it as an external speaker for your computer.

Here, we show you two ways to turn your Android phone into a laptop speaker using an app.

 

Use your Android phone as a wireless PC speaker using AudioRelay

AudioRelay is an audio streaming app that allows you to turn your Android phone into a wireless PC speaker. It supports both wireless and wired audio streaming modes.

To connect your Android phone to your computer, you'll need to install the PC AudioRelay client on your Windows, macOS or Linux machine and your compatible Android device.

This free version of the app is ad-supported and has a lot of features. If you want, you can upgrade to the premium version to remove ads. Subscription supports streaming on multiple devices and allows you to customize audio quality settings.

 

Download:

AudioRelay for Android | Windows | Mac | Linux (free in-app purchases available)

 

We are using a Windows computer for this guide.

Follow the steps below to turn your Android phone into a wireless speaker.

1. Make sure your Android phone and PC are connected to the same Wi-Fi network.

2. Next, download the AudioRelay application on your Windows PC, then run the installer and click Next.

3. Make sure to select all options under Choose other services.

4. Click Install to complete the installation and Restart your PC.

5. After restarting, launch the AudioRelay application on your PC.

6. Next, download and install the Android AudioReplay app on your phone.

7. Install the app on your phone and press Start.

8. Tap on your PC name under the Server section.

9. Once connected to your PC, you will see your Android phone listed in the connection section of the PC market.

That's it! Now play any audio file on your PC to hear the sound from your phone speaker. You can adjust the volume through the AudioRelay PC client.

To stop streaming audio, tap the Stop button on the Android app.

Although the quality of the audio output depends largely on the quality of your phone's speakers, upgrading to a higher-end AudioRelay model offers a superior feature. This paid version gives you access to uncomplicated audio with compression options, volume management and some other nice features to improve audio quality.

 

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Use your Android phone as a wired PC Speaker

If you cannot connect to the same Wi-Fi network or find that the wireless connection is slow, you can use AudioRelay in wired mode. It uses a USB connection and provides a delay by sending audio through the USB connection. You can also connect the mobile internet to your PC using a USB cable.

Follow these steps to turn your Android phone into a PC speaker using a USB cable.

1. Make sure the AudioRelay app is installed on your PC and Android phone.

2. Next, connect your Android to your PC via a USB cable and make sure the phone is detected.

3. In the Android AudioRelay app, go down to the USB tethering section.

4. Next, tap Settings to open your mobile phone's location and tethering settings.

5. Here, turn on the switch for USB tethering to enable it.

6. Next, go back to the AudioRelay app on your phone.

7. In the Servers section, tap the new entry with your PC name.

8. In the PC market, your phone name will appear under the section link.

9. Play anything on your PC and stream audio from your phone.

If you are having trouble charging through the USB input option, try using a different USB cable or USB port. Moreover, you can also use your Android phone as a microphone for your PC. To do this, in the PC AudioRelay client, open the Player tab and select the Microphone option in the Mode section.

 

Turn your Android Phone into a PC Speaker

AudioRelay is a great way to turn your Android phone into a PC speaker. That said, it's not without flaws. The audio quality of the free version is only manageable.

Also, the application automatically exits from your PC if you are playing on your smartphone. However, if your PC's speaker or mic decides to give up in the middle of things, AudioRelay lets you use your Android phone as a temporary replacement.

 

How to turn your Android phone into a speaker using Wifi

By downloading additional apps and following the steps below, you can set your Android phone as a speakerphone for your laptop or PC.

 

1) Download other apps

The first thing you need to do is download third-party apps that will help turn your phone into a microphone. There are many apps available, including AudioRelay and SoundWire. We recommend using SoundWire. You can download it from Google Play Store. It's a free app and easy to use.

 

2) Download the desktop version

Now that you have downloaded SoundWire to your Android phone, you need to download the desktop version of the app. You can do this by visiting the SoundWire Server and uploading the zipped file. You will need to unzip the file and install the application on your computer.

 

3) Connect both devices to the same Wifi

You need to make sure that both your devices are connected to the same wifi network. This is a key requirement, and this method will not work otherwise. If you don't have wifi, you can use your mobile hotspot to connect your desktop or laptop to the internet.

 

4) Open the app on both devices

Open the SoundWire app on your phone and the SoundWire server on your computer or laptop.

 

5) If not already done, connect the device together

If you follow all the steps mentioned above correctly, chances are that the two devices will be connected immediately. If this does not happen for some reason, you will need to enter the server address manually. You can do this by copying the app server address on your PC and then entering it on your phone. After that tap the SoundWire icon on your phone. That's it; your phone should now work as a microphone.

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How to turn your Android phone into a speaker using a USB connection

You can also use your phone as a microphone by connecting your phone to your computer/laptop using a USB cable. You will also need internet for this method to work, but you don't need a wifi network. Your phone's cellular data should be sufficient.

 

1) Create a network

a. Connect your phone to a laptop or computer using a USB cable.

b. Next, go to your phone's Settings option.

Next, tap Network and Internet.

 

2) Activate the device

a. Now tap on Hotspot and Tethering; It can be called as Mobile Hotspot and Tethering.

b. Next, select USB tethering.

 

3) Connect the device

Next, open the SoundWire app on your phone and PC and follow the fifth step mentioned earlier in the article. Your phone should now work as a microphone.

 

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What if you have an iPhone?

Unfortunately, there are no free apps in the Apple Store that will help you turn your iPhone into a microphone for your laptop or PC eventually. However, if you don't want to pay, you can use an app called iSpeaker. However, its quality cannot be determined independently. If you're trying to use your iPhone as a speaker for your Mac or iMac in a nutshell, there's good news.

There is a free app called Airfoil Satellite that will help you.

 

1) Download Satellite Airfoil

Download the Satellite Airfoil app to your iPhone. You will need to download its page version on your Mac or iMac. Unfortunately, the macOS version is an experimental version and only offers ten minutes of listening time per session. So, if you want to use your iPhone as a microphone for more than 10 minutes at a time, this method is not for you. This does not mean that audio will stop streaming to your phone after 10 minutes, but the sound quality will be significantly reduced.

 

2) Connect both devices to the same Wifi

Now you need to connect the two devices. You have to connect both of them to the same wifi network, as you must do if you have an Android phone.

 

3) Open the app and connect the device

Open the Satellite Airfoil app on your Mac and iPhone. In the Mac Airfoil app, click Speakers. You will now need to select your iPhone name from the list. Both devices should now be connected.

 

4) Select the output device

You need to follow this last step because you still need to choose a source for your audio. You need your iPhone as the output device. You can do this by clicking on Source in the upper left corner of the application.

 

5) If necessary, add Ace

If you try to do something using the Safari browser, for example, your Mac will prompt you with a message from the macOS application telling you that you need to install an audio recorder. Click Install Ace. This will open another window that will tell you what ACE is and how it works. The navigation is very simple and you will be able to install it without any problem.

 

6) Search for devices on Airplay

Now search for Airplay device. Tap your iPhone's name in this menu and you're ready to start using your iPhone as a speakerphone for your macOS device.