Listening to music is only one thing you use your headphones for — if you make loads of voice calls, then you want to make sure that the headphones you use day by day are good for that too. We've made a list of the best headphones with a mic for voice and video calls so that you can get a pair that work for you, and your calling needs.
Every single pair of headphones on this list excells at microphone and call quality, so you and your fellow caller get the best experience possible. Our favorites are the Sony WH-1000XM5, which uses its powerful microphone array to not only product crystal clear audio quality in quiet room, but a busy one as well. How does it do it? Imagine the noise canceling that the headphones use to make your commute more tolerable, only for the person you're calling to hear your voice in amogst the surrounding hubbub. The Sennheiser Accentum are a close second with some great call quality for a more budget price — but there are loads more options vying for your hard earned cash that you might want to consider.
When we test headphones at Tom's Guide we make sure we're as detailed as possible in all the different facets of their use — from sound quality to call quality. When you choose a pair of headphones from this list, you can rest assured that they're going to be a great addition to your daily carry. These are the best headphones with microphones for voice and video calls.
The Quick List
Price ★★★★☆
Sound ★★★★☆
Mic Quality ★★★★★
Offering upgraded ANC, intuitive controls, and enhanced connectivity, this versatile Sony flagship is its strongest design yet for calls. The category-leading sound and hefty 30-hour battery life are also as far ahead of the competition as ever.
Price ★★★★★
Sound ★★★★☆
Mic Quality ★★★★☆
The first model in an all-new range aimed at introducing the maker's signature sound, strong noise-canceling tech, and class-leading battery life at a mid-level price point. These cans deliver a solid voice call experience at a great price.
Price ★★★☆☆
Sound ★★★★★
Mic Quality ★★★★★
The AirPods Max are more expensive than their noise-canceling rivals, but the plush design and comfortable fit present an immediate feeling of luxury which only grows once you start playing music, making it hard to take them off.
Price ★★★★☆
Sound ★★★★☆
Mic Quality ★★★★★
Bose brings its world-class noise-canceling capabilities to these second-gen earbuds. They may be pricey, but they offer unrivaled ANC performance, better sound, and great call quality.
Price ★★★☆☆
Sound ★★★★★
Mic Quality ★★★★★
These are great noise-canceling buds, and they offer top call quality too. Voice calls sounded loud and clear with zero background noise, and harsh whooshing effects from wind noise barely entered conversations. They have dependable connectivity and are an enticing package at the price.
Price ★★★☆☆
Sound ★★★★★
Mic Quality ★★★★★
Samsung’s best-ever Pro buds produce loud, clear-sounding calls with minimal background interference. These buds were also reliable for video conferencing, with impressive clarity and loudness during meetings.
About the author
I oversee the audio content that goes up on Tom’s Guide, and maintain the site's buying guides for headphones, wireless earbuds, Bluetooth speakers, soundbars, and more. I have spent more than 20 years testing audio equipment for my own enjoyment, and was previously the audio editor for iMore. There's nothing more I love than jamming out to my favorite tunes on audio equipment of different prices and sizes.
The best headphones with a mic for voice and video calls you can buy right now
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Best over-ear headphones for call quality
✅ Excellent mic quality. Sony has packed in loads of microphones into the WH-1000XM5 for some top-notch call quality.
✅ Brilliant sound. Sony's headphones sound amongst the very best, with a detailed sound signature.
✅ Comfortable fit. Thanks to their light weight and soft foam, the WH-1000XM5 are very comfortable over long periods.
❌ Expensive. Coming in at nearly $400, Sony's flagships are not cheap.
❌ They're large. They take up more space than the earbuds on this list, and don't fold as small as the older model.
The Sony WH-1000XM4 over-ear headphones had been wowing us for a while, although call quality wasn't one of their strongest features. But the surprise launch of the WH-1000XM5 back in May 2022 introduced significant advances in a new design that we didn't bargain for.
Call quality is exemplary with the Sony WH-1000XM5. Thanks to their massive 8-mic array, not only are voice calls clear and crisp, but wind noise is mitigated thanks to Sony’s reverse noise canceling algorithm. Other headphones have mics inside, but none manage quite the sonic performance as the Sony’s. We found a busy call when walking down into the depths of the London Underground not only did we stay solidly connected, but the bustling environment around us was all but silenced to the receiver of our call and our voice came through as clear as if we where in a quiet room.
Noise-canceling is good as well, thanks to those mics. We found the sound of the train ride itself melted away into the music we where listening to, almost to the point that we nearly missed our stop.
If you need to be aware of your surroundings from time to time, Transparency Mode steals the show with up to 20 levels of ambient control. The mics are strong enough to pick up sounds and conversations around me, and is particularly handy when listening out for fast food deliveries. In terms of music listening, Sony’s sound profile has been tweaked to produce crisper mids and highs, while maintaining its signature punchy and energetic presence. The XM5s are are one of the most versatile headphones around right now.
- Read the full Sony WH-1000XM5 review
Best value over-ear headphones for call quality
✅ Great price. Costing less than $200, the Accentum a quality pick at a lower price.
✅ Good sound. Sennheiser has packed in some great audio that make them a solid pick for those looking for great sound.
✅ Top notch mics. The mic quality is better than anything else at this price, and does a great job of isolating voices.
❌ No carrying case. If you want to keep your headphones protected, then you'll want the slightly more expensive Accentum Plus.
❌ Boring looks. It might not be useful for call quality, but their big single-color panels aren't the most inspired.
Sennheiser Accentum are a mid-priced ANC pair of headphones with plenty of flagship features. Probably the most outstanding thing about the Accentum noise-canceling headphones, though, is the 50-hour battery life and quick charge that's achieves up to 5 hours of listening time from a 10-minute top-up.
Our review mentioned that voice calls with the Accentum were loud and clear via the two built-in microphones. Background interference and wind noise was kept to a minimum, although a few people complained about the reviewer's voice sounding tinny at certain points. The SideTone feature was useful for increasing how loud I sounded on calls and helped to keep conversations feeling natural.
ANC mode was also very effective at reducing background sounds to a pool of silence, and Transparency mode was effective during my testing, too. Multipoint seamlessly switches from one Bluetooth device to another, so you don't have to worry about connectivity when calls come in.
- Read our full Sennheiser Accentum review
Best premium headphones for calls
✅ Crystal clear calls. Thanks to some very clever noise-canceling tech, Apple's headphones are excellent for calls.
✅ Good sound. Apple has packed some great sound quality in so that your music sounds good too.
✅ Stunning good looks. The AirPods Max look unlike any other pair of headphones around.
❌ Bad carrying case. The case that comes in the box barely protects the headphones from anything in your bag.
❌ Heavy. If you want to wear them for long periods, you'll soon find them start to feel heavy.
While not quite on Bose’s level, Apple knows a thing or two about making headphones that can double as great calling headsets. Its best effort is also the most expensive, but the AirPods Max has a few tricks that help justify the higher price. Transparency mode is one: this lets you hear your own voice when speaking, which in turn helps you moderate your own volume and make sure you’re coming through clear.
Not that the latter takes much effort, as the AirPods Max do fine work in reducing the impact of ambient sound on the microphones. Our callers found our voice clear and concise, without any noticeable interference from Apple's noise canceling tech. They do a good job at isolating voice from the noise of your environment — work calls in coffee shops became a whole lot easier when my recipients couldn't hear the screaming children running between the tables.
Noise-canceling is also generally very good, silencing any noise that might be trying to disturb your day. It's amongst some of the best around, although they're not quite as precise as the newer Sony WH-1000XM5 above.
- Read our full Apple AirPods Max review
Best earbuds for call quality
✅ Comfortable fit. The in-ear fit of all of Bose's earbuds is stunning, and the seal you get helps the noise canceling.
✅ Exellent noise canceling. Bose's noise canceling is excellent, and the QuietComfort 2 are no different.
✅ Top-notch call quality. You'll sound great to your caller, and they'll sound good in your ears — provided they're using decent headphones.
❌ They're older. They've now been superseded by the QuietComfort Ultra earbuds.
❌ Battery life. You only get 6 hours out of the buds.
Bose did a big revamp of its lineup in 2023, and despite being superseded by the QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds, the QuietComfort Earbuds 2 continue to be available and are the best wireless earbuds for voice calls. They deliver great sound, strong call quality and ANC performance, while proprietary technologies like ActiveSense and CustomTune balance sound and noise neutralization extremely well.
The QC Earbuds 2 kept vocals prominent over noisy backgrounds during our voice call tests. Using the Self Voice feature via Bose Music app increases vocal volume to hear yourself louder on calls, which our reviewer recommended.
ANC is a highlight as well, blocking out loads of noise from the outside world. We found them at their best when in really busy, noisy environments, as it let their stellar noise canceling shine — even when trying to have a conversation on the phone. Our caller heard us, and we heard them crystal clear.
- Read our full Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 review
Best budget buds
✅ Great price. There are few buds with as good a microphone for under $100.
✅ Great mics. They might not be quite as good as some of the more expensive options, but they deliver solid call quality for the price.
✅ They're comfortable. You'll have longer conversations when your buds feel great for the duration of your call.
❌ Battery life. It's not excellent to start with, and then drops when you start calling people.
❌ Spatial Audio isn't as good. If it interests you, then you should look at different buds.
At $99, the OnePlus Buds 3 are one of the most affordable flagship wireless earbuds around. They rank as one of the best wireless earbuds overall thanks to their great sound performance and personalization modes. ANC does a great job of eliminating unwanted noises, and helps ensure strong call quality experience.
In our tests we found these to some of the best headphones with a mic for voice and video calls. Call quality was impressive and voices sounded loud and clear with zero background noise. Wind resistance was also strong and didn't enter conversations.
They are stacked with more features than that have any right to at the price, and everything is available to Android and iOS users via the HeyMelody app. Just be sure to keep an eye on battery life as these can deplete more rapidly in ANC mode with several special features enabled.
- Read the full OnePlus Buds 3 review
Best for Galaxy phones
✅ Well priced. The Galaxy Buds Pro 2 can often be found for less than $200.
✅ Great mics. The ANC mics double as microphones for calls, giving great voice quality.
✅ Good ANC. Better than the then industry-standard AirPods Pro, there's some great noise canceling on display.
❌ They've been replaced. There are newer options from Samsung now.
❌ Bixby isn't great. Inaccurate and irritating, Bixby still needs work.
A worthy addition to the list, Samsung’s three-mic array produces loud, clear-sounding calls with minimal background interference. Whisking effects were reduced heavily when chatting with the missus outside. There was mention of minor muffle, which occurred in all settings, but nothing too worrisome. The buds were also reliable for video conferencing, with several clients complimenting the loudness and clarity on my end.
Samsung’s ANC holds its own against the best ANC models and blocks out close to 90% of ambient noise although it’s disappointing to see such a short ANC playtime. Sound alone makes the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro worth the investment, though, giving you a high quality audio experience and compelling 3D sound with precise head tracking. The Galaxy Buds 2 Pro are a versatile option with excellent mic quality for calls.
- Read our full Samsung Buds 2 Pro review
Top picks compared
Here's a quick look at how our top picks compare when it comes to rated battery life, both with active noise cancellation turned on and off.
| Row 0 - Cell 0 | Battery life (ANC off) | Battery life (ANC on) |
| Sony WH-1000XM5 | 40 hours | 30 hours |
| Sennehieser Accentum | n/a | 50 hours |
| Apple AirPods Max | not specified | 20 hours |
| Row 0 - Cell 0 | Battery life (ANC off) | Battery life (ANC on) |
| Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 | n/a | 6 hours |
| OnePlus Buds 3 | 10 hours | 6.5 hours |
| Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro | 8 hours | 5 hours |
| Jabra Connect 5T | 9 hours | 7 hours |
| Skullcandy Dime 3 | 8 hours | n/a |
Also tested
As Tom's Guide's audio experts, we test a lot of headphones but not everything makes it into a buying guide. That's not to say that they're not great performers, just that they're beaten by rival models with a stronger set of features or better performance at the price. The picks in this guide are the very best headphones we've tested for call and all have been given full reviews. But with more models to choose from than ever, we want to make sure that you consider these also tested options. These alternatives have been through our rigorous testing process but didn't quite make the grade to rank among the best of the best.
Best headphones with a mic FAQ
How to connect headphones to your work device?
To get your headphones working with your computer, laptop, or mobile device, it's usually a simple case of pairing them to your device once. The next time you put on the headphones, you'll be connected automatically. Volume can usually be adjusted via the controls on your playback device to make voices sound louder or quieter in the earpieces.
Which are the best wireless headsets for office calls?
The Bose 700 headphones have been the absolute best design for voice and video calls for some time, and by a comfortable margin too. They pick up your voice with outstanding clarity while simultaneously blocking out loud ambient noises, allowing fewer distractions on calls even when you’re in busy places. Combine that with a comfortable fit, excellent sound quality for music and the absolute best active noise cancelling (ANC) performance on the market, and the Bose 700s are worth paying a little extra for.
If you're looking for an in-ear design with outstanding performance, go for the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2, which are the best earbuds for voice and vide calls as well as the best noise-cancelling earbuds overall.
Also consider the Sony WH-1000XM5 over-ear headphones, which offer strong performance across the board.
How to choose the best headphones with a mic for voice and video calls for you
First, consider whether you’d prefer over-ear headphones or a pair of in-ear buds. There’s no rule of thumb that suggests one style is inherently better than the other for calling quality, though both have their pros and cons.
Wireless earbuds, for example, are more portable but don’t create a seal around your ear; as a result, over-ear headphones might be better if you expect to take calls where there’s a lot of ambient noise that could make it harder to hear what other call participants are saying.
Over-ear headphones also tend to have longer battery life, though most true wireless earbuds will last upwards of 4.5 hours between charges. That’s enough for all but the longest voice and video calls.
Don’t forget, also, that the main benefit of buying a pair of headphones over a headset or standalone microphone is that you can use it for music and podcasts too. So think about whether you want to pay extra for ANC, which enhances your listening experience in busy areas or on transport, as well as how important sound quality is for you more generally.
How we test the best headphones with a mic for voice and video calls
We test the calling capabilities of mic-equipped headphones exactly as you’d expect: by making calls. This lets us make sure each pair delivers the sound quality needed to ensure other callers are clearly audible, and we ask whoever we call for their feedback on how we sound. This helps us identify any problems with microphone volume or clarity — or, conversely, if we sound clear to others.
This is one of many tests to which we subject each pair of headphones. We also judge overall audio performance by how well each pair handles a variety of music genres, and will measure how long we get out of the battery before it runs empty.
To test comfort, we make sure to use the headphones over several days, including sessions wearing them for 2-3 hours at a time. This gives a good indication of how comfy each pair is, and whether that comfort is maintained in extended use.
Finally, we score each pair of headphones on a 1 to 5 scale. 1 is the lowest, 5 is the highest, and the most impressive headphones might get an Editor’s Choice badge as well.
Discover more about our reviewing process and how we test headphones.
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