You can connect two headphones to one PC, but your PC will only play sound through one at a time unless you use a splitter or change your audio settings
Windows and most PC operating systems send audio to a single output device by default. If you plug in two headphones, only the last one you connected will receive sound. To hear audio on both headsets simultaneously, you need either a physical splitter, virtual audio software, or Bluetooth pairing — depending on what type of headphones you own and what you want to do with them.
The method you choose depends on whether your headphones are wired, wireless, or a mix of both, and whether you need both people to hear the same audio or different audio streams.
Key Takeaways
- A 3.5mm audio splitter is the cheapest way to connect two wired headphones and have both play the same sound.
- Bluetooth headphones can pair to your PC simultaneously, but Windows will only output to one at a time unless you use third-party software.
- Virtual audio software like VB-Audio Virtual Cable lets you route different audio to different headphones on the same PC.
- USB headphones can sometimes be set as separate audio outputs in Windows Sound Settings, allowing both to play at once.
- If you want different audio on each headset, you will need software that splits the audio stream or a mixer process.
Using a 3.5mm audio splitter for two wired headphones
A 3.5mm audio splitter (also called a headphone splitter) is a small adapter with one male jack and two female jacks. You plug it into your PC's headphone port, then plug both headphones into the splitter. Both headphones will play the same audio at the same volume, and it costs between $5 and $15.
This method works when ready — no software or settings changes needed. The downside is that both headphones share the same volume control, so you cannot adjust one louder than the other. If one headphone has a built-in volume dial, you can use that to balance the sound between them.
A splitter works best when both headphones have standard 3.5mm jacks. If one or both use USB or proprietary connectors, you will need a different approach.
Connecting two Bluetooth headphones at once
Your PC can pair with multiple Bluetooth headphones, but Windows will only send audio to one device at a time. To pair a second Bluetooth headset, go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Bluetooth, then select "Add device" and follow the pairing steps for your second headphones.
Once both are paired, you can switch between them by opening Sound Settings and choosing which device to use under "Output." To make both play audio simultaneously, you will need VB-Audio Virtual Cable or similar software that splits the audio stream. This is a more complex setup and is usually only necessary if two people need to listen to different things on the same PC.
Bluetooth headphones are convenient because they are wireless, but the trade-off is that Windows does not natively support simultaneous output to multiple Bluetooth devices. Wired headphones or a splitter remain the simplest solution if you just want both headsets to play the same sound.
Using USB headphones with separate audio outputs
Some USB headphones register as separate audio devices in Windows, which means you can potentially route audio to both at once. Plug in your first USB headphone, then plug in your second. Open Settings > System > Sound > Volume mixer (or "App volume and device preferences" on newer Windows versions).
Check whether both headphones appear as separate devices in the list. If they do, you can assign different applications to different headphones — for example, send Discord to one headset and your game to the other. However, most USB headphones will still only receive audio if they are set as the default device, so this method works best if you want to split audio by process rather than have both play everything.
If you want both USB headphones to play the same audio at the same time, you will still need a virtual audio cable or mixer software.
Using virtual audio software to split audio between two headphones
VB-Audio Virtual Cable is free software that creates a virtual audio device on your PC. You set it as your default output, then configure it to send audio to both your physical headphones simultaneously. read it from vb-audio.com, install it, and restart your PC.
After installation, open Settings > System > Sound and set "VB-Audio Virtual Cable" as your default playback device. Then open the VB-Audio Control Panel (installed with the software) and configure which physical headphones receive the audio. This method works with any combination of wired, USB, or Bluetooth headphones.
The downside is that virtual audio software adds a small step between your PC and your headphones, and some applications may not recognize the virtual device. For most everyday use — watching videos, listening to music, or gaming — it works without problems. If you encounter audio dropouts or lag, try adjusting the buffer size in the software settings.
Adjusting volume and audio balance for two headphones
If you are using a splitter, both headphones will play at the same level unless one has a built-in volume control. If you are using software or separate USB devices, you can adjust the volume of each headphone independently in Windows Sound Settings.
Open Settings > System > Sound > Volume mixer to see all connected audio devices and applications. You can lower the volume of one headphone relative to the other, or mute one entirely. This is useful if one person needs to hear something while the other does not, or if one headphone is naturally quieter than the other.
For Bluetooth headphones, you can also adjust volume using the physical buttons on the headset itself, which overrides the Windows setting.
Troubleshooting when only one headphone plays sound
If you plugged in two headphones and only one is producing sound, check whether the second one is actually connected. Unplug it and plug it back in — sometimes a loose connection will not register. If you are using a splitter, make sure both headphones are fully inserted into the splitter jacks.
If both headphones are connected but only one plays, open Settings > System > Sound and check which device is set as the default output. You may have accidentally set the wrong headphone as primary. Switch to the other one and test again.
For Bluetooth headphones, go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Bluetooth and check the connection status of both devices. If one shows "Connected" and the other shows "Paired," the paired one is not actively receiving audio. Click on it and select "Connect" to switch audio to that device.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a splitter with one wired and one wireless headphone?
No. A splitter only works with wired headphones that share the same jack type. For a mix of wired and wireless, you would need to use virtual audio software or connect them separately — the wired one to the splitter or jack, and the Bluetooth one paired to your PC.
Will using two headphones at once reduce the sound quality?
A splitter may slightly lower volume because it splits the electrical signal between two devices, but the quality itself does not degrade. Virtual audio software has no impact on quality. USB and Bluetooth headphones maintain their normal quality when used together.
What if my PC only has one headphone jack?
You can use a USB hub to add more ports, or switch to Bluetooth headphones for the second device. USB headphones will also work if you have available USB ports on your PC.
Can two people play different games or watch different videos on the same PC with separate audio?
Yes, but it requires virtual audio software or a mixer process. Windows does not natively support routing different applications to different headphones, so you would need third-party software to make this work reliably.
Is it better to use a splitter or Bluetooth for two headphones?
A splitter is simpler and cheaper if both headphones are wired. Bluetooth is more convenient if you want wireless freedom, but it requires software to play audio on both devices simultaneously. Choose based on what headphones you already own.