Buzz
If you've ever used headphones or Apple EarPods with your Xbox One and encountered a strange buzzing sound, don’t stress—your controller and headphones are just fine. The problem lies in the design of typical headphone jacks and how Apple (and some other brands) create their plugs. Fortunately, it’s easy to fix.
The video above, courtesy of the talented Nick Robinson from Polygon, walks you through the simple fix and explains why this issue occurs. If you can’t watch the video, here's the solution: First, connect your headphones to your controller (this step is essential to access the necessary options). Then, go to your Xbox One’s settings. You’ll notice some new microphone settings—turn off the 'headset mic' and set 'mic monitoring' to zero. That should resolve the buzzing.
The root cause of this problem is that Apple, unlike most other headphone manufacturers, swapped the mic and ground rings on their headphone plugs. This causes the buzzing sound, which is actually the ground line bleeding into the mic. It’s a frustrating issue, but not exclusive to Apple—headphones labeled 'made for iPhone' or 'made for iPod' are likely to have the same problem. This is also why some combo mic/headphones may work on iOS devices but not on Android devices.
Hopefully, this solution will save you from spending extra money on Xbox One-specific headsets. While you won’t be able to use the built-in mic, you can still enjoy the sound without the annoying buzz. Don’t forget to give Nick’s video a thumbs-up—it will help this easy fix rise to the top in YouTube search results when others seek a solution to this common problem.
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