The first question is not which microphone sounds best but how it will get into your phone. There are three wired routes, USB-C, Lightning and the 3.5 mm headset jack, plus wireless kits that either plug a receiver into the phone or connect over Bluetooth. Pick the route that matches your phone, then check the details below.
Start with your phone's port
- iPhone 15 and later have a USB-C connector, and Apple says it can be used with wired headphones and other audio accessories, listing microphones among compatible devices. Earlier models, such as the iPhone 14 series and the iPhone SE (3rd generation), use Lightning.
- Most current Android phones use USB-C. According to the Android Open Source Project, Android 5.0 and later support a subset of USB audio class 1 features in USB host mode, so a class-compliant USB microphone can work, but the phone itself has to support host mode.
- Some phones still have a 3.5 mm headset jack, which carries headphone and microphone signals through a four-contact TRRS plug.
The three wired routes
| Route | Typical phones | What you need | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| USB-C (digital) | iPhone 15 and later, most Android phones | A USB-C microphone, or a wireless receiver with a USB-C connector | The phone must recognise USB audio; Apple warns that devices and cables that are not compliant with the USB-C standard might not work as expected |
| Lightning (digital) | iPhone 14 series, iPhone SE (3rd generation) and older | A microphone, or a receiver adapter, made for Lightning |